The Mystery of the Sleepy Sickness

The Clan of the Cave Bear, set 18,000 years BCE during the last ice age, tells the story of Ayla, a five-year-old Cro-Magnon girl who loses her family in an earthquake and is found by Iza, the medicine woman of a Neanderthal clan. Despite being from a different species, Ayla is adopted by the clan, led by Brun, and cared for by Iza and her brother Creb, the clan's shaman. The novel explores Ayla's integration into the clan, her unique abilities, and the cultural and societal differences between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. It also delves into themes of acceptance, loyalty, and the struggles Ayla faces, particularly from Broud, the son of the clan leader, who harbors deep resentment towards her.

The book tells the extraordinary story of a group of patients who survived the great sleeping-sickness epidemic of the 1920s and were 'awakened' 40 years later by the administration of the drug L-DOPA. Dr. Sacks documents the miraculous and sometimes disastrous effects of this treatment, exploring themes of health, disease, suffering, care, and the human condition. The book also delves into the psychological and philosophical implications of these patients' experiences, highlighting the complexities of identity, personality, and the impact of their prolonged immobility on their lives.