New Original Podcast to Share Never-Before-Heard Audio from Oliver Sacks
Audible today announced the launch of Radiant Minds: The World of Oliver Sacks, hosted by neuroscientist Dr. Indre Viskontas. Produced by Audible Originals and Greenlawn Drive Productions, in association with Audiation and the Oliver Sacks Foundation, this 9-episode podcast expands on Sacks’ greatest cases and features newly discovered treasures from his audio archives.
Radiant Minds: The World of Oliver Sacks investigates the human experience and individuality, looking at how we shape our own brains at every moment. Each episode of Radiant Minds introduces listeners to a world of scientific wonder — stories of incredible resilience in the face of life-altering neurological conditions and the powers of the human brain we often take for granted. You’ll hear from Sacks’ patients, as well as scientists and artists whose insights will invite you to think about your own brain with a newfound sense of respect. Every second awaits discovery, much like Oliver’s own life.
“As one of the greatest minds of our time, Oliver Sacks continues to inspire millions of people around the world,” said Rachel Ghiazza, Executive Vice President, Head of US Content at Audible. “We are thrilled to bring this unique and immersive narrative podcast to listeners so that fans, old and new, can continue to learn and be transformed by Oliver Sacks and his groundbreaking work.”
“Radiant Minds is the realization of a dream of mine; it’s a posthumous collaboration with a mentor and friend who was a huge influence on my career as a neuroscientist,” said Dr. Indre Viskontas. “Working on this podcast, I felt I could once again explore the mysteries of the human brain with one of the most beloved humanists of our time. Because of our access to rare and never before heard audio from the Sacks archive, as well as so many people he knew intimately, this Audible Original reminds me of the energy, curiosity and sense of wonder Oliver brought to every encounter.”
Oliver Sacks, the neurologist who some have called the poet laureate of medicine, came to international attention when he was portrayed by Robin Williams in the 1990 film Awakenings. With his popular New Yorker articles and bestselling books—including Musicophilia and The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat—Sacks inspired millions of fans around the world; his works have been translated into more than 35 languages and been adapted into film, ballet, theater, and opera. He remains beloved for the compassionate narratives which introduced so many of us to the ideas of neurodiversity and the brain’s remarkable capacity for adaptation.
ABOUT DR. INDRE VISKONTAS
Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist, musician and opera stage director. She is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of San Francisco, Creative Director of Pasadena Opera and the Director of Communications at the Sound Health Network. She also hosts two popular podcasts: Inquiring Minds and Cadence: What Music Tells us about the Mind.
ABOUT THE OLIVER SACKS FOUNDATION
The Oliver Sacks Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing understanding of the human brain and mind through the power of narrative nonfiction and case histories. The foundation’s goals include working to reduce the stigma of mental and neurological illness, and supporting a humane approach to neurology and psychiatry.
