Title: Phineas Gauge     

Author: John Fleischman

Genre: Non-fiction

 

Phineas Gauge was a Vermont railroad worker in 1848 that had a very horrific accident. Phineas Gauge worked with explosives, and had an accident involving a tamping iron and blasting powder; he made a “complete recovery”. Despite his injury he did recover but something happened when he was injured that would change him forever. His misfortune was the doctor’s salvation because of the discovery’s that followed.

The author’s message was on the subject of luck, which has been debated for many years. In the beginning of the book the author asked if Phineas was lucky or unlucky ; then in the end of the book the author stated that Phineas was lucky , I wouldn’t exactly say that someone that had a 13 pound steel bar rocketed through his head is lucky. On the other hand he was lucky because he lived another 11 amazing years, so the answer in multidimensional.

            I really enjoyed Phineas Gauge. The part that intrigued me was the whole “whole in his head” part. The other part that was entertaining was the way the author described everything, and brought it to life