Anaesthesia: The Gift of Oblivion

• An astonishing work of creative non-fiction • This is a book about the enigma at the heart of modern medicine, and the mystery of the interrupted self • How does the unconscious mind deal with the body’s experience of being cut open? • What happens to those rare patients who wake up under the knife? • Kate Cole-Adams has delved into this fascinating subject for more than a decade • She has combined her own experiences and the personal stories of others with extensive scientific research to create a work of intense brilliance • Many of Kate’s findings deepen the mystery around consciousness and memory–such as a 1993 study of 32 women undergoing major surgery in which 23 patients squeezed the fingers of the doctor when prompted, 20 of them indicating they were in pain. Their memories of this test came and went in the days that followed • Can whatever happens while we are under anaesthesia continue to affect us in our waking lives? • Will appeal to fans of Oliver Sacks and books like H is for Hawk • Will be the subject of a high profile publicity and marketing campaign, including newspaper advertising and festival appearances • Author is a journalist who lives in Melbourne