by Lisa Redfern (Author)

An explosion shoots a thirteen-pound iron rod through the head of twenty-five-year-old construction foreman, Phineas Gage. Hurled to the ground, Phineas convulses but remains conscious. He says he doesn't feel pain. When the accident occurred, Phineas was laying track on the Rutland & Burlington Railroad in Vermont. The year was 1848. One of the 'great' medical curiosities of all time, Phineas's head injury may have been the first case to link brain studies with human personality. In this novella, Phineas, his sister, and her husband share their experiences during the years after Phineas's accident. Their stories tell: how the family coped with Phineas's head injury, the challenges of traveling to California with him, and how his skull and tamping iron came to be on display in a Harvard Museum. Based on a true story and known facts (at the time of writing), this work of fiction brings contemporary emotional qualities to the people who experienced a family tragedy that became a historic event. The Case of Phineas Gage is still commonly studied by neurology and psychology students today.

Author Biography

Too often, we feel disconnected from history. Black and white photos, museum exhibits, and statistics make us forget that the people who came before us lived full and colorful lives. "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller. Keller's sentiment is one that Lisa carries through every aspect of her creative work. In her writing, Lisa is exploring history, time travel, relationships and, self-acceptance themes. She has worked as a professional photographer, a book publicist, a grant writer, and a recycling educator. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from CSU, Sacramento. She lives in Nevada City, California, a picturesque mining town with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. Lisa shares her home with her husband, son, two dogs, two cats, and a beta fish. www.redfern.biz

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