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Article: NONFICTION; A painful awakening; A Venetian family afflicted with inherited fatal insomnia for 200 years is at the center of D.T. Max's spellbinding look at "prionic" disorders.(ENTERTAINMENT)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- September 10, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Emily Carter Roiphe
Special to the Star Tribune
For time beyond measure, crazed insomniacs have been assured that "no one ever died from lack of sleep." It's a comforting and common-sense bromide, along the lines of "dreams can't hurt you" and "you can't cheat an honest man." Like all such sayings, it's true in the main, but pocked with exceptions. If, for example, you are a member of this book's titular family, insomnia will indeed kill not only you, but a good percentage of your family.
Science writer and cultural critic D.T. Max's book is not about only this unfortunate family in Venice, but also about the mysterious protein that ...