Vox Synaesthetica
Reflections on the Synaesthetic Experience
Resources
Cytowic, Richard E. Wednesday is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synaesthesia “In Wednesday Is Indigo Blue, pioneering researcher Richard Cytowic and distinguished neuroscientist David Eagleman explain the neuroscience and genetics behind synesthesia’s multi sensory experiences”.
Cytowic, Richard E. The Man Who Tasted Shapes “Extensive experiments with more than forty synesthetes led Richard Cytowic to an explanation of synesthesia–and to a new conception of the organization of the mind, one that emphasized the primacy of emotion over reason”.
Day, Sean A. Synesthetes “Synesthesia affects more than 3.7% of the world’s population – that’s at least one out of every 27 people! Yet it is generally unknown to most people. This book explores more than 80 different types of synesthesia, from the more common, such as colored letters and numbers and time-lines, to the extraordinarily rare, such as flavors in one’s mouth producing perceptions of musical chords. Dr. Sean A. Day is himself a multiple synesthete who has researched and interacted with other synesthetes around the world for over 25 years”.
Duffy, Patricia Lynne Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens “Sometimes described as a blending of perceptions, synesthesia occurs when only one of the fives senses is aroused but two respond. Journalist Patricia Lynne Duffy draws from her own struggles and breakthroughs with synesthesia to help us better understand the condition, while describing some of the major theories surrounding it”.
Seaberg, Maureen Tasting the Universe: People Who See Colors in Words and Rainbows in Symphonies “What happens when a journalist turns her lens on a mystery happening in her own life? Maureen Seaberg did just that and lived for a year exploring her synesthesia”.
Van Campen, Cretien The Hidden Sense: Synaesthesia in Art and Science “In The Hidden Sense, Cretien van Campen explores synesthesia from both artistic and scientific perspectives, looking at accounts of individual experiences, examples of synesthesia in visual art, music, and literature, and recent neurological research”.
The International Association of Synaesthetes, Artists, and Scientists (IASAS) advances global awareness of the neurological phenomena of synaesthesia through their support for academic, creative and community inquiry into cross-modal perception. IASAS cultivates international collaboration among synaesthetes, artists, scientists, and other persons interested in synaesthesia. Through public lectures, creative exhibits, online communities, and educational outreach, the International Association of Synaesthetes, Artists, and Scientists serves the public good through fostering interest, understanding, and acceptance of synaesthesia as an expression of human neurodiversity.
There is a Mirror-Touch Synesthesia community on Facebook, which is a great resource for both synesthetes and people interested in mirror-touch phenomena. You can find that Facebook page here.
The Synesthesia List is an international e-mail forum, founded in 1992, for connecting synesthetes with each other and with those researching synesthesia. Currently, we have over 850 members, from all over the world (52 countries; 6 continents represented). More than a half are synesthetes, and more than a third are professional academics researching synesthesia (the two categories overlap slightly); other participants in the Synesthesia List include family and friends of synesthetes. All are welcome. The Synesthesia List currently is not “automatic”. It is maintained, monitored, and edited by Dr. Sean A. Day, president of the International Association of Synaesthetes, Artists, and Scientists (IASAS). To join the synaesthesia list, contact Sean A. Day with a message saying you wish to subscribe.
