Author: Lisa GenovaGenre: Fiction, StandalonePublished: 2009Personal Rating: 4.75/5Yearly Count: 25
Alice Howland is a psychology professor at Harvard, wife and mother. Alice starts to experience episodes of forgetfulness and finally makes an appointment to see a doctor. Eventually, Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. The narrator is Alice, herself.
Whoa. What a powerful novel. Alice is real. Real as any of us could be. Even though, this is not a memoir, it is based on detailed research and feels like the real deal. For me it was not a tear-jerker (however, I did have a few tears), but a heartbreaking story of a disease that strips away the real you.
Lisa Genova gives Alice an authentic, sincere voice and one that kept me glued to the pages as I experienced Alice's decline with her. I hope this is the closest I ever get to this disease, because I was painstakingly close.
Side Note: This book was originally self-published.
30 Readers' Thoughts:
I'd like to read this one even though I'm sure it will reduce me to a blithering idiot.
Bermudaonion ~ :) It is very touching, but I honestly don't believe that it is meant to be a tear-jerker. Of course, there are times when it just can't be helped, but Genova does a fabulous job of giving Alice dignity and grace.
I think it's an interesting choice to tell the story from the point of view of the person with Alzheimer's.
Sounds both heartbreaking and frightening.
Alzheimer's is such an awful disease--sounds like a really powerful book and I'll definitely have to keep my eye open for it.
I've been wanting to pick this one up. My uncle has Alzheimer's--really advanced now---I just wonder if it wouldn't be too hard to read though.
I read this book a while ago and it made a huge impression on me.
Alzheimer's is a dreadful disease - robbing a person of everything that makes them "them."
I LOVED this book - read it last year. It really helped me see exactly what it would be like for someone with Alzheimers and for their loved ones. I thought it was so well written.
Wow! This must be good to deserve such a high rating from you. I'm definitely going to have to give it a try.
Charley ~ Supposedly it's the only book of its kind. It was the perfect choice.
Debi ~ Indeed, it is/was.
Trish ~ It's a book I had a hard time putting down and wish I could still be reading it.
Dar ~ It is a difficult read, but fascinating at the same time. Being that you actually know someone with the disease, it may be a tough one. On the other hand, it can give you some perspective of what your uncle has gone through.
Lynne ~ I miss Alice. The author made her so real.
Eileen ~ I agree whole-heartedly. The writing drew me in right from the start.
Samantha.1020 ~ I've been reading some great books lately! Seven books have already made it to my "Best Reads" list for the year. Woo Hoo! :)
I have this one on my review shelf to read. I admit to being hesitant to read it, given how close Alzheimer's has touched my life, but I will give it a try just the same. It's definitely not one I will recommend to my mother though. I don't think she could take it. Great review, Joy.
Amazon recommended this for me. Now I have an actual person telling me it's good. I don't think I've disagreed with you yet, so I will have to get my hands on a copy.
Someone is sending this to me and I can't wait for it to arrive, especially now that I see your high rating. You and I have really had a good start to 2009, haven't we? I don't think I've had a dud yet!
Literary Feline ~ I'm sorry to hear that Alzheimer's has touched your life. It really is a sad disease for all those involved. I think the only saving grace about it is that there is no physical pain.
Framed ~ We do have a good track record, don't we? :)
Les ~ Oh yes! I have really enjoyed my reading thus far. Usually I have already mentally moved on to my next book, but Alice remains on my mind. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
This has been on my wishlist and I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It sounds like a powerful book. I am impressed by your high rating Joy as I know that you have high standards. That says a lot!!
I've got this book here at home and have been thinking of picking it up at some point this year. I'll have to give myself a while longer I think. Dad has not been gone for too many months yet and I feel it may be too close for me until later.
Alzheimers is truly a dreadful disease. So sorrowful for the victim and it makes victims of the entire family. My family is healing but it took a lot our of all of us. My heart goes out to any family that deals with this. My prayer is that a cure will come at some point.
Thanks for the review, Joy.
I don't know if I can read a book about Alzheimer's disease at my age and with my diminished memory capacity. It is such a scary, horrible disease.
Really want to read this. My Father-in-law is about to have tests to see if this is his trouble.
It sounds like a really well-written book but I think I'll stear clear. I try to avoid these types of books, having gone through loosing a loved one to disease (not Alzheimers, though) I don't feel I need to read about it. Once experienced is one time too many for me.
Bonnie ~ The writing brought this family to life. I will definitely pick up her next book Left Neglected (current title). It's about an active, multitasking mother who takes her eyes off the road for a second too long and ends up with a traumatic brain injury. I don't know when it will be out.
Kay ~ I'm sorry for your loss Kay. I know it was extremely difficult to experience. He's safe now. :) A cure - wouldn't that be wonderful?!
Booklogged ~ Yes, it is. It does make you think about your own abilities and/or lack thereof.
Zetor ~ I hope that whatever is disturbing him can be resolved easily. Peaceful thoughts are being sent your way.
Nicola ~ I fully understand. Not having any knowledge, except for the basics, made this an educational book for me as well. At times it was difficult to experience Alice's frustration; however, Genova mastered her feelings with finesse.
This sounds like a good book,a little different from what I normally read, and looks a little similar to the Stone Angle. I think I may have to add it to my TBR list....if I can find the end of it. Great review.
Jules ~ It's a very touching and realistic book, very memoir-like. I can relate to trying to find the end of the TBR list! :)
Sounds like it's very powerful, I'll have to take a look. Plus almost everything that gets close to 5 starts from you goes on my tbr list. :-)
Joanna ~ If you get a chance to read it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Joy,
I found your blog through Fyrefly's Wordpress site and the Book Blogs Search engine she put together. I just finished Still Alice this morning and posted my thoughts about it. I included a link to your blog on my post.
Glad to have found you!!
Staci ~ Welcome! Thanks so much for visiting. I'll be right over. :)
Like you, I didn't find this to be a tearjerker. But I sure did find myself holding my breath, waiting for something really terrible to happen to Alice. I felt so bad for her on so many occasions and I think Lisa was so wise to choose to tell the story from the point-of-view of an Alzheimer's patient. It was as up close and personal as you'd ever get and it was so very believable.
I can't stop thinking about this book, either. I may have to read it again later this year. As I said in my review, it's my #1 read of the year. I am so glad I read it.
Les ~ I agree, Alice telling her own story was brilliant. It's been over a month since I read it and she still hasn't left my thoughts totally. I'm questioning myself as to why I didn't give it a 5, but for whatever reason - I still consider it a winner!
Yours is the third good review I've read, and I do hope to read the book sometime soon. I mentioned in a comment on the owl's feathers review that there is a nonfiction book written by the man who is actually experiencing the disease - sort of like Alice, but a real person. It is called Losing My Mind by Thomas DeBaggio. I believe he wrote another one as well. I haven't read it but would like to do so.
Nan ~ Oh thanks, Nan! I'm taking note of that title.
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