I just finished reading the book Still Alice, by Lisa Genova, PhD. A friend of mine, loaned me her copy of it, with the highest of recommendations. It wasn't the "you should read this", kind of recommendation. It was more like "YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!" kind. She was right. I couldn't put it down. When I was done, I realized how important it was to pass on her recommendation. YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!
Still Alice is a compelling novel about a 50 year old woman's sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer's disease, written by author Lisa Genova, who holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Harvard University. The story is fiction, told by the main character Alice Howland, a Harvard professor of linguistics. It is a heart wrenching, emotional look at the slow decline of cognition that occurs with early onset Alzheimers. Still Alice reports that demise accurately, as it happens to the Howland family, and they all struggle toward acceptance. But this is not a sad or depressing read. It is positive and uplifting. There is no "happy ending" but the author allows the reader to experience Alice's fight for dignity and her resolve to reach out to others with the same diganosis.
Definately worth your time.
My greatest fear in life is losing my cognition. I don't really fear death, but I sure as HELL worry about losing my independence and becoming a burden to my family. I'm not trying to be a downer or bum anyone out, but this is just something one thinks about when one reaches "a certain age." And I'm getting there.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good read and I am always in the market for such a book. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBuck, my grandmother once told me she didn't mind getting old; she just didn't want to ever lose her mind. She was an awesome woman always - even after she had a stroke at 81 and lived to be 87. She was never a burden, but always a lady.