Author: Lisa Genova
Published: March 23rd 2021 by Harmony
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
Genre: Neuroscience
First Sentence: Picture a penny in you mind's eye.
Synopsis: Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over forty, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why? Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make, or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human.
In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. You'll learn whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds (like a passcode) while others can last a lifetime (your wedding day). You'll come to appreciate the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). And you'll see how memory is profoundly impacted by meaning, emotion, sleep, stress, and context. Once you understand the language of memory and how it functions, its incredible strengths and maddening weaknesses, its natural vulnerabilities and potential superpowers, you can both vastly improve your ability to remember and feel less rattled when you inevitably forget. You can set educated expectations for your memory, and in doing so, create a better relationship with it. You don't have to fear it anymore. And that can be life-changing.
My Opinion: This was not a quick read for me. More along the lines of reading a chapter, think. Read the next chapter, think some more. If I had read it straight through, like a regular book, I know I would have brushed over some of the important parts. The parts which tell me an aging brain is normal, and there is a difference between not paying attention and Alzheimer’s, and if we take care of our bodies (food, exercise, sleep, etc.), our minds (social interaction, learning new tasks, etc.) will follow.
I’m not usually a person who rereads a book, but this one will stay on my shelf as a reminder that although Alzheimer’s maybe an eventuality, there are ways to slow the progression, and to know which signs to look for.
As Lisa Genova said, there is a vast difference between not remembering where you parked your car and forgetting you own a car. This is what is important. Don’t panic over the small stuff, we all forget the small stuff.
Synopsis: Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over forty, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why? Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make, or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human.
In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. You'll learn whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds (like a passcode) while others can last a lifetime (your wedding day). You'll come to appreciate the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). And you'll see how memory is profoundly impacted by meaning, emotion, sleep, stress, and context. Once you understand the language of memory and how it functions, its incredible strengths and maddening weaknesses, its natural vulnerabilities and potential superpowers, you can both vastly improve your ability to remember and feel less rattled when you inevitably forget. You can set educated expectations for your memory, and in doing so, create a better relationship with it. You don't have to fear it anymore. And that can be life-changing.
My Opinion: This was not a quick read for me. More along the lines of reading a chapter, think. Read the next chapter, think some more. If I had read it straight through, like a regular book, I know I would have brushed over some of the important parts. The parts which tell me an aging brain is normal, and there is a difference between not paying attention and Alzheimer’s, and if we take care of our bodies (food, exercise, sleep, etc.), our minds (social interaction, learning new tasks, etc.) will follow.
I’m not usually a person who rereads a book, but this one will stay on my shelf as a reminder that although Alzheimer’s maybe an eventuality, there are ways to slow the progression, and to know which signs to look for.
As Lisa Genova said, there is a vast difference between not remembering where you parked your car and forgetting you own a car. This is what is important. Don’t panic over the small stuff, we all forget the small stuff.
