Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Review by Mirah Welday (mwelday)
My book club recently read Still Alice by Lisa Genova and our discussion was a sobering and thought-provoking one. Some of us found ourselves thinking about friends and family members who had been stricken with Alzheimer’s. Some of us found ourselves over-analyzing every moment we were forgetful in recent weeks, especially while reading the book. Some of us began wondering if we should consider early screening for the genetic markers for Alzheimer’s. Genova’s book pushed us all to reexamine our lives and the lives of those we know.
Alice Howland is a psychology professor at Harvard University with an illustrious career giving lectures, writing textbooks and mentoring students. She is world-renowned researcher and educator of linguistics. When Alice finds herself feeling disoriented in familiar places and forgetting simple facts and appointments, she thinks it’s a side effect of menopause. After testing, Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and eventually her grasp of her memories becomes harder and harder to hold on to. The changing dynamics of her relationships with her three children and husband create tension and heartache for everyone.
The novel is told from Alice’s perspective and this allows the reader to really experience Alice’s confusion and frustration while coping with Alzheimer’s. Many of us know what it is like to communicate with and love someone battling Alzheimer’s but I think Alice provides us a window into the mind of someone diagnosed with the disease. I believe Genova intelligently delivers Alice’s struggle with respect and sensitivity without shirking away from the reality.
I couldn’t finish this book because it made me so uncomfortable. However, I did go to see the movie and never cried so much at a movie in my life. So depressing.