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Regina's Reviews > Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting
Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting
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When you read hundreds of books a year like I do, people often ask how you can possibly remember details about them all. The honest answer is I don’t. What I do remember is how each and every one made me feel.
Novelist and neuroscientist Lisa Genova’s first nonfiction book, Remember, made me feel better, relieved, and normal. Alzheimer’s runs in my family (as it does for far too many people), so anytime a word fails me or a memory escapes me I worry all is lost. Here Genova explains in a very approachable way that the brain just ages like any other part of the body. It’s OK to get glasses for decreasing eyesight when you get to that point, and it’s OK to google things for decreasing memory recall. Hooray!
I loved how she even acknowledges in an Appendix that you’ve probably forgotten much of what you just read and helpfully recaps the major points. Talk about knowing your audience! I do hope it’s an audience that continues to grow, because I believe everyone could benefit from reading Remember. It’s a 5-star book marred only by Genova’s incessant name dropping. I certainly won’t be forgetting that she runs in circles with Jessica Chastain and George Clooney anytime soon.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
IG: @confettibookshelf
Novelist and neuroscientist Lisa Genova’s first nonfiction book, Remember, made me feel better, relieved, and normal. Alzheimer’s runs in my family (as it does for far too many people), so anytime a word fails me or a memory escapes me I worry all is lost. Here Genova explains in a very approachable way that the brain just ages like any other part of the body. It’s OK to get glasses for decreasing eyesight when you get to that point, and it’s OK to google things for decreasing memory recall. Hooray!
I loved how she even acknowledges in an Appendix that you’ve probably forgotten much of what you just read and helpfully recaps the major points. Talk about knowing your audience! I do hope it’s an audience that continues to grow, because I believe everyone could benefit from reading Remember. It’s a 5-star book marred only by Genova’s incessant name dropping. I certainly won’t be forgetting that she runs in circles with Jessica Chastain and George Clooney anytime soon.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
IG: @confettibookshelf
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Reading Progress
February 10, 2021
– Shelved
February 10, 2021
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May 9, 2021
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May 9, 2021
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Cheryl
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May 10, 2021 08:32AM
Great (and reassuring) review, Regina!!
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Cheryl wrote: "Great (and reassuring) review, Regina!!"Thank you, Cheryl! It's a very reassuring book. :)
Sounds like the author has a sense of humor too! Terrific review! 💕
Jayme, yes, a bit! Thank you. 😘
Great review Regina! Does the book offer ways to strengthen memory? I could really use that...... 😏
Farrah, yes!!!! Definitely read this book then.
Lucky her with the people she moves amongst!! I’m adding this as having witnessed Alzheimer’s in my late father I’d like to understand more. Fantastic review Regina.
Lovely review Regina! I need to read this author, she is loved by many.
Excellent review! Glad this was able to put your mind at ease. It sounds like a very informative book.
Middle-age brain fog is for real. Maybe I should read this?!?! I probably should . . . but it's non-fiction . . . so I know I won't. But I enjoyed your review, Regina. :)
Excellent review, Regina. Sounds like this was an important read for you and I’m glad it made you feel better and even provided a laugh or two. I’ve got a couple of brain books on my TBR that I need to get to. 🤗xo
Ceecee wrote: "Lucky her with the people she moves amongst!! I’m adding this as having witnessed Alzheimer’s in my late father I’d like to understand more. Fantastic review Regina."I'm so sorry to hear about your father, Ceecee. I do think you'll gain some good insight into the brain and its memory function by reading this, which will hopefully provide some peace of mind. xo
Mischenko wrote: "Great review, Regina!"Thanks very much. I'm happy to see it on your To Read shelf. :)
Holly wrote: "Lovely review Regina! I need to read this author, she is loved by many."Thanks Holly! I've enjoyed every book I've read by her.
Michael wrote: "Excellent review! Glad this was able to put your mind at ease. It sounds like a very informative book."That it was! Thank you! xo
Melissa wrote: "Middle-age brain fog is for real. Maybe I should read this?!?! I probably should . . . but it's non-fiction . . . so I know I won't. But I enjoyed your review, Regina. :)"It is FOR REAL for real! Maybe they'll make it into a documentary, with some great music, that you and Jason can watch together. ;)
Kat (Books are Comfort Food) wrote: "Excellent review, Regina. Sounds like this was an important read for you and I’m glad it made you feel better and even provided a laugh or two. I’ve got a couple of brain books on my TBR that I nee..."Thank you, Kat! I read a book last year called "The Art of Making Memories," which naturally I remember absolutely nothing about. I'm hopeful at least a few of the insights from this one will stick with me!
Excellent review of an increasingly important topic.Thank you for the review.
Jim
Enlightening review, Regina! So you're saying, or the author is saying, no need to blame it on the wine anymore?
Wonderful review, Regina! My Dear Mother passed from this dreadful disease. It’s heart breaking to watch and reading more about it is helped me cope. So glad you loved it!
CoachJim wrote: "Excellent review of an increasingly important topic.Thank you for the review.
Jim"
Thank you Jim, I agree it's an important topic, for sure.
Derek 🍻 wrote: "Enlightening review, Regina! So you're saying, or the author is saying, no need to blame it on the wine anymore?"Ha! Well she does actually mention red wine, and how the idea that drinking 2 glasses of wine a night helps your memory is a fallacy.
Terrie wrote: "Wonderful review, Regina! My Dear Mother passed from this dreadful disease. It’s heart breaking to watch and reading more about it is helped me cope. So glad you loved it!"Oh Terrie, I am so sorry to hear that about your mom. This is how we lost both my grandmothers, too. :(
Regina wrote: "Farrah, yes!!!! Definitely read this book then."Perfect! I can tell my memory isn't what it used to be. Adding it.
Regina, thank you for your sympathetic review,it has most definitely put my mind at rest.... I’m doing this all of the time. Adding it to my must read list! 👏👏👏
Farrah - According to the book, that's perfectly normal! Glad you added it to read. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. xo
Heather - That's wonderful, I'm glad! You definitely sound like the right audience for Remember, then.
Wonderful review, Regina. If memory serves me right ... well anyway. 😉
Peter, good one! LOL. ;)
Loved her other books and I've been patiently waiting for this to be available on my app! Lovely review on this book!
Toria, thanks! I appreciate that. I patiently waited for it to be available on my app too - Libby finally came through for me!
That's great! Hope it will for me too soon! Being a book lover is the necrssesety to be paintent to get the books haha :)
Toria - That's sooooo true. Patience can be key!
Alzheimer's is the worst it's just horrible seeing someone go through it. I'm glad this reassured you Regina 🤗
Thank you Fran, it definitely is not something you want to run in your family! xo
Excellent review. Alzheimer's is a tough disease for both, the one experiencing it and for the caregivers.
Sounds like an unscary look at a subject that probably scares us all - nice review Regina :)
Richard wrote: "Sounds like an unscary look at a subject that probably scares us all - nice review Regina :)"That's a superb way to put it, Richard.
Sheyla ✎ wrote: "Excellent review. Alzheimer's is a tough disease for both, the one experiencing it and for the caregivers."Thank you, Sheyla. That is so true.
Terrific review, Regina! This sounds like a good nonfiction on memory loss as we all age. I liked your analogy about getting eye glasses...
Paula wrote: "Terrific review, Regina! This sounds like a good nonfiction on memory loss as we all age. I liked your analogy about getting eye glasses..."Thanks, Paula! It's an analogy Genova uses in the book. :)
Terrific review, Regina! Lol, I did not remember that Genova knows Clooney and Chastain! But ha, now I won’t forget it! I gave the book 5 stars—thought it was fascinating—but at the same time, I admit that it freaked me out. Worries about sleep, exercise, and stress were already whirling around in my noggin, but now I’m even more worried! But I should be like you and try to only remember the good stuff. I did mention the positives in my review (and repeating this will reinforce my good memory, pshew), but unfortunately, I also focused on the freakout parts. Nevertheless, Genova is now on my favorite writer shelf.
Debbie wrote: "Terrific review, Regina! Lol, I did not remember that Genova knows Clooney and Chastain! But ha, now I won’t forget it! I gave the book 5 stars—thought it was fascinating—but at the same time, I ad..."Haha! You know what's funny? I just reread my review and now don't recall any of her stories about Clooney and Chastain. Yikes!
I, too, have Alzheimer’s disease in my family. It’s terrifying. You’re certainly not alone & I’m glad this book comforted you a bit. ♥️
