Still Alice - Lisa Genova

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Pages:  292 pages

Publishing Date:  July 6, 2007

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she’s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life--and her relationship with her family and the world--forever.

My Thoughts:
I debated 4 or 5 stars on this book.  Since I’m still thinking about the story and characters several days later, I believe it has earned a 5. 

This book was both fascinating and heart breaking.  I have not had anyone close to me diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  This was a very eye-opening read.

Genova really fleshed out all the characters.  They were human to the fullest extent in emotions and reactions in dealing with Alice’s diagnosis.  I felt for them.  The devastation for Alice to have been ultra-successful and cerebral and learning that everything she had built her career – and to a large part her life – on was going to disappear.  That she wouldn’t remember her education and professional knowledge or even worse, not recognize herself or her family.  I can only imagine it now based on what I’ve read in this book.

Such an amazingly well-written book on an important topic. 


For readers sensitive to things, there is some language.