Still Alice

By: Lisa Genova

Narrated by: Lisa Genova

What if every memory you've ever had will be erased from your mind, and you have no choice but to carry on...powerless to stop it?

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At 50 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 begins to grow disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world - forever.

At once beautiful and terrifying, this extraordinary debut novel by Lisa Genova is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.

©2009 Lisa Genova (P)2009 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"After I read Still Alice, I wanted to stand up and tell a train full of strangers, 'You have to get this book.'" ( Boston Globe)
"With grace and compassion, Lisa Genova writes about the enormous white emptiness created by Alzheimer's." ( The Improper Bostonian)
"A masterpiece that will touch lives in ways none of us can even imagine." ( Alzheimer's Daily News)

A peek inside life with EOAD

Compelling story of one woman's internal decay and its effects on her family.

The narrator is good but her young voice is usually at odds with the mind voice of a middle aged woman fighting an old people disease.

Needs a better narrator

What did you love best about Still Alice?

There were some really beautifully written moments, both in terms of the emotion of the moment and the actual sentence construction.

What did you like best about this story?

Through her writing style, the author has a way of letting you feel the same disorientation and confusion that Alice feels as her disease progresses.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Lisa Genova?

A professional narrator and someone older with more "gravitas" to their voice. I felt like Genova's delivery and tone were likely what you would hear if she were to give a reading at a book club or book signing event, but it wasn't appropriate for the full-length audiobook. Even my 13 year old son, who happened to catch just a piece of this book while he was in the car with me, commented that he didn't think the narration was very good.

Any additional comments?

Despite the flaws in the narration, the story was compelling. I always know I've found a good audiobook when I can't wait to get into my car at the end of the workday so I can listen to my book. "Still Alice" was definitely one of those books.

Wow!

The timeline was a little fast paced but it was a great story. I expected the husband to be more understanding, but he wasn't.

Awesome

My mother, 81, has been diagnosed with mild to moderate (more moderate) Alzheimer's. This book was recommended to me by the elder care law practice we are using. What a great suggestion. I kept wondering how Ms. Genova was able to describe in great detail the daily situational difficulties facing the dementia patient. I could definitely relate to some of the things Alice said or did. This book doesn't offer any care-giver suggestions, but it is certainly a good first read if you are getting ready to deal with this disease.

Great book! Great insight

I really liked listening to this book and thought the performance was good as well. If you are a person with a lot of empathy...ready yourself. It's a great read for anyone and really made me think and fear a little

Very moving

Very authentic view of life. The weave of our human ego in the intricacies of our identity are extraordinarily exposed in this disease and very well depicted in this book. The loss of our ego and therefore our identity is devastating. What is left, pure consciousness?

Fictional Account of Important Topic

Where does Still Alice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

High

What was one of the most memorable moments of Still Alice?

When she attended a class she was supposed to be teaching.

What about Lisa Genova’s performance did you like?

Fine voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Helen Mirren's most compelling performance.

Any additional comments?

Unsure of how accurately the story reflects the actual internal experience of an individual with Alzheimers.

Impactful.

This book was like a punch in the lungs. There were times I had to take a break and process and recover. It is so tragic how this disease can hurt people and families and it’s widespread affect. I’m so glad it was recommended to me.

Not Great Literature

Any additional comments?

This is the story of a woman with Alzheimer's. The focus is on the progression of the disease and the reactions of the family and friends. It is very good for helping people understand what this process is about.
It is not a typical story. Alice has early onset dementia, which occurs fairly young and progresses quite rapidly. Since she and her family are scientists, they are aware of what is happening and what to expect. There is little of the confusion, fear, denial and frustration (including violence) that are common. The family has resources, and they do not face the agonizing financial decisions of many.
The author/narrator sounds quite young, and her voice lacks the maturity needed to bring this story to life. Conversations that should be difficult and poignant sound chipper and trite -- giving the impression that while she may have witnessed this story, but she has not lived deeply into it.
That said, it is what it is: the story of a woman with Alzheimer's, and it presents many excellent insights into the lives of those who have this disease.

wonderfully written!

i couldn't stop listening! so touching and realistic. it makes me hope that im like Lydia if someone i love has alzheimers in the future.