Bring On The Snow

Today while the wind howled and the snow started coming down and blowing everywhere, I was able to sit in my chair with a book in my hands. I got up early, called my boss and said, no work for me, put stew in the crock pot and picked up a book. Another great book!

This book was on my list of must reads. Not sure where I heard about it. I am going to have to start writing down who told me about books. This story was so moving. It was too real. Will have me second guessing myself every time I forget something.

Still Alice, by Lisa Genova, is about Alice Howland a psychology professor at Harvard. She is an expert in Linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. She starts to notice she is becoming forgetful and disoriented. She is a runner and gets lost in Harvard Square. A place that is like a second home to her. Alice is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The story is told through Alice. We see how her relationships with her husband and children change. It is tragic and heart wrenching to read what Alice is feeling and dealing with after her diagnosis.

Alice was an intelligent, proud woman. She was respected in her field. She immediately researches what she can expect from the disease. The knowledge both helps her understand what she can do to help herself as much as possible and makes her more aware of the terrible fate she faces.

I knew someone that suffered from Alzheimer's disease. As tragic as it is for their family, it seems so much better when they no longer realize what they are losing. They are happy in their moment or with the memories they retain. Lisa Genova portrays this as if she herself has experienced Alzheimer's.

The back of the book calls it beautiful and terrifying with a vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's. It is a must read. You will feel so much compassion. Even if you never know someone that suffers from this disease, I think the book will give an understanding that you will keep with you.

I rate this book a 5.