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  • Still Alice

  • By: Lisa Genova
  • Narrated by: Lisa Genova
  • Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (518 ratings)

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Still Alice

By: Lisa Genova
Narrated by: Lisa Genova
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Summary

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
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Editor reviews

The heart-wrenching tale of 50-year-old Alice Howland and her early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis is narrated eloquently by author Lisa Genova. Alice, a successful linguistics professor at Harvard, is married to John, an equally esteemed Harvard professor, and together they have three grown children. Her biggest worry in life is her youngest daughter's move to L.A. to pursue acting until Alice starts forgetting things. It begins innocuously enough: misplacing her BlackBerry, missing unimportant appointments on her to-do list, searching her mind for tip-of-the-tongue phrases. But when she goes on her familiar daily run through Cambridge, and becomes disoriented just one mile from home, Alice knows something is terribly wrong.

A battery of tests and multiple doctor visits later, her worst nightmare is confirmed she is in the first stages of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Told from Alice's perspective, it's a frighteningly keen insight to the slow deterioration of a debilitating disease. Every nuance of pain, frustration, fear, and sorrow is captured in Genova's voice and she expertly utilizes the pregnant pause, and short, choppy sentences to convey the confusion and pain of Howland's thoughts during testing and diagnosis.

Genova's slight Boston accent lends authenticity to the story, and she doesn't oversell the emotion behind the words. Her transitions between character dialogue are smooth and subtle, but she so embodies the main character Alice, it's hard to remember that it is Genova, and not Howland herself, telling her story. Knowing its being read exactly as it was intended by the author creates an even stronger connection to the work. Equally present is the devastating effect this illness has on Alice's husband, children, and coworkers. And while there's obviously no happy ending in sight, Genova still manages to paint a story of hope, reminding listeners that even in the midst of great loss and suffering, love remains. Colleen Oakley

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)

What listeners say about Still Alice

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Alice

Loved it , a great and enjoyable listen which is loving, deep and thought provoking.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Very good, well worth a listen

Any additional comments?

I thought this book was really well written, a book about such a serious and sad subject, but almost made positive and even funny at times. I read Elizabeth is missing, I can't help but compare the two- it also really gave a good insight into what this disease is all about, but unlike Elizabeth is missing it did it without being repetitive, or depressing, and it was a really easy listen. It wasn't too long either- just right. Narration was good, not excellent, but definitely didn't ruin the book in any way.

Would definitely recommend to anyone searching for their next audio book.

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No one knows what the future holds

Loved this book .. I work in a nursing home with dementia residents and see on a daily basis the anguish of not only them but their families ... I now want to watch the film

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Spoiled by narration

Such a shame! This could have been a brilliant listen, utterly spoiled by the poor flat narration of the author.

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Beautiful

Beautifully written book with so many interesting ideas and insightful views into Alzheimer's. Loved that the author read it but could have shown more expression and emotion in parts of the dialogue.

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Powerful

This was a very powerful story. You couldn't help feeling sorry for alice and her memories slipping away. However, the author reading the story was annoying, i wanted to read this book after watching the film but the narration was bad and only speeding it up made it bearible, you couldn't relate to caracters because of the flat tone. I personally would not buy another book read by this author even though her books appear to be very good.

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Touching

Absolutely heart warming and eye opening, lovely but sad book. Defiantly worth a read by anyone.

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Fantastic story

Loved this story and having it as audio was great. I really got in to Alice and felt for her

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Grim but dripping with humanity

Beautifully truthful. Well read. Sensitive and deeply moving. I took the journey with Alice and felt her losing her grip on life. The reactions of family around her was realistic and heart rending.

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Brilliant

I watched movie first
However, book was very good and it really gave you insite of Alzheimers in a view of person who has it. It is a very touching story.

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