Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting

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A fascinating exploration of the intricacies of how we remember, why we forget, and what we can do to protect our memories, from the Harvard-trained neuroscientist and bestselling author of Still Alice.

Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you cant remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or when you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place If youre over forty, youre probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimers or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains arent designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make, or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesnt mean its broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human.

In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. Youll come to appreciate the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimers (that you own a car). And youll see how memory is profoundly impacted by meaning, emotion, sleep, stress, and context. Once you understand the language of memory and how it functions, its incredible strengths and maddening weaknesses, its natural vulnerabilities and potential superpowers, you can both vastly improve your ability to remember and feel less rattled when you inevitably forget. You dont have to fear your memory anymore. And that can be life-changing.

Praise forRemember:

Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Genova explains the nuances of human memory. As with her previous books, this is an engaging and edifying read. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author of How the Mind Works

No one writes more brilliantly about the connections between the brain, the mind, and the heart. Remember is a beautiful, fascinating, and important book about the mysteries of human memorywhat it is, how it works, and what happens when it is stolen from us. A scientific and literary treat that you will not soon forget. Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness

In Remember, Lisa Genova provides easy-to-follow, no nonsense advice on how to maximize one of the greatest outputs of your brainmemory. But, more important, she also lets us know that while memory is a tremendous gift, the real you is much more than just what you can remember! Rudolph E. Tanzi, PhD, professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School, coauthor of The Healing Self

'Neuroscientist and novelist Genova (Still Alice) delivers a solid primer on the way memory works and fails to workGenova blends popular science and self-help, providing lay reader-friendly descriptions of the function of memory and sharing tips for better memory in a helpful appendix ...This accessible survey is an easy entry point for anyone wondering how and why they keep forgetting where they left their car keys.' Publishers Weekly

Reviews

Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Genova explains the nuances of human memory. As with her previous books, this is an engaging and edifying read. -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author ofHow the Mind Works
Brain science is deciphering the mysteries of memory, and no one is better positioned to tell the electrifying story than Dr Genova, with her scientists eye and poets ear. A book you wont forget. -- David Eagleman, neuroscientist, Stanford University, author of The Brain
No one writes more brilliantly about the connections between the brain, the mind and the heart. Remember is a beautiful, fascinating and important book about the mysteries of human memory what it is, how it works, and what happens when it is stolen from us. A scientific and literary treat that you will not soon forget. -- Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author of Stumbling on Happiness
In Remember, Lisa Genova provides easy-to-follow, no nonsense advice on how to maximize one of the greatest outputs of your brain memory. But, more important, she also lets us know that while memory is a tremendous gift, the real you is much more than just what you can remember! -- Rudolph E. Tanzi, PhD, professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School, co-author ofThe Healing Self
Neuroscientist and novelist Genova (Still Alice) delivers a solid primer on the way memory works and fails to work Genova blends popular science and self-help, providing lay reader-friendly descriptions of the function of memory and sharing tips for better memory in a helpful appendix ... This accessible survey is an easy entry point for anyone wondering how and why they keep forgetting where they left their car keys. * Publishers Weekly *
Genovas plentiful anecdotes from her personal and professional lives make it easy for readers to relate, and her obvious expertise in memory and the brain results in a book that is more insightful than many others on the subject. Sharp writing and accessible storytelling make for a compelling read. * Kirkus Reviews *
This user-friendly account is very informative and should encourage and comfort concerned readers. * Booklist *

Author Bio

Acclaimed as the Oliver Sacks of fiction and the Michael Crichton of brain science, Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony,Inside the OBriens, and Remember.Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's, has been viewed over 2 million times.