The Forgetting: Understanding Alzheimers: A Biography of a Disease

(Paperback)

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A literary and scientific examination of Alzheimer's disease and the race to find a cure. In 1906, Alois Alzheimer dissected and examined the cerebral cortex of Auguste D's brain and became the first scientist in medical history to link a specific brain pathology to behavioural changes. The disease named after him, turns otherwise active and healthy people into "living ghosts". It is a rare condition for those in their 40s and 50s but 10 per cent of the 65-plus population suffers from it and 50 per cent of the 85-plus age group. It is longevity's revenge and as the baby boom generation drifts into its elderly years the number of Alzheimer's victims is expected to quadruple, making it the fastest-growing disease in developed countries. Shenk's book is an account of the scientists who are working to cure the disease and to understand the links between biology and consciousness. The book is punctuated with personal accounts of famous Alzheimer sufferers - Ronald Reagan, Willem de Kooning and Jonathan Swift - as well as the stories of many less famous victims. Shenk's history of Alzheimer's is grounded by the fundamental belief that memory forms the basis of ourselves, our souls, and the meaning in our lives.

Reviews

'The Forgetting is completely absorbing, fascinating, the best of writing, thought-provoking, socially important and imperative to read, with the narrative pull of a well-written murder mystery.' Amy Tan 'Lucid and often moving... Shenk is a wonderful writer on science. His prose zings along.' Independent 'A startling book, a mixture of history, science, politics and compelling case studies' Daily Telegraph 'A beautifully rendered portrait of a terrible illness, David Shenk's book is immensely absorbing and informative, yet also quite touching.' Todd Feinberg, Yarmon Alzheimer's Disease Centre 'A poignant portrayal of a dark illness that robs our very soul. Yet Shenk provides a vivid glimpse of the future, how new science may ultimately remedy this devastating malady.' Jerome Groopman, Harvard Medical School

Author Bio

David Shenk is an award-winning, national-bestselling author of five books, and a contributor to National Geographic, Slate, the New York Times, Gourmet, Harpers, American Scholar, NPR and PBS. He has written about pandemics, music, technology, chess, politics, bioethics, the brain, corporate malfeasance and kids' toys. He frequently lectures on health, education and technology, and is currently writing a blog-and-book about the source of talent and giftedness. David Shenks books include Data Smog and a book of essays entitled The End of Patience. He has written for many American newspapers and journals. Shenk was a 1995-1996 Freedom Forum Fellow and a 1998 US-Japan Fellow. He lives in Brooklyn.