Goodreads Choice Award: Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2021)
Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova is a highly informative and interesting view into the science of the brain and memory.
This book is part of My Fall 2022 Reading List.
My Overview
In this book Dr. Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist and author, takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the study of the brain and memory. The book is divided into three parts:
- Part 1: How We Remember
- Part 2: Why We Forget
- Part 3: Improve or Impair
In a relatable and easy to understand manner, Dr. Genova details how the brain and memory work, why being able to forget is a good thing, and ways to improve memory and prevent/delay Alzheimerās. The main takeaway for improving memory, is to pay attention. Those memory lapses we all experience at one time or another? Dr. Genova outlines whatās normal and whatās not. With respect to prevention of Alzheimerās, she debunks a few myths. Spoiler alert: Crossword puzzles, red wine, and chocolate wonāt reduce your risk of developing the disease. On the other hand: sleep, exercise, reduced stress, and coffee do. Basically, anything thatās good for your heart is good for your brain, and in turn helps prevent Alzheimerās.
Wondering if this book is too dry or boring based on the content? Itās not. Even Part 1, which details brain and memory functions, is written in a manner simple enough for the layman to understand. Also, through anecdotes and a bit of humor, the content remains light and engaging throughout. Overall, I found the entire book to be fascinating and informative.
My Recommendation
Iād been wanting to read this book since 2021, and even had the Kindle edition. For one reason or another though, I hadnāt gotten around to reading it. Now that Iāve read this book and learned so much from it, Iām glad I finally made the commitment to read it and get it off my TBR. Now, I feel informed and prepared to instill the good habits and practices mentioned in the book. I also appreciate the understanding I gained about memory and how/what we remember, both for myself and when interacting with others.
I highly recommend this book. It contains a lot of valuable information, that anyone can benefit from in different ways. This is my first book by this author, and now Iām hoping to read Still Alice, one of her other books.
Have you read this book yet?
