Still Alice

I love novels that challenge me emotionally, and this one does that in spades. It tackles a topic that all of us find terrifying–an illness that steals who you are as a person, but it does it with such a gentle touch that rather than scare you, it makes you realize what’s truly important in life. It’s so well written you almost forget it’s a novel.

Still Alice is an unforgettable emotional journey that defies stereotypes and touches the hearts of all. Alice, a vibrant fifty-year-old lecturer at the height of her career, challenges the frumpy old lady image associated with dementia.

The compelling first-person narration in Still Alice immerses readers in her emotional odyssey, allowing them to share her confusion and the poignant loss of memories. With sensitivity and accuracy, the narrative mirrors Alice's cognitive decline, tracing her transition from a sharp Psychology Professor to a fading mind.

The movie adaptation of Still Alice holds a special place in my heart. Taking my mother, who… show more.

Still Alice could be about me, or you which is why it is such an emotional read. Alice is not the frumpy old lady who comes to mind when people speak of dementia. She is fifty and at the height of her career as a lecturer.

Alice tells her own story. You don’t just read, you feel what she feels. The confusion when she first forgets, the hurt and despair when she’s diagnosed, to the sadness of losing her children’s names.

The narrative mirrors her diminishing cognitive capacity – at first, she has the precision of a Psychology Professor but… show more.

There are many people who try to write a novel from the perspective of someone with Alzheimer’s disease; Dr. Genova succeeds where many fail. We love how you can really put yourself in Alice’s shoes and empathize with her as she makes difficult decisions and then has more and more difficulty in comprehending what is happening around her. It was a fantastic book when she first self-published it in 2007 and it is a fantastic book today.