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Health & Fitness. Psychology. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �?� 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. �??Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Lisa Genova explains the nuances of human memory�?��??Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author of How the Mind Works Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over forty, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's 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 aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make, or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's 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. You'll learn whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds (like a passcode) while others can last a lifetime (your wedding day). You'll come to appreciate the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). And you'll 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 can set educated expectations for your memory, and in doing so, create a better relationship with it. You don't have to fear it anymore. And that can be li… (more)
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I knew much of this before from previous readings, so the last chapter is the one I found most informative. What does and doesn't work to aid in preventing Alzheimers and of course excercise and diet is of utmost importance. I won't list all the things that help or don't, one should read the book themselves, but I will say that red wine drinkers will be disappointed.
ARC from Edelweiss.
The author has a very easy-to-read writing style in nonfiction so I highly recommend this book for anyone who has enjoyed Geneva’s novels in the past. Her expertise in science is a plus. She holds an undergraduate degree in biopsychology from Bates College and a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University.
I learned why steady learning for exams with good rest each night is more effective at permanent memory rather than cramming for an exam. I was fascinated by the chapters near the end which explained the difference between forgetting as part of the normal again process and what is scientifically known about forgetting as part of sleep deprivation and as part of the onset of Alzheimer’s.
In addition, I learned why, during the pandemic when everyone had ample opportunity to read, our reading rate actually went down. The brain is a fascinating organ, and this book will help you understand the role of different parts of your brain in forming memories as well as losing them. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend.
It is well written, in an accessible and reassuring style. I think it would be a very helpful book for those recently diagnosed with dementia, or their families. It is factual, and hopeful.
Lisa Genova, neuroscientist, has a gift of explaining how the brain works and
The book has three parts: how we remember, how we forget and how we can improve. She provides insight into why we can't access simple things in our brain and how we can remember better. She explains that some aspects of forgetting is actually good as then there's more brain power to remember things that are important. The book is less than 300 pages and very easy to read. If someone has more questions at the end, she has a list of suggested reading.
For those of us that are aging, it's a good idea to hear some of her tips. I was surprised to learn that the brain needs 7 t0 9 hours of sleep when I was sure 6 hours was a good night. She explains why along with what foods to eat and things we can do to help us. Since most of us aren't able to hear her speak, reading this book is the next best thing.
The author is very educated in this subject and does well explaining things in a way the reader will understand.
A very interesting book that helps shed light in what's going on in our brain!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book.
What has stayed with me most is the importance of attention in memory: 1) you don’t “forget” something you
And this:
Deep sleep is like a power cleanse for your brain.