Thursday, October 18, 2012

Day 18 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf



Day 18


Hey!

I have found that some books that I read I can't classify as books I really enjoyed for that would be the wrong sentiment.  These books tend to fall under the category of  "I'm glad I read it and I'm richer for having read it".   Still Alice is one of those books.

This book was so disturbing to me but I was so oddly compelled by it at the same time that I couldn't put it down.   I had to keep reading to find out what happened to her.

Still Alice 
 Lisa Genova


Alice is a 50 year old college professor who has early onset Alzheimer's disease.  Having been a woman who prided herself on her ability to remember,  Alice narrates her own journey into the literal  loss of her mind.

“And I have no control over which yesterdays I keep and which ones get deleted. This disease will not be bargained with. I can't offer it the names of the US presidents in exchange for the names of my children. I can't give it the names of state capitals and keep the memories of my husband.

...My yesterdays are disappearing, and my tomorrows are uncertain, so what do I live for? I live for each day. I live in the moment. Some tomorrow soon, I'll forget that I stood before you and gave this speech. But just because I'll forget it some tomorrow doesn't mean that I didn't live every second of it today. I will forget today, but that doesn't mean that today doesn't matter.” 


Yes, this book is heart breaking and yes, at times very difficult to read but the writing and telling are excellent.  Well worth a little uncomfortableness.

“She liked being reminded of butterflies. She remembered being six or seven and crying over the fates of the butterflies in her yard after learning that they lived for only a few days. Her mother had comforted her and told her not to be sad for the butterflies, that just because their lives were short didn't mean they were tragic. Watching them flying in the warm sun among the daisies in their garden, her mother had said to her, see, they have a beautiful life. Alice liked remembering that.” 


Happy Reading!


Mimi


"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, " 
Jeremiah 17:10 NIV Bible





4 comments:

  1. We just read Left Neglected by that same author for book clu. It was good. She does a dood job getting inside the heads of her characters (in this one the main character has a head injury.)

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  2. Hey Shannon! I've seen Left Neglected on the shelves but I haven't picked it up. Was Left Neglected a good read for book club or just one to read on your own? I would read her again. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Well my "book club" is a bunch of ladies I went to high school with, and we spend more time gossiping and talking about our husbands and kids than anything. But if I were in a book club that actually "discussed" more (lol) I'd say it was a good book for discussions, especially about perspective.

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    2. Thanks Shannon! I'll add it on the list. : )

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