Lisa Genova's Still Alice was Drink Wine and Gossip's November choice. I haven't been as diligent as usual with my book-club books, mainly because I've been too selfishly absorbed in my person bookshelf books; i.e. Game of Thrones (I've since started Clash of Kings). So I guiltily picked it up, but was unwitting immediately sucked in.
Still Alice is not a book I would have chosen myself. It's quite the sad story, about a highly educated and respected published Harvard Psychology professor who is diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. If nothing else, this book provides a wonderful window into the world of Alzheimer's; there are so many facets to the disease that I never knew or even thought about, like forgetting how to read, speak, play games, etc. As a whole, those details made it quite the sad story and concept, but in general I felt the book had a relatively upbeat quality to it.
Things start out simple and innocent enough - Alice can't find the word she's thinking of during a speech, relatively normal behavior we all exhibit more times than we'd care for. She did - and continued to do so in the beginning - what we all do: chalk it up to exhaustion, stress, busy schedules, and just life in general. But then a particularly scary aspect of the disease reared it's ugly head and Alice was forced to face the ugly truth.
Being a smart and highly educated woman, Alice knew something was wrong that required doctor intervention. Once she is diagnosed, her world becomes centered around the disease, how she can stay "normal," for as long as possible, how she can test herself and her wits, how she could possibly beat it. At her [dick of a] husband's urging, Alice goes on medication and agrees to participate in a medical trial, but since the chapters are written in month increments, the disease manages to continue on it's rapid downward spiral, with Alice to do nothing but go along for the ride.
What is heartwarming, though, is that she doesn't go on the ride alone. She fears alienation and isolation in her profession - which is inevitable - but finds incredible understanding, support, and love. From her children she always felt a little "off" from, they are brought closer in a more loving and compassionate way. As a woman, however, I was perturbed by the husband and his reaction to most everything Alice went through. He made me appreciate my own husband, especially when considering that one of us might go through this one day, and that my husband will do everything the exact opposite of John.
It was also optimistic to follow along with Alice on her journey and witness her keep herself together. I don't know if I could be as strong and not get scared at the "stranger [who] walked me home," that was actually my husband. Maybe that's part of it, forgetting to be scared?
Lisa Genova's story was mind-boggling. Literally. I wouldn't classify it as a book that is a must-read before the world ends in a couple of weeks, but if you find yourself at a loss of what to read and want something interesting, thought-provoking, and that moves quickly, Still Alice is worth a serious consider. As the crude review reads on the back cover, "a book you won't forget."
