I am a big fan of Lisa Genova. She has a PhD from Harvard in neuroscience, but is able to write novels that touch all of us at a personal level. I have read all of her works of fiction and was interested if she could hold my attention with a nonfiction book about the brain and our memory. As usual, she gets an A.
Remember is a technical book about the function of the brain based on the latest research. However, it is never dry or boring. The author gives practical advice on how to maximize our capacity to remember. She also reassures us about natural memory loss and how that differs from Alzheimer’s disease.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

I love Genova’s novels and was excited to read this nonfiction book from her. Though a little dry at times, it overall read like a fun Mary Roach book, science and research while being attainable and easy to read. Learned a lot and had fun doing it!

Thank you #Netgalley and Rodale, Inc for allowing me to read this ARC of Remember, by Lisa Genova. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but I love Lisa Genova's writing so I thought I would give this book a try. I was not disappointed! It was informative and easy to read and understand. Dr. Genova spends time explaining what kinds of memory lapses are normal, as well as which might be problematic. This was a great last book of 2020. If you want to understand how and why we remember things read this book!

This is a must read for anyone experiencing memory loss. Personally or a friend or loved one. This is one of my favorite authors of fiction now nonfiction she explains things and makes the learning interesting and relatable with stories. Loved it and I’ll read it again Thanks for the advanced copy @netgalley @lisagenova @remember

Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist and author of Still Alice, discusses facets of memory, the impact of stress, and how not all forgetting (even those things that are just on the tip of your tongue) means the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Her example was clear: everyone misplaces their keys, but if you find your keys in the refrigerator, it might be time to worry. She describes semantic (things we just know, like state capitals) and episodic (remembrance of a vacation). Creating a long lasting semantic memory requires practice. We also learn about people with HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory) who can remember what happened on most any date in the past. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Imagine that you are sitting at a neighborhood cafe with your best friend, who just happens to be a prominent neuroscientist. Over coffee, she's telling you about her extensive research into the science of memory. That's the feeling you get as you read Lisa Genova's "Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting." Genova's writing is conversational and comfortable, yet the depth of her knowledge and research is clear. It's hard to imagine any aspect of memory that she didn't cover thoroughly. She begins with "How We Remember," goes on to "Why We Forget," and concludes with "Improve or Impair." Whether you're aging and wondering if you're seeing signs of Alzheimer's, or 20 years old and frustrated with your forgetting (or somewhere in between), there's something here for you. I appreciated the practical tips on remembering (and forgetting) that were sprinkled throughout: why paying attention helps to form memories, what "muscle memory" really is, why our memories for past events are probably wrong, how to forget bad memories, and why sleep really matters. I almost never -- ever -- reread books, but I know I'll come back to this one and read it all the way through again. It's that good.

Thanks to Net Galley for the honor of reading and reviewing this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This book By Lisa Genova whom is also A Neuroscientist, how incredible! Looks into the science of how we remember, how and why our brain stores information, memories, and why you cant remember things sometimes.
The book is divided into how we remember and why we forget. Lisa uses her personal stories to make points throughout the book and that helped to draw me in as well as the way she writes and doesn't make you feel like you don't know anything I learned a ton from this book and am happy to report that although i have memory lapses its likely because my body needs rest or just a break from all the chaos!

I have been a fan of Lisa Genova's since she was selling her book "still alice" out of the trunk of her car on Cape Cod where I live, before it was picked up by a publisher. Every one of her fiction books deal with some aspect of brain injury, condition, memory, etc. The fact that she is a neuroscientist lends credibility to her books. She writes in a manner that is easily understandable yet draws attention to the condition she is writing about. This book is non-fiction, so I find rating it a bit harder than I would a fictional story. Lisa describes for us how we remember and why we forget; what is normal forgetting and what is due to dementia/ Alzheimers. And seriously ? ISn't that what we are all worried about when we forget something. She uses personal stories and humor to take us through the journey of the mind and memory. This is not a dry , stuffy book -- although it could have been. Its not too long a read, but it covers the topic. I highly recommend this book , no matter your age. In fact, younger generations SHOULD read it , to ready their brains!! I read this on my kindle and my suggestion to you is to buy the book and read the hard copy. I know there are many notes you will take as you read it and its one you will keep going back to . thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book in return for an honest review.

Lisa Genova is one of my favorite authors, and I was delighted to be able to read an advance copy of her latest book, Remember. Although this book is nonfiction, it was a fast and easy read. It is written in layman's language, but it wasn't over-simplified. I found the research she presented very interesting, and as someone in her 60s, I found it very reassuring. I also appreciated her advice on what one can do to sharpen your mind/improve your memory. Very effortlessly, I learned a lot about how the brain processes memories. I highly recommend this book.

“Could you draw both sides of a penny with total accuracy from memory right now?
How can you both remember a penny and yet remember so little about it? Is your memory failing?
It’s not. It’s doing exactly what it supposed to do”.
‘whew’!!!!.... I could relax before reading the rest of the book 🤸‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️....
My brain is “doing exactly what it’s suppose to do”!!!
Yippy!!! 🥳

Lisa Genova goes on to say...
“Your brain is amazing. Every day, it performs a myriad of miracles—it sees, hears, tastes, smells, and senses touch. It also feels pain, pleasure, temperature, stress, and a wide range of emotions. It plans things and solves problems. It knows where you are in space so you don’t bump into walls or fall down when you step off a curb to cross the street. It comprehends and produce language. If meditates your desire for chocolate and sex, your ability to emphasize with the joy and suffering of others, an awareness of your own existence. And it can remember. Of all the complex and wondrous miracles that your brain executes, memory is king”.

Lisa also goes on to say....
“In this book, you’ll learn how memories are made and how we retrieve them. Not all memories are created equal.
‘whew’...

I was getting worried!....
“Some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds (a temporary passcode), whereas others can last a lifetime ( your wedding day)”.

“You’ll learn that attention is essential for creating memory
for anything”.
‘goody’.... I was all ears! 👂👂

Oh my gosh...Lisa was sooo right....” you can’t remember a single word to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ until someone else sings the first lyrics, and then you can belt the entire song”
🎶🎤
“You remember nothing about the Peloponnesian War, no matter how many details are shared”. 🔫

As you can see, I decided to have a little fun reading Lisa’s new book, “Remember”...
but never think for a moment that I don’t have the most respect for Lisa Genova, neuroscientist.
I’m a big fan....having read every book she’s written.
I always come away learning something new.

This new - nonfiction - book is a fascinating, intriguing look at how we remember, how we forget forget, and how we can we can improve the health of our aging brain.

Lisa’s a natural storyteller.
While tackling the latest findings neurological,
biochemical, and psychological, she puts the reader at ease with a light anecdotal style, and sense of humor.

There are many personal stories, (ever stung by a jellyfish?)......
pointing out ways the brain captures sights, sounds, information, emotion, and meaning of what was perceived ——
mixed with scientific information....(encoding, consolidation, storage, retrieval),
making this book relatable, and very enjoyable!!

With dozens of personal stories, humor, and practical accessibility — Lisa Genova is a very compassionate author!

🍫Chocolate anyone?....
As rule of thumb, anything that is good for your heart is good for your brain—
But....
“There is no compelling evidence that shows that chocolate reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s.
Sorry, folks”

Remember by Lisa Genova is a non-fiction book that explores how we do, and don't, remember. Genova is a neuroscientist who's also the author of five fiction books, all of which I've read, that feature characters with neurological conditions like Alzheimer's (Still Alice) and Huntingdon's (Inside the O'Briens).

The book begins by describing how memories are formed, and the amazing process by which creating memories creates structural and connective changes in the brain. Genova points out that some of the things we might think we know about memory may not be quite right; for example, memories aren't stored in the hippocampus, and muscle memory is stored in the brain's motor cortex rather than the muscles.

The book explains different types of memory, including semantic (described as the Wikipedia of the brain), episodic (for things that have happened to us), and prospective (things we have to remember to do in the future). You'll learn why you go into a room and forget what you're there for, and Genova reassures readers that using a to-do list isn't somehow cheating.

As much as you might like to think that your episodic memory is quite accurate, Genova bursts that bubble. When the original memory was encoded, it didn't capture everything that was going on at the time, just what stood out to you. What I found really fascinating was that each time we recall a memory, it changes a bit, and this overwrites the original memory, so it's like an old-school game of telephone where the original message gets more and more garbled as it gets passed along.

Genova also explains that, when faced with leading questions, people will fabricate memories, and eyewitness accounts are highly unreliable. That certainly doesn't bode well for our legal system. Do you feel confident that certain memories are accurate? Turns out that has no bearing on their level of accuracy.

There's a chapter devoted to tip of the tongue experiences, which occur when we know a word but can't immediately bring it to mind. Doing this (and doing it quite regularly) is not, in fact, a sign that you're losing your mind.

The book is full of surprising tidbits and explanations, like the Baker/baker paradox, whereby you're more likely to remember someone is a baker than you are to remember their name is Baker.

The book also discusses normal age-related memory changes versus the changes caused by dementia, and what can make a difference in your memory (chronic stress bad, sleep very good). Finally, there's an appendix that pulls it all together, including the specific things you can do to improve your memory.

While the book is very informative, it's presented in a conversational rather than academic manner. The examples used are realistic and help to make the concepts relatable. Genova seems very authentically present in the writing, and isn't afraid to make fun of herself, such as when she's describing her fussy coffee order that the baristas at Starbucks manage to remember.

This book made my inner geek very happy, but I think it will be much more widely appealing than simply my inner geek. Memory is obviously very important to all of us, and this is a great opportunity to learn more about it.



I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

This will strike no one who knows me as a surprise, but Lisa Genova's book "Remember" is solid gold.
If Lisa Genova wrote a book about an anteaters digestion process, I would pick it up without a second thought even though I don't know or care about any of those things.
Remember is a book about the many different parts of memory. The book covers SO much more than I expected in concise, interesting ways and such wonderful writing. She relates the concepts so well for me. Even though I took four semesters of psychology classes, I'm not a neurosurgeon, so I appreciated a lot of the comparisons.
I also REALLY enjoyed the puns and clever lines throughout the book. I highlighted a lot throughout the book as points to "remember" or revisit one day.
The organization of this book is PERFECTION from the beginning chapters about different kinds of memories, to the end with bold, numbered highlights reinforced from the book.
I have been known to enjoy Genova's fiction and I'm happy to say that extended to this new project. Even though I have this ebook copy (thanks to Lisa Genova, Rodale Inc., and Net Galley), I look forward to purchasing a physical copy of this book for myself and a few other people.
Five big fat glowing stars from me.

Lisa Genova is a phenomenal writer. This book is abouthow the brain creates memoriesAnd how humans remember things. About how information is processed and stored in the brain. While this information is based on science, Lisa. Geneva offers practical tips to improve memory.

Written in clear easy to understand the terminology. Examples were included to validate a point. This book would be a valuable tool for anyone who teaches orworks with brain injury patients.

This book was the perfect escape. It was lovely and fun. It was my first book by this author and I will definitely be on the look out for more!!

So I’ve read all of her books and the science/psychology geek in me loved them and I loved this as well! The ideas and reasons why certain parts of our brain act the way they do from a standpoint that she makes to understand. I wish this had been around when I was in college as an assigned read!

I absolutely LOVE Lisa Genova. Left Neglected is one of my all-time favorite books! Remember was something different from her, and I loved it too. Remember is about how and why people remember certain events and don't remember others. She gives us a well thought out and detailed understanding of how that happens through her own personal experiences and other more common events in life. Very interesting information on the brain development at a young age as well. I found this book extremely interesting in spite of being educational. As always, I was super impressed by Genova's writing and ability to explain things in more simple terms that everyone can understand. Clear and relatable! Definitely worth reading!!! I am looking forward to her next book!!! Thanks to NG for the ARC!!!

I truly enjoyed reading Remember by Lisa Genova. This book presents how our memories work in an easy to read and understand format. I was learning new information while chuckling when relating to an example. This book is divided into 3 sections called How We Remember, Why We Forget and Improve or Impair. The final section has suggestions for Alzheimer’s prevention. As a person with Alzheimer’s in my family history, I found this book reassuring, educational and informational.

Remember
Lisa Genova
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date 3/23/21

When I saw this book was available to request on NetGalley I was very excited. Not only do I love Lisa Geneva’s writing, dementia and memory disorders are near and dear to me. Both my grandmothers suffered memory loss - my nana - dementia and my Nonna traumatic brain injury. My mother too has been diagnosed with dementia so I feel I’m reliving some of the hardest parts of my life. It can be frustrating, scary and feelings of hopelessness.

This book helped me immensely, it put my mind at ease as Lisa shares her background on neuroscience and memory. She writes in a way that makes these two topics easy to follow and in such a compassionate way. I was able to relax and breathe as I was learning how common it is to frequently forget little things like why I came upstairs or what am I looking for in the refrigerator. This nonfiction book clearly explains the different parts are the brain and how and where memories are stored and why two people remembering a memory will have many differences in what they remembered. She was able to describe how we remember things easily when they are traumatic while forgetting what we ate for dinner last week. Written with love I enjoyed the connection to some of the personal stories she includes, and gives tools and advice on how and why we forget and how to be more present to possibly retain more information. This is a fascinating book and I look forward to sharing what I learned with my Mom, friends and family.I highly recommend picking up this book because it is informative and can be beneficial to understanding the science behind memories and will keep me less rattled when I do forget!!

I’m so grateful to have been given the chance to read Remember
THE SCIENCE OF MEMORY AND THE ART OF FORGETTING, a huge thank you to Penguin Random House, NetGalley and of course Lisa Genova for this advanced readers’ copy for an exchange for an honest review.

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This is a very informative book.
If you read Still Alice you should read Remember.
Lisa goes through everything for memory, how to retain, what you retain and how the brain works in the processing of memories and teaches you to learn how to retain memories and possibly keep your brain working at its best for longer.

An interesting and intriguing book from best selling author Lisa Genova. Genova is a natural born story teller as well as a scientist and she combines the two fields skillfully. I liked learning how the brain remembers and why we forget certain memories. Unique and knowledgeable. .