Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Story of Forgetting (by Stephen Merrill Block)


This book is very intellectually stimulating. The Story of Forgetting is mainly centered around early onset familial Alzheimers. But the way the Author tells the story makes it what it is. He weaves the stories of two men, one is in his 70s and the other is in his teens. Both men (or boys) experience the ramifications of alzheimers in their families in different ways. In the midst of these two separate stories, a sense of unity forms. This book details what alzheimers is, how it effects the mind, and the genetic contributions. It also details the human side of the disease, and its effect on the people it infects and the family members who care for those people. It is a tough book in the sense of the topic and how hard it is on the families, but it the story is presented in such a good way that it lessens the tragic effect of the disease. I recommend this book. I was particularly interested in it because of my psychology/neurology back ground from college, but I think anyone will enjoy this tale of two human spirits and the adversity they overcome.
Rating: CPD.
Up Next: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (by Stieg Larsson)