• Still Alice

  • By: Lisa Genova
  • Narrated by: Lisa Genova
  • Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (7,057 ratings)

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Still Alice  By  cover art

Still Alice

By: Lisa Genova
Narrated by: Lisa Genova
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Editorial reviews

The heart-wrenching tale of 50-year-old Alice Howland and her early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis is narrated eloquently by author Lisa Genova. Alice, a successful linguistics professor at Harvard, is married to John, an equally esteemed Harvard professor, and together they have three grown children. Her biggest worry in life is her youngest daughter's move to L.A. to pursue acting until Alice starts forgetting things. It begins innocuously enough: misplacing her BlackBerry, missing unimportant appointments on her to-do list, searching her mind for tip-of-the-tongue phrases. But when she goes on her familiar daily run through Cambridge, and becomes disoriented just one mile from home, Alice knows something is terribly wrong.

A battery of tests and multiple doctor visits later, her worst nightmare is confirmed she is in the first stages of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Told from Alice's perspective, it's a frighteningly keen insight to the slow deterioration of a debilitating disease. Every nuance of pain, frustration, fear, and sorrow is captured in Genova's voice and she expertly utilizes the pregnant pause, and short, choppy sentences to convey the confusion and pain of Howland's thoughts during testing and diagnosis.

Genova's slight Boston accent lends authenticity to the story, and she doesn't oversell the emotion behind the words. Her transitions between character dialogue are smooth and subtle, but she so embodies the main character Alice, it's hard to remember that it is Genova, and not Howland herself, telling her story. Knowing its being read exactly as it was intended by the author creates an even stronger connection to the work. Equally present is the devastating effect this illness has on Alice's husband, children, and coworkers. And while there's obviously no happy ending in sight, Genova still manages to paint a story of hope, reminding listeners that even in the midst of great loss and suffering, love remains. Colleen Oakley

Publisher's summary

What if every memory you've ever had will be erased from your mind, and you have no choice but to carry on...powerless to stop it?

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At 50 years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she begins to grow disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world - forever.

At once beautiful and terrifying, this extraordinary debut novel by Lisa Genova is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.

©2009 Lisa Genova (P)2009 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"After I read Still Alice, I wanted to stand up and tell a train full of strangers, 'You have to get this book.'" ( Boston Globe)
"With grace and compassion, Lisa Genova writes about the enormous white emptiness created by Alzheimer's." ( The Improper Bostonian)
"A masterpiece that will touch lives in ways none of us can even imagine." ( Alzheimer's Daily News)

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What listeners say about Still Alice

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Wish the Author Had Hired a Professional Narrator

Would you listen to Still Alice again? Why?

The story was engrossing. The narration, however, was not as good as most audible books.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Inspiring

Where does Still Alice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In a class of its own. Read like it was a true story. Gave a lot of insight into the dreaded disease of Alzheimer's

How could the performance have been better?

Very matter of factly read. I had trouble sometimes determining who was talking. Read like it was a text book. Very pleasant voice but not much inflection.

Who was the most memorable character of Still Alice and why?

Alice and how she dealt with her diagnosis and her pursuit of help.

Any additional comments?

Made me take notice of how I react to people who actually have Alzheimer's. they are so deserving of respect and are often ignored or treated as if they aren't there. May we all learn a lesson from this family's experience. Even though fictional I'm sure not far from reality.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly Recommend

A very well written book that will give you a new perspective on Alzheimer from the victims point of view. Everyone should read this book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best book I have listened to in years

What made the experience of listening to Still Alice the most enjoyable?

It is just a very REAL hit home book...alzheimers can affect anyone at any age. It is very scary.

What did you like best about this story?

The whole book was excellent.

Which character – as performed by Lisa Genova – was your favorite?

Alice of course :)

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • KT
  • 02-13-16

This is a great book!!!

I couldn't stop listening. One of those books you forget isn't reality. Tragic and sad, but also shows how loving and strong we can all be.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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love it

I loved this book, I'm currently a caregiver for my grandmother who has Alzheimer's and listening to this just made things a little more clear for me.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent read!

Loved every minute! Had me hooked from the beginning. Great perspective on Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreakingly real

This story was so raw and real that my heart broke over and over as I followed Alice through her journey. I suspect the story has a very personal meaning to the author and this could possibly be why she read the story herself. Unfortunately, for me, this was the only disappointing thing about the performance. Since the author is not trained to verbally depict multiple characters in a story, there was never any difference between the voices of the characters. Because of the powerful nature of the story content, this book still had a deeply felt impact on me.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Engrossing

The author must do a ton of research. The unraveling of an Alzheimer's sufferer is portrayed so well and is so insightful.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Terrible narration, great story

The story is riveting, however, the author should stick to writing. She has no inflection or dramatization while narrating. It’s like listening to a robot read the book. If you can get past that, it’s a great story.

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