Remember

The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting

By: Lisa Genova

Narrated by: Lisa Genova

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER •

A fascinating exploration of the intricacies of how we remember, why we forget, and what we can do to protect our memories, from the Harvard-trained neuroscientist and best-selling author of Still Alice.

“Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Lisa Genova explains the nuances of human memory.” (Steven Pinker, Johnstone professor of psychology, Harvard University, author of How the Mind Works)

Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over 40, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why? Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make, or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human.

In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. You'll learn whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds (like a passcode) while others can last a lifetime (your wedding day). You'll come to appreciate the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). And you'll see how memory is profoundly impacted by meaning, emotion, sleep, stress, and context. Once you understand the language of memory and how it functions, its incredible strengths and maddening weaknesses, its natural vulnerabilities and potential superpowers, you can both vastly improve your ability to remember and feel less rattled when you inevitably forget. You can set educated expectations for your memory and, in doing so, create a better relationship with it. You don't have to fear it anymore. And that can be life-changing.

©2021 Lisa Genova (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“No one writes more brilliantly about the connections between the brain, the mind, and the heart. Remember is a beautiful, fascinating, and important book about the mysteries of human memory - what it is, how it works, and what happens when it is stolen from us. A scientific and literary treat that you will not soon forget.” (Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce professor of psychology, Harvard University, New YorkTimes best-selling author of Stumbling on Happiness)

“In Remember, Lisa Genova provides easy-to-follow, no nonsense advice on how to maximize one of the greatest outputs of your brain—memory. But, more important, she also lets us know that while memory is a tremendous gift, the real you is much more than just what you can remember!” (Rudolph E. Tanzi, PhD, professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School, coauthor of The Healing Self)

“Brain science is deciphering the mysteries of memory, and no one is better positioned to tell the electrifying story than Dr. Genova, with her scientist’s eye and poet’s ear. A book you won’t forget.” (David Eagleman, neuroscientist at Stanford University, New York Times best-selling author)

Thank you for a memorable book!

I'll be re studying Swedish with these wonderful ideas in mind! You also explain why some things are easier to remember. Again, thank you so much for this information!

Excellent book and delivery!

As a scientist myself I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed the information and the narration very much. It was entertaining and I really looked forward to listening to it each day.

How I learned to quit worrying about my memory

A great listen. I have learned to stop worrying about that word that just never comes to the tip of my tongue or why I always go back into the house to retrieve something I need as my day begins. She knows her material and I rest easier because of this book. And she has a good sense of humor as well. Highly recommended!

Understandable, interesting science

This book covered it all and wasn’t the depressing read one might expect given the high incidence of Alzheimer’s. After explaining the how and why behind memory and memory loss, she discusses what current science says we can do to improve our odds of not getting Alzheimer’s. “Take it seriously, but hold it lightly” and “you are more than your memory” are some quotes that will stick with me. I enjoyed her voice and the pace of the reading as well.

Great book

I’ve read a lot of books on memory. I find the topic fascinating. Lisa Genova eloquently explained all the research done on our brains and memory in an easy and understandable way, so that learning the take aways and remembering them are a breeze. Loved this book! I hope I remember the name so I can recommend it to others. 😂😂

Surprisingly engaging

I really enjoyed this book and found it informing and engaging right away. Highly recommend!

Fantastic book

Lisa Genova goes into depth about how memory works and what to do to exercise and preserve your memory. As a physician, I am acutely aware of the risks of lack of sleep and the effects on the brain. She cuts to the chase bringing up specific examples and fascinating studies. She also describes the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease in detail so everyone can understand . I highly recommend you get this audible book or regular book (before you forget) 😉

Content great, reader too young

The content of this book was useful. The reader did a great job but was wrong for the part. Lisa Genova is a woman in her fifties I believe and she should have chosen a female voice with at least some of her depth of experience to describe events which happened decades prior. If not, it creates a cognitive dissonance between the content and the expression of it. It's still very good and I am only expressing my personal opinion.

Great book, iffy on the narration

This was a really great book which clarified and simplified the complex topic of memory. While I can see that the author is probably great at presenting her work at conferences etc. I found myself at times wishing that a professional narrator had taken on the job but, that is a small grievance and wouldn’t stop me from recommending this book to anyone

fascinating and informative.

The subject matter was particularly interesting to me as a 77-year-old woman who is beginning to have age-related memory issues. of course I've questioned whether they're more than that. Genova put my mind at ease by both describing the prevalence of certain common memory lapses at all ages, and explaining the brain processes as we age that contribute to memory lapses. she also spends a chapter describing the differences between normal age-related memory decline
and that seen in dementia.