Must-Read Nonfiction Discussion

Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova. Neuroscientist 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.

Get the book or audiobook on OverDrive/Libby or cloudLibrary (Vernon Area Library card required).

Interlibrary loan copies of the book are available to Vernon Area Public Library cardholders (while supplies last) at the Adult Desk; registration required.