Mar 03, 2015 the muchanticipated film still alice, based on the book of the same name by neuroscientist lisa genova, was developed in consultation with alzheimers association experts who worked with the writers, directors and actors to guide the accuracy of diagnosis, current research, the progression of the disease, challenges the person with alzheimer. Its a small miracle that still alice, lisa genovas novel about alice howland, a 50yearold linguistics professor faced with earlyonset alzheimers disease, got made into a feature film. Heres why our book club loved still alice off the shelf. When alice finds herself in the rapidly downward spiral of alzheimer s disease she is just fifty years old.
Still alice is beautiful, frightening and powerful, and a reminder that alzheimer s needs to be addressed now. In the movie still alice, alice, a successful woman, after being diagnosed with early onset alzheimers disease ad loses almost all she had. The literary agents who said genovas book wouldnt sell are wrong. When neuroscientist lisa genova first pitched still alice to literary agents, she was rejected by all of them.
Get information and resources for alzheimer s and other dementias from the alzheimer s association. To boost your childs understanding of alzheimer s, seek out ageappropriate websites, books or videos on the disease. The experience turned out to be a magical trip down the rabbit hole of memory loss, an outcome that inspired dr. Be prepared for emotional expression your child might express emotions in indirect ways, such as by complaining of headaches or other physical problems. The novel is about a woman who suffers earlyonset alzheimer s disease. The movie narrates the story of the main character who is an esteemed professor after the diagnosis and her experience as she gradually begins to lose herself to the disease. Alice howland is a renowned linguistics professor at columbia university. Youll find alzheimers books written from many different perspectives, including caregivers, family members and physicians. Mar 06, 2015 westmoreland and glatzer give us a scene when alices disease is at a reasonably advanced stage, and show john getting the chance for a big career stepup that would mean moving from new york to. Its about alice, a woman beloved by her family and respected by her colleagues, who in the end, is still alice, not just her disease. Alice is a very well respected professor of linguistics at harvard university, traveling all over the globe giving lectures, and her opinion is listened to with respect. List of books and articles about alzheimers disease online.
List of books and articles about alzheimers disease. Julianne moore is an oscar favourite for her portrayal of a woman with dementia in still alice. The book presents the story through alices point of view, and the thoughts of other characters are not stated. She shares the latest science investigating the disease and some promising research on what each of us can do to build an alzheimer sresistant brain. Alzheimer s disease ad is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception. A story about earlyonset alzheimers disease stannah. Alice s brain is also consumed, not by cannibal hannibal, but by earlyonset alzheimer disease ad. For teens alzheimers association alzheimers disease. Just as important as any matching of scenes and symptoms, still alice is accurate in yet another vital way.
You might explain to an older child that just because a relative has alzheimers, it doesnt mean that every family member will get the disease. Aug 20, 2014 while alzheimers disease comes to occupy the agonizing center of the novel, the word alzheimers doesnt appear until halfway through the books six hundred and twenty pages. Genova published still alice, in which she tells the story of a fictional 50yearold harvard professor who develops early onset alzheimer disease. Alice s case doesnt typically fall under the traditional age bracket for the onset of alzheimers because she is only 50. Alice howland says at one point in still alice, a line adapted from the book by author lisa genova. May 26, 2016 the still alice effect has the power to advance the fight against alzheimers, but this must be coupled with informed understanding of causes and prognosis of the disease in its commoner forms, rather than the fight being reliant upon the abilities of screenwriters to illicit emotional responses through selective representation. Is my soul and spirit immune to the ravages of alzheimers.
Howard crystal in health we were asked to read the book still alice. And people need to know that this is not just a disease of the elderly. Still alice is a 2014 american independent drama film written and directed by richard glatzer and wash westmoreland and based on lisa genova s bestselling 2007 novel of the same name. Feb 10, 2015 the book has raised awareness about the disease and its film adaptation is getting its own spotlight during this years oscar season. Alice is a professor, an author, and a worldrenowned authority in her field. Still alice is a novel about alice howland, a cognitive psychology professor at harvard, who finds out at age fifty that she has alzheimers disease. Alices case doesnt typically fall under the traditional age bracket for the onset of alzheimers because she is only 50. Alzheimer s disease usually affects people over age 65, although it can appear in people as young as 40, especially in some familial forms of the disease. The book has raised awareness about the disease and its film adaptation is getting its own spotlight during this years oscar season. Still alice and the state of alzheimers disease in vermont. Still alice starring julianne moore tells the story of alice howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with a form of earlyonset alzheimers disease. The title suggests otherwise, of course, and one of the tragedies of alzheimers for the friends and family of the afflicted person is that the sufferer seems present and absent at the same time. It doesnt take much to make the alzheimers story still alice a heartwrenching film.
Watching the film is the first time many people get to see closeup what its like to be. Shes becoming increasingly confused, disoriented, and forgetful. A university professor, wife, and mother of three, she still has so much more to do books to write, places to see, grandchildren to meet. In lisa genovas extraordinary new york times bestselling novel, an accomplished woman slowly loses her thoughts and memories to alzheimers disease only to discover that each day brings a new way of living and loving.
He discusses the role of scientists, caregivers, and policymakers in the treatment. What the film still alice tells us about alzheimers disease the. A loss of interest and involvement in daytoday activities can often be one of the first changes, but this can be subtle and can be mistaken for other conditions. What alice faces is earlyonset alzheimers, a form of the disease that is far rarer than common alzheimers disease, and often affects people in their prime, regardless of how mentally active they are. The muchanticipated film still alice, based on the book of the same name by neuroscientist lisa genova, was developed in consultation with alzheimers association experts who worked with the writers, directors and actors to guide the accuracy of diagnosis, current research, the progression of the disease, challenges the person with alzheimer. Alice is played by actress julianne moore, who won the academy award. In still alice, a professor slides into alzheimers the. Opinion alzheimers, awareness and still alice the new.
For teens, find book selections, helpful links and videos that will help you learn more about alzheimer s disease and how it affects the people you love. The multiple awardwinning film, still alice, brings the issue of earlyonset dementia to the forefront. The author of still alice on alzheimers and why she writes about. Still alice novelist shines spotlight on early onset. To write still alice, genova read every book she could find on alzheimer s and interviewed neurologists one of whom she shadowed for two days at the massachusetts general hospital memory disorders unit, general practice physicians, research scientists, genetics counselors, and social workers. But alzheimers disease, which affects 5 million americans.
While alzheimers disease comes to occupy the agonizing center of the novel, the word alzheimers doesnt appear until halfway through the book s six hundred and twenty pages. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Refusing to accept the dominant narrative of alzheimer s disease as a horror story, walrath rewrote it as aliceheimer s, which consists of stories and drawings about living with alice and her. Still alice, written by the neuroscientist lisa genova, offers a crisp, straightforward, and wrenching depiction of the fiftyyearold harvard professor alice howlands descent into the swift, earlyonset form of the disease. At age 50, she gropes for words as she stands at the podium and lectures.
Dec 05, 2014 the title suggests otherwise, of course, and one of the tragedies of alzheimers for the friends and family of the afflicted person is that the sufferer seems present and absent at the same time. Alzheimers was first discovered in 1906, which means doctors have had a century to peel away the disease s molecular layers and search for a cure. From new york times bestselling author and neuroscientist lisa genova comes the definitiveand illuminatingnovel about alzheimers disease. Still alice is shockingly accurate people living with. Alzheimers disease symptoms alzheimers research uk. Still alice mass market paperback december 16, 2014. Mar 09, 2015 still alice tells the story of a university professor who is diagnosed with an aggressive earlyonset dementia. With women at the epicenterboth more likely to have alzheimers and more likely to be caring for those with the disease the alzheimer s association and the women of still alice ask all women to help wipe out alzheimer s. What the film still alice tells us about alzheimers disease.
Still alice, and the advocacy for alzheimers in fiction. Refusing to accept the dominant narrative of alzheimer s disease as a horror story, walrath rewrote it as aliceheimers, which consists of stories and drawings about living with alice and her. Still alice author and neuroscientist lisa genova explains the symptoms of alzheimers and why she writes about families coping with. Still alice is far from a good thing for dementia awareness. Genova has stated in a postscript to a later edition of the book that her.
Still alice is shockingly accurate people living with dementia give. Genova has written several books highlighting the everyday, emotional effects of living with neurologic disorders, including huntingtons inside. In still alice, a professor slides into alzheimers. Reassure your child that alzheimers disease isnt contagious. Just aim the camera at julianne moores face and leave it. What you can do to prevent alzheimer s alzheimer s doesnt have to be your brains destiny, says neuroscientist and author of still alice, lisa genova. Apr 14, 2017 its a small miracle that still alice, lisa genovas novel about alice howland, a 50yearold linguistics professor faced with earlyonset alzheimers disease, got made into a feature film. To write still alice, genova read every book she could find on alzheimer s and interviewed neurologists one of whom she shadowed for two days at. While i was in graduate school, we discovered that my grandmother had alzheimer s disease. Shenk is a journalist and npr commentator who has written more than just a book about ad, but a moving exploration of the nature of memory and the history of the disease from its discovery to the present. Feb 10, 2015 still alice author and neuroscientist lisa genova explains the symptoms of alzheimer s and why she writes about families coping with neurological diseases or disorders, which she says are often. Every 72 seconds another american develops alzheimers disease. Feb 23, 2015 the film tells the story of a 50yearold harvard linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early onset alzheimer s disease.
The film successfully captures the tragedy of the disease, and moores portrayal of alice is riveting, which largely makes up for the films weaknesses. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who. A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with alzheimer s disease. In the movie still alice, alice, a successful woman, after being diagnosed with early onset alzheimer s disease ad loses almost all she had. When words begin to escape her and she starts becoming lost on her daily jogs, alice must come facetoface with a devastating diagnosis. According to the alzheimers association, an advocacy group, the estimated number of americans with the disease will rise from more than five million now to as many as 16 million in.
The novel is about a woman who suffers earlyonset alzheimers disease. The film emphasizes this topic by making it the subject of important scenes in which alice is asked to speak about the disease. The film stars julianne moore as alice howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with familial alzheimer s disease shortly after her 50th birthday. Still alice prescribed to patients to help beat dementia.
As the oncevibrant woman struggles to hang on to her sense of self for as long as possible. Alzheimers often develops slowly over several years, so symptoms are not always obvious at first. Lisa genovas debut novel about a 50yearold woman diagnosed with earlyonset alzheimers disease follows alice howland over the course of two years, from. Dec 17, 2014 according to the alzheimers association, an advocacy group, the estimated number of americans with the disease will rise from more than five million now to as many as 16 million in 2050, and. With women at the epicenterboth more likely to have alzheimers and more likely to be caring for those with the diseasethe alzheimers association and the women of still alice ask all women to help wipe out alzheimers. Still alice is a 2007 novel by lisa genova, set in boston. Her intellectual and physical capacity declines cruelly, and its certain that she. Genova holds her phd in neuroscience from harvard university and is a columnist for the national alzheimers association. A condition called mild cognitive impairment, in which a person experiences an inability to form memories for events that occurred a few minutes ago, typically is the first sign of the disease. She was in her mid80s at the time, and shed probably been living with the disease for a while.
Alzheimers through the looking glass, dana walrath uses drawings and stories to chronicle three years of caregiving for her mother, alice, who was in the middle stages of alzheimers disease. The book is about alice and her not so slow downfall into early onset alzheimer s at the age of 50. S only, please will receive a copy of still alice, signed by the author. Opinion alzheimers, awareness and still alice the new york.
The film, based on the 2007 book of the same name by lisa genova, tells the story of alice howland, a 50yearold linguistics professor at harvard who is diagnosed with earlyonset alzheimers. Still alice, which described the descent of an academic into early onset alzheimers, will be recommended to patients and carers to help them understand more about the disease. But what do people with the condition think of the. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house. This reallife story about how alice howland, a linguistics professor at columbia, and her family deal with her diagnosis of familial alzheimers disease at age 50, is both heartfelt and powerful. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold woman s sudden descent into early onset alzheimer s disease, written by lisa genova, who holds a ph. The film tells the story of a 50yearold harvard linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early onset alzheimer s disease. Look for lisa genovas latest novel inside the obriens. Alice howland, a 50yearold woman, is a cognitive psychology professor at harvard and is a worldrenowned linguistics expert. Now a major motion picture starring oscar winner julianne moore. With julianne moore, alec baldwin, kristen stewart, kate bosworth. Alice howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. In the movie, still alice alzheimers disease, julianne moore plays the lead character, portraying an alzheimers patient who is diagnosed after her 50th birthday. Still alice, alzheimers neurological disease, brain.
Alzheimers disease as an adventure in wonderland the new. The portrayal of alzheimers disease in still alice. Now a major motion picture starring julianne moore, alec baldwin, kate bosworth, and kristen stewart. Jan 15, 2015 the film still alice set to be released nationally friday is the kind of pop culture event organizations count on to raise awareness of a cause. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the. Reading as much as you can about the disease obviously helps you learn more about its stages. The disease is characterized by abnormal accumulation of plaques and by neurofibrillary tangles malformed nerve cells, changes in brain tissue first described by alois alzheimer in 1906. When alice finds herself in the rapidly downward spiral of alzheimers disease she is just fifty years old.