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flowtjo's review
Book about Alzheimers continually repeats sections across chapters... Punchline?
Not my taste of writing, the repeating sections annoy me, and there's a lot of name dropping and history bits added in that simply don't interest me. Also, the first 47 pages of the book were dedications, foreword, preface, acknowledgements...can we not do this?
Not my taste of writing, the repeating sections annoy me, and there's a lot of name dropping and history bits added in that simply don't interest me. Also, the first 47 pages of the book were dedications, foreword, preface, acknowledgements...can we not do this?
joelaw's review
2.0
I learned a little bit about Alzheimer’s and what it might be like to live with it, both as the diagnosed and the caregiver. But this book read mostly like a place for Greg to store his memories, all the way back to his childhood. It also felt a lot like bragging, reading like a book of who’s who. I might have had an easier time staying focused if everyone’s accolades were listed at the back of the book with notation instead of having to read them all. Was I supposed to be impressed? I ended up skimming most of one chapter because of this. Or maybe I was supposed to be relieved that wealthy, intelligent, successful people are susceptible? Or was it to promote fundraising and awareness...because we can’t let the desirables of the world go to waste! I wasn’t sure what his point was but, as someone who has had family members with this disease, I had difficulty relating to this man who had so much support from so many people with a network of “connections”. Alzheimer’s as an equalizer? Not buying it.
mamagriff's review
5.0
A very well written and truthful look into living w Alzheimer’s. Written by a journalist who’s family has been stricken by this horrid disease for several generations and the author himself has Early Onset Alzheimer’s, which means it was diagnosed before age 65.
Greg tells it like it is, no challenges swept under the carpet. Greg is one who’s mission is to make others more aware of this disease and advocate for the need to fight this on a global level.
We need to take the stigma out of this illness.
This book is personal for me as my husband was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s several years ago as well so this story truly followed the path we are experiencing.
Alzheimer’s s*cks, but Early Onset truly hits people even harder as they are often still income earners, raising children, caring for elderly parents etc.
My maternal family is currently on its 3rd generation of this disease as well.
If you know someone w Alzheimer’s reach out, it’s not easy, but it can become a very lonely disease.
Greg tells it like it is, no challenges swept under the carpet. Greg is one who’s mission is to make others more aware of this disease and advocate for the need to fight this on a global level.
We need to take the stigma out of this illness.
This book is personal for me as my husband was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s several years ago as well so this story truly followed the path we are experiencing.
Alzheimer’s s*cks, but Early Onset truly hits people even harder as they are often still income earners, raising children, caring for elderly parents etc.
My maternal family is currently on its 3rd generation of this disease as well.
If you know someone w Alzheimer’s reach out, it’s not easy, but it can become a very lonely disease.
sohitmiglani's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
4.0
A great book, although a bit long winded which sometimes made it hard to be engaged properly.
amysbrittain's review
3.0
It feels ungenerous to criticize a book written by someone who has Alzheimer's for being repetitive (preface and full text mirror each other's Alzheimer's-related factoids) and for sometimes using abrupt phrases instead of full sentences, or for the sometimes jarringly peppy voice. I love that O'Brien dared write this book in the throes of his struggles with memory and functioning--and I was most of all eager to know how on earth he did it. That process and its obvious difficulties isn't delved into.
This is ultimately an autobiography lite, including some of his cherished childhood memories, portraits of his parents and siblings, and a few looks at life with his wife and grown kids. Brave fellow.
This is ultimately an autobiography lite, including some of his cherished childhood memories, portraits of his parents and siblings, and a few looks at life with his wife and grown kids. Brave fellow.
chelton's review
3.0
Note: I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
This is an interesting, intense, and sometimes hard book to read. But then Alzheimer's isn't easy. O'Brien provides a look into what it's like living with the same disease his mother did. When discussing the disease, how he deals with it, and overall what it's like being on Pluto, the book is magic.
It could have used some tightening and stronger editing. The overuse of quotes works at times, but is an overall detractor to O'Brien's writing.
This is an interesting, intense, and sometimes hard book to read. But then Alzheimer's isn't easy. O'Brien provides a look into what it's like living with the same disease his mother did. When discussing the disease, how he deals with it, and overall what it's like being on Pluto, the book is magic.
It could have used some tightening and stronger editing. The overuse of quotes works at times, but is an overall detractor to O'Brien's writing.
docholden's review
Not as advertised
This book is described as a insiders journey thru Alzheimer's- I wanted to read it to better understand what my Dad really feels- not the clinical symptoms but the thoughts and feelings thru each phase- this book is a melancholy review of the author's life and his rightful mourning for his brain but it says little beyond that- and spends at least half the book talking about his childhood which isn't really relevant- God bless him but wasn't helpful as a family member trying to understand the internal toll of this horrible disease
This book is described as a insiders journey thru Alzheimer's- I wanted to read it to better understand what my Dad really feels- not the clinical symptoms but the thoughts and feelings thru each phase- this book is a melancholy review of the author's life and his rightful mourning for his brain but it says little beyond that- and spends at least half the book talking about his childhood which isn't really relevant- God bless him but wasn't helpful as a family member trying to understand the internal toll of this horrible disease
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