Is she too afraid to face a possible illness, worried about his possible reaction, or some other reason. The 2014 film adaptation stars julianne moore and alec baldwin. Book club questions for still alice book club babble. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, written by firsttime author lisa genova, who holds a ph. Someday, still alice will be shelved as historical fiction, and well have no use for this kind of discussion guide. Summary still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, written by firsttime author lisa genova, who holds a ph. Sixteen questions for the book club reading still alice by lisa genova. Still alice is a 2014 american independent drama film written and directed by richard glatzer and wash westmoreland and based on lisa genovas bestselling 2007 novel of the same name. But theres controversy surrounding that hopeful ending. It additionally investigates the contrasts between the book and the film that was made dependent on the equivalent name fabulous story of the 50years of age woman. To view books in process, and to suggest new books, go to books in process.
Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Still alice discussion guide for readers living with early. Terrifying, yes, but not depressing, and surprisingly beautiful. Imdb still alice, 2014, julianne moore, alec baldwin. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Welcome to book club babble, the site for busy people who love books. The story begins with the books path to publication. There is work to be done, but all we want to do is read. This compelling debut novel has been released simultaneously in hardcover and trade paperback.
Dec 02, 2014 still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, and captures in remarkable detail whats its like to literally lose your mind. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, and captures in remarkable detail whats its. Wanting to preserve their characters dignity, they dedramatize the horror, spare us the messiest and most alienating symptoms of alzheimers, allowing. Alec baldwin plays her husband, john, and kristen stewart, kate. Fiercely independent, alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. I have a personal tie to alzheimers, which slowly dissolved away my paternal grandmother, isabelle. When alice becomes disoriented in harvard square, a place shes visited daily for twentyfive years, why doesnt she tell john. Remember, the goal is a book a month, but dont feel any guilt if youre a month or so behind or if you have to miss a month. Acclaimed as the oliver sacks of fiction and the michael crichton of brain science, lisa genova is the new york times bestselling author of still alice, left neglected, love anthony, and inside the obriens. Piles it on, not to cleanse or beautify, but to erase. Lisa genova, the author, is a trained neuroscientist who understands the science behind alzheimers from a clinical point of view, but she also comprehends the personal tragedy that accompanies one losing a loved one who is standing. The question and answer section for still alice is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
Alice and the members of her support group, mary, cathy, and dan, all discuss how their reputations suffered prior to their diagnoses because people thought they were being difficult or possibly had substance abuse problems. In an atypical disease such as this, many moments are trueeven if the experience wasnt exactly the same as rendered in the book. October 2003 the section opens as alice is completing a lunch meeting with her alumni understudy advisee, dan. The book ends with alice still living a happy life, surrounded by her family, bathed in the warmth of their love, cuddling a grandbaby in her lap. The message seems to be, shes lost her memory and no longer recognizes her husband or her children, but shes somehow still alice, so its not so bad after all. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a. This book is so touching and the voice of alice so real, when finished you cant stop thinking and talking about it. Alice howland is a 50yearold professor of psychology at harvard university. Douglas county library 720 fillmore street alexandria, mn 56308. As the cloud of alzheimers descends upon alice, the simple clear writing style of lisa genova allows the reader to feel the full haunting impact of this disease. Still alice book by lisa genova official publisher.
The eponymous title from the book by lisa genova that has been adapted by writerdirectors richard glatzer and wash westmoreland underlines the idea that alice remains alice to the end. This 54page guide for still alice by lisa genova includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 25 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. These discussion questions will help confirm students understanding of the storyline and. We chatted about the beloved novel still alice and all things lisa genova. Lisa graduated valedictorian from bates college with a degree in. Also, his refusal to meet the issue headon for much of the book notwithstanding, he truly loved alice even as the disease began to eat away at her.
Parents need to know that kate alice marshalls thriller i am still alive is the story of 16yearold jess cooper, who finds herself alone along with a wolf dog named bo in the canadian wilderness after the murder of her father. Immerse yourself in her world and discover hidden treasures with this sidekick. Still alice has an authentic voice and a pitchperfect tone even as alice loses control of her own words. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the height of her career when she. Still alice shares the struggle of a middleaged professor who is diagnosed with alzheimers disease. Heres why our book club loved still alice off the shelf. Still alice book by lisa genova official publisher page.
Ask and answer questions about the novel or view study guides, literature essays and more. Only after a deceptively innocent slip of the tongue, a shortterm memory loss during a lecture, and a disorientation attack inside the campus will it become. This study guide consists of approximately 48 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of still alice. Still alice is a best book club book for discussion, a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold harvard professors sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease. Take our free still alice quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Beverly beckham, the boston globe this book is as important as it is impressive, and will grace the lives of those affected by this dread disease for generations to come. Its about alice, a woman beloved by her family and. To us it still looks beautiful, but to this woman whos a professor and celebrated linguist, losing words and hence her identity to alzheimers, its the face of a stranger, or perhaps a face shes no longer able. 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. Alice howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build.
After i read still alice, i wanted to stand up and tell a train full of strangers, you have to get this book. Suggested book and reading club discussion questions for still alice. We were incredibly moved by this beautiful and terrifying novel about a alice, 50yearold psychology professor diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the. Alice is not only a celebrated professor at the height of her career, but is also a worldrenowned. If you have not yet bought lisa genovas novel, make sure to purchase it before. The respected and otherwise healthy linguistics professor, alice howland, is a fiftyyearold mother of three, an accomplished scholar, and a tragic victim of earlyonset alzheimers. Brain atrophy is the loss of neurons and the connection between them. Still alice is one of my favorite book club reads ever. Incident of the dog in the nighttime, still alice packs a powerful emotional punch and marks the arrival of a strong new voice in fiction. The foundation data on the story still alice still. A novel by lisa genova sidekick to the novel cant get enough of lisa genovas still alice. While lisa genova was pursuing her phd in neuroscience at harvard university, her grandmother was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam.
Still alice discussion qs bam club one month one book. When alice becomes disoriented in harvard square, a place shes. At fifty years old, shes a cognitive psychology professor at harvard and a worldrenowned expert in. In an atypical disease such as this, many moments are trueeven if the experience wasnt exactly the same. The literary agents who said genovas book wouldnt sell are wrong. Still alice is a recommended book by reading group choices. If you liked still alice you may also like other books in our fiction category. This is an independent companion to still alice, meant to enhance your experience of the novel. What were your thoughts and impressions of alzheimers disease before reading this book, especially as it would affect a younger person. But some of the dialog was clumsy and dry, and though it is obvious that lisa genova has had her agenda to educate people and teach them to be more tolerant and understanding to people with the alzheimers syndrome, there was a bit too much of science and the literary quality of writing is slightly. The novel moves back and forth between the time before her fathers murder the death of jess mother in an automobile accident that left her with injuries from. Still alice was adapted into an oscarwinning film starring julianne moore, alec baldwin, and kristen stewart.
I dont think theres a definitive answer buried in the book anywhere, but i personally dont believe so. Theres a moment in still alice when julianne moore, looking at herself in the mirror, slathers her face with cream. We are five days into the month, and i am admittedly not done with still alice. Until then still alice discussion guide for readers living with early onset andor early stage alzheimers 1. On this front, still alice actually provides reassurance.
Oct 16, 2015 alice in wonderland book club discussion. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Every 72 seconds another american develops alzheimers disease. The film stars julianne moore as alice howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with familial alzheimers disease shortly after her 50th birthday. The paper gives a synopsis and definite investigation of the story still alice, composed by lisa genova. In 24 months, 49yearold harvard psychology professor alice howland exchanges the role of highachieving teacher, wife and mother of three for that of a disoriented, inarticulate, forgetful shell of her former self. Alice howland says at one point in still alice, a line adapted from the book by author lisa genova. What alice forgot for our virtual book club this month, were talking about what alice forgot by liane moriarty, which i introduced here. How did your impressions change after reading the book. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation.
Ill throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics or anything else youd like to say in the comment section. The film successfully captures the tragedy of the disease, and moores portrayal of alice is riveting, which largely makes up for the films weaknesses. Feb 04, 20 still alice is one of my favorite book club reads ever. Still alice by lisa genova book club discussion questions.