Left Neglected in Ask Lisa Genova!

Mar 10, 2012 Jenni Ogden rated it it was amazing

Lisa Genova’s new book “Left Neglected,” about a multitasking superwoman and guilt-ridden mother, who was transformed in an unguarded instant into a ‘Left Neglect patient,’ is, in my opinion, even better than “Still Alice.” I know a lot about hemineglect; I did my PhD on it way back in the early 1980s when only a handful of researchers were studying it and publishing articles about it, and since then have published and written about it often, including cases in my books, and have supervised stud Lisa Genova’s new book “Left Neglected,” about a multitasking superwoman and guilt-ridden mother, who was transformed in an unguarded instant into a ‘Left Neglect patient,’ is, in my opinion, even better than “Still Alice.” I know a lot about hemineglect; I did my PhD on it way back in the early 1980s when only a handful of researchers were studying it and publishing articles about it, and since then have published and written about it often, including cases in my books, and have supervised students in the area. (Today it is a very “popular” neuropsychological disorder to research.) So I was looking forward to reading a novel written in the “1st person” where the protagonist shares her experiences about living with left neglect. I was prepared for a few instances of “poetic license” where the author doesn’t get the facts right either because she doesn’t know enough about the disorder or for literary purposes, and was delighted to discover that this wasn’t the case in this book. Lisa Genova has done her research on the disorder, including the research methods used to study neglect, and how it is rehabilitated. Certainly, her protagonist, Sarah Nickerson, was very lucky in that her intellect was not impaired– not always the case of course in a patient with such severe and persisting neglect – but I have assessed patients like this. And of course her intact intelligence and memory was what allowed Sarah to write so lucidly about her experiences. For example, she mused that being asked to describe anything on her left felt like “trying to describe something on the back of my own head.” Lisa Genova’s skilful and sensitive portrayal of Sarah’s experience of neglect -- her unawareness and unconcern that there is anything much wrong with her, the childish rehabilitation tasks she must do day after day, the disappearance of her children if they move into her left space – expands this heart-warming family story about finding a balance into an engrossing case study on left neglect. While this is first and foremost a good story that will make you chuckle, even as it makes you think, if you happen to be a health professional or student and you know what neglect is, but you don’t know how it feels, add this to your essential reading list! ...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Janelle rated it liked it

I learned about Left Neglect many years ago in my neuroscience class. I saw the title of the book and decided to give the book a shot...
Good book. Easy read. I think of many of us can relate to being married to our career and juggling a family. Incredible story on how her life drastically changed in a second!
I would have liked to have read more about her days at the rehab center.

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Jul 05, 2011 Angela Vroom rated it it was amazing

Loved this book! I would recommend anything written by Lisa Genova! You know it's a great read when you are laughing out loud and graving the tissue box:) ...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Lo rated it it was amazing

fantastic read

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Apr 06, 2012 Samantha rated it liked it

3.5.... Quick read.... interesting subject matter, just wished she had developed the characters more... The entire book felt rushed, and maybe that is what she was striving for.

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May 05, 2012 Barb rated it really liked it

I just finished Left Neglected....I enjoyed the book and read it in just a few days. I liked Still Alice better, but this is how a woman lives after a car accident....you have to read it to see what I mean. Lisa Genova, does she die in the end??????

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