One typical morning, Sarah Nickerson, a woman in her mid-thirties, is late for work, racing in her car after dropping her kids off at school and daycare. She tries to phone in to a meeting she should already be at when she takes her eye off the road for a second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt. Sarah suffers a traumatic head injury. Her memory and intellect are intact, but she has lost all interest in, and the ability to perceive, information coming from the left side of space. The left side of her world has gone. Sarah only eats the food from the right side of her plate. She can't see her watch, or her engagement diamond or her wedding ring. She tries to use a wheel chair but can only spin in circles as her left arm dangles by her side.
Left Neglected
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"Remember how you couldn't put down Still Alice? Well, clear your schedule--because you're going to feel the same way." --JODI PICOULT Then we are using this full quote, with full attribution, on top of back cover: "The journey Lisa Genova takes us on in LEFT NEGLECTED is a personal one, for any woman who's ever had to make a business call while driving to day care, or who finishes a full day's work at a high-powered job only to start the second shift as a mom: sometimes, we literally need a shock to the system to remember what matters the most in life. Remember how you couldn't put down STILL ALICE? Well, clear your schedule - because you're going to feel the same way." - Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of HOUSE RULES and SING YOU HOME "Lisa Genova is the Michael Crichton of brain science. What she proved with Still Alice, she proves again with Left Neglected. This is huge, powerful human drama at its elegant best." --Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean "As Sarah Nickerson works her way through a devastating brain injury and back into her hectic life, she is forced to re-evaluate what really matters. I dare any reader to not do the same in their own lives after reading this book." --Ann Hood, author of Comfort, The Red Thread and Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine "Lisa Genova has done it again! By turns chilling and deeply moving, Left Neglected is a stunning reminder that a single moment can change a life...A Triumph on many levels" --Brunonia Barry, New York Times bestselling author of The Lace Reader "Achingly real. Beautifully written. Lisa Genova takes us on a moving journey of loss, forgiveness, hope, love and the resilience of the human spirit." -- Julia Fox Garrison, author of Don't Leave Me This Way "Intuitive and captivating. In this moving chronicle of a family's struggle with brain injury, Lisa Genova powerfully conveys the shattering trials of an ordinary life made alien by brain injury, and in the process reveals the true power and strength of the human spirit. Left Neglected will leave you stunned and inspired." -- Michael Paul Mason, author of Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath "Devastating and hopeful, haunting and familiar, Left Neglected is a triumph of insight and empathy." -- Stefan Merrill Block, International Bestselling author of The Story of Forgetting and The Storm at the Door "Once again, Lisa Genova goes where few authors dare, and mines a compelling and beautifully written story about finding peace, wisdom and human connection. While Sarah Nickerson's condition is rare, her journey is universal. " --Lynn Kiele Bonasia, author of Summer Shift 'A sentimental but compelling read that reminds us that appreciating health is a no-brainer' The Lady 22/3 'Insightful ... a stark reminder of the fine line that separates everyday life from disaster' Daily Mail
About the Author
Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She is a member of the Dementia Advocacy and Support Network International and DementiaUSA and is an online columnist for the National Alzheimer's Association. She lives with her husband and two children on the Cape. Still Alice is her first novel. She is currently at work on her second that also centers on a neurologist impairment called Left Neglected.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Lisa Genova's debut, self-published novel, Still Alice made it onto my Top Ten Books of 2010 so I held high hopes for this, her latest novel, published on 4th January 2011. Again, the focus is on a brain disorder - in Still Alice it was early onset dementia and in Left Neglected it is Left Neglect, a disorder whereby the brain is unable to perceive anything on the left hand side. Left Neglect is a much rarer condition than dementia so the subject matter does not immediately resonate with the reader in the way that Alice's deterioration did but I think this is a plus point for readers as those who perhaps avoided Still Alice as it was too close to the bone might feel less threatened and would not have personal experiences which might cloud their reading enjoyment.
Our narrator, Sarah Nickerson, is a 37 year old high flyer who seems to have it all, happily married with 3 young children, has a successful career in human resources, lives in an affluent suburb in Boston. Okay, if you scrape the surface a little you might see some flaws - 80 hour working week, tensions of juggling career and childcare, working towards getting more money to get a bigger house in order to have live-in childcare - perhaps not the American Dream after all? Following a car accident, Sarah's life is turned upside down, or, should that be, slightly askew as she has to adjust to life with Left Neglect. It proves extremely difficult for such a high-flying perfectionist to appreciate how long it will take her to re-learn basic life skills and even more traumatic for her to accept help from her mother who had emotionally neglected her since childhood.
Neglect is a pervasive theme here, not just the Left Neglect of the title but emotional neglect from both Sarah and her mother - the things we neglect to say or do in order to keep on keeping on, the emotional minehills we ignore in order to maintain the status quo, no matter how unsatisfying that is. Lisa Genova manages to create a realistic story of survival without ever straying into schmaltz. Just as in Still Alice, she treads a tightrope between the hard scientific facts and how we deal with them on a human level. The medical condition may seem far removed from us but the emotional implications and the ripples caused by a life changing event will resonate with all readers - another triumph from Lisa Genova!
Our narrator, Sarah Nickerson, is a 37 year old high flyer who seems to have it all, happily married with 3 young children, has a successful career in human resources, lives in an affluent suburb in Boston. Okay, if you scrape the surface a little you might see some flaws - 80 hour working week, tensions of juggling career and childcare, working towards getting more money to get a bigger house in order to have live-in childcare - perhaps not the American Dream after all? Following a car accident, Sarah's life is turned upside down, or, should that be, slightly askew as she has to adjust to life with Left Neglect. It proves extremely difficult for such a high-flying perfectionist to appreciate how long it will take her to re-learn basic life skills and even more traumatic for her to accept help from her mother who had emotionally neglected her since childhood.
Neglect is a pervasive theme here, not just the Left Neglect of the title but emotional neglect from both Sarah and her mother - the things we neglect to say or do in order to keep on keeping on, the emotional minehills we ignore in order to maintain the status quo, no matter how unsatisfying that is. Lisa Genova manages to create a realistic story of survival without ever straying into schmaltz. Just as in Still Alice, she treads a tightrope between the hard scientific facts and how we deal with them on a human level. The medical condition may seem far removed from us but the emotional implications and the ripples caused by a life changing event will resonate with all readers - another triumph from Lisa Genova!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This novel is excellent if you want to learn more about the condition called "neglect" without reading medical journals and get a feel of it "from the inside", but the story is a little bit too sweet and comfortable for me. The message seems to be that this complicated dysfunction really was to the best for the main character and her family and that's really too neat to be entirely credible.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Julia Flyte
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Sarah Nickerson is a high flying executive in her late 30s with three young children. She multi-tasks at a frenetic pace - on the verge of being out of control, but thriving on the adrenalin. Then one day she has a car accident while driving to work. A brain injury to her right hemisphere leaves her with "left neglect", a condition in which her brain ignores information on the left side of her world, including the left side of her body. Over the next few months, as she gradually comes to terms with her new limitations, she re-evaluates many aspects of her previous life and gets to know the parts that she has "left neglected" along the way.
Lisa Genova's previous book, Still Alice demonstrates her ability to take the reader inside the mind of someone suffering from a debilitating condition (in that case, Alzheimer's). She is similarly successful at giving a sense of what it would be like to have literally half your world erased. However the story is less poignant and frankly, I got a little bored in the middle which felt quite repetitive. While the book picks up again, the ending felt unsatisfactorily, rushed, with one too many neat coincidences.
Genova writes well, but this is not as compelling as her first book. I never really cared enough about Sarah and I felt that the "lessons" were overly predictable. An interesting story, but ultimately just an okay read.
Lisa Genova's previous book, Still Alice demonstrates her ability to take the reader inside the mind of someone suffering from a debilitating condition (in that case, Alzheimer's). She is similarly successful at giving a sense of what it would be like to have literally half your world erased. However the story is less poignant and frankly, I got a little bored in the middle which felt quite repetitive. While the book picks up again, the ending felt unsatisfactorily, rushed, with one too many neat coincidences.
Genova writes well, but this is not as compelling as her first book. I never really cared enough about Sarah and I felt that the "lessons" were overly predictable. An interesting story, but ultimately just an okay read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
I quite enjoyed it but struggled to feel an attachment
My first thought was 'hope this never happens to me!' but then my overwhelming response was 'what is the point in having this as a story? Read more
Published 19 hours ago by fridayschild
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book, really enjoyed it.
This is the first Lisa Genova book I have read (thanks Richard & Judy!), and I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Soogles
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
Another fantastic offering from Lisa Genova. Like Still Alice both heart warming and very informative. Just a brilliant read. Would recommend to all.
Published 2 months ago by Alice
5.0 out of 5 stars
An eye opener!
I'm a student physiotherapist and I wasn't able to fully comprehend what neglect was until I read this - brilliant!
Published 3 months ago by Mrs M E Huntley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
This book was lent to me and I wasn't keen to read it as thought it would be depressing and hard-going! Read more
Published 3 months ago by linda stickings
4.0 out of 5 stars
A surprisingly easy read, with lots to learn from it
Well-written, easy to read (despite the difficult subject matter), thought-provoking and a book which I learned a lot from. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Michelle Scott
1.0 out of 5 stars
Horrible
I did not enjoy this book. It is predictable and hard to finish. This book has made me not want to read other books about diseases, disabilities or terminal patients. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read
This was a good and involving read with an unusual theme. Will definitely try more by the same author .
Published 4 months ago by jules01
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really interesting
This book is not only well written but is so interesting and unusual that you can't help but get engrosed in the story.
Published 4 months ago by Jacqui Matlock
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brave lady
She goes through an awful lot and you can't help but admire her for that. A good story and easy to read.
Published 6 months ago by Mrs Karen Tranter
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