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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully moving, sometimes distressing!, 14 Jul 2003
Excellent! One of the most remarkable books I have read in some time. From picking this up and reading the first few pages I was hooked, unable to put this down. Shenk managed to take me upon an extraordinary, thought provoking journey, into the history of Alzheimer’s disease and the race for its much sought after cure.Shenk’s narrative reads, as the subtitle suggests, like a well-written biography. By presenting us with fascinating, and often distressing, case studies into the lives of famous figures throughout history as well the equally compelling stories of those much less famous David Shenk encourages us to examine the degenerative effects of the disease, from the first faltering steps of the early stages to it is final devastating end. The text manages to delve into the neurobiology of the disease, detailing the slow devastating effect that Alzheimer’s has on the brain, and how we have been battling since its first discovery. Shenk manages this in a way that, although simple to understand by those new to the subject, does not feel patronising to the more well versed individual. Shenk manages to expertly integrate many other associated topics including genetic engineering, ancient history, psychology and literary works into this smooth narrative, encouraging the reader to think about Alzheimer’s in a much wider context than before. The short introductions, written by sufferers and carers, which appear at the beginning of each chapter, allow a powerful insight into the minds of those whom Alzheimer’s has touched. My only problem is that when Shenk is discussing the impact that Alzheimer’s has had on political thinking, this is done through a mainly American viewpoint with little discussion about the rest of the world. However as this is an American text this is to be expected and should not be allowed to detract from the book in any way. This aside Shenk’s book is a truly engrossing masterpiece that should be required reading for anyone who has been in contact with what will surely be one of the most important health, social and political issues of the twenty-first century.
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by Graham Stokes
by DEBAGGIO
by Paul Broks
by John Hoffman
