Goodbye, Vitamin - Rachel Khong

The memory painter - Gwendolyn Womack

The memory painter - Womack, Gwendolyn

Summary: Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills--like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he's wondered if his dreams are recollections--if he's re-experiencing other people's lives. Linz Jacobs is a neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she's confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

Booklist Reviews
When neurogeneticist Linz Jacobs spots a painting depicting a scene from her lifelong recurring nightmare, she unknowingly awakens danger hidden in her past. Bryan Pierce, the enigmatic artist who created the painting, reveals that his works are scenes from past lives relived through dreams and that he awakens gifted with the knowledge and skills revealed in the vision. Although it's impossible to reconcile with Linz's scientific training, she senses an otherworldly connection to Bryan and can't convince herself to dismiss his claims. Then Bryan recalls a more recent life as a neuroscientist who, like Linz, pioneered research to cure memory disorders and was killed with his wife when their lab exploded in 1982. Suddenly, the pair find themselves in a dangerous race to discover the secrets buried in their past lives before a malevolent killer can stop them. Well-drawn historical flashbacks, engaging characters, and a twisty ending make this thrilling blend of neuroscience, romance, and ancient worlds good bets for Da Vinci Code and Outlander fans. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

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Still Alice - Lisa Genova

Still Alice - Lisa Genova

Summary: Feeling at the top of her game when she is suddenly diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease, Harvard psychologist Alice Howland struggles to find meaning and purpose in her life as her concept of self gradually slips away. - (Baker & Taylor)

Booklist Reviews
In a highly readable form of bibliotherapy, first-time novelist Genova, who holds a doctorate in neuroscience, meticulously traces the downward spiral of a woman suffering from early-onset Alzheimer s disease. In September of 2003, 50-year-old Alice Howland leads a very busy, productive life as a psychology professor at Harvard, the spouse of a biology professor, and the mother of two grown daughters. But a series of memory problems, ranging from forgetting where she put her Blackberry to becoming disoriented on her daily run, sends her to the doctor. She learns that she is suffering from Alzheimer s, and the subsequent months and years see a steady decline in her abilities. By September of 2005, the accomplished professional can barely remember her own daughters names. Still Alice, however, is far from bleak as it depicts both the unalterable course of the disease and the various ways family members can cope with it. Clearly explaining the testing, treatment options, and symptoms of the disease within the context of an absorbing family drama, Genova has written an ideal primer for anyone touched by Alzheimer s. Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.

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