Where Did I Leave My Glasses?: The What, When, and Why of Normal Memory Loss

Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Perhaps the greatest source of anxiety for America’s aging boomers is what’s happening to their memory. Based on interviews with more than 15 neuroscientists and others in the field, veteran health journalist and bestselling author Lear (Heartsounds) provides reassurance along with a succinct introduction to what memory is. Lear says that a certain amount of forgetfulness in the middle-aged and young elderly is normal and not a harbinger of Alzheimer’s. She also explains how emotions like guilt lead us to continually edit our memories, making them less accurate. Lear underscores the holy quartet of memory aids: eat healthily, avoid stress,… get lots of sleep, and exercise both body and mind regularly. For those who fear early-onset Alzheimer’s, she provides a useful chart differentiating normal memory loss from dementia. While skeptical of most products promising memory enhancement, Lear offers a fascinating chapter on new research promising drugs to improve memory and cognition, and artificial intelligence that will leave you with glorious memories of experiences that you never actually had. Lear writes clearly, personably and gracefully, and her new book deserves to attract many of the worried well who want to know more about why they’re remembering less. (Feb. 12)
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Review
“Oh how loved this book! Rarely do you find one that informs as it entertains; Martha Lear does both. I laughed out loud and was reassured to know that when my friends and I forget names (as we so often do), it’s normal!” –Mary Tyler Moore

“With wit, insight, and comfort, Martha Weinman Lear takes you through the embarrassments and hilarities of dealing with normal memory loss.” –Ethel S. Person, MD, professor of psychiatry and member of the Center for Psychoanyltic Training & Research, Columbia University

“Hallelujah, it’s not Alzheimer’s! It’s Normal Memory Loss, and everyone over thirty must read WHERE DID I LEAVE MY GLASSES? by what’s-her-name.”–Patricia Volk, author of To My Dearest Friends and Stuffed

“Lear writes reassuringly . . . pungently and wittily. This book is more than informative; it is a pleasure to read.” –Lewis P. Rowland, MD, professor of neurology, Neurological Institute, Columbia University Medical Center

“Well-researched . . . presents a complex topic with clarity and humor.” –Margaret Sewell, PhD, director, Memory Enhancement Program, Mount Sinai Hospital

“An informative (and enjoyable to read) overview of our current understanding of how memory changes with normal aging and what the future might hold for memory enhancement.” –Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD, director, Neuroscience Imaging center, UCSF Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco