Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News from the Front Lines of Memory Research

Sue Halpern writes with vivid clarity, honesty and empathy about that scary, complex world that looms before us all -- aging,and memory loss. She makes it a lot less scary by explaining the science so clearly, and by helping us understand that forgetting is "normal." She sifts through all the confusing studies and tells us what really works (aerobic exercise and, maybe, blueberries). And she takes us into the labs, and minds, of some of the brilliant neurologists who are working on the front lines of memory research. This book is packed with science -- understandable science -- and humanity.

Sue Halpern takes the reader on a fascinating and provocative safari through the wilds of the human brain in this new book. Conventional wisdom should run and hide from Halpern's penetrative gaze: forget what you thought you knew about how memory functions, this book's tour of the frontlines of memory research tosses out old theories about how to stay sharp into old age and offers quality (and scientific) advice on how to keep your melon from meandering. So put down the crossword puzzle, read this book, and then call up an old flame and take him or her out ballroom dancing - you'll see what I mean when you finish Halpern's masterpiece. Bravo!

If you are looking for a self-help book, there are plenty out there. But as Sue Halpern shows in this beautifully written exploration of modern memory research, many of them simply spout platitudes and propose "remedies" that have little basis in science. Halpern gets behind the hype and tries to tell us what really works and why it works, and she introduces us to the people who are searching for cures and therapies. By the end I felt like I had a much broader understanding of what was going on with my own memory and that I was much better equipped to talk to my doctor about my concerns, both of which seem like the best kind of help a book could offer, even for a book that is in no way a self-help book. And it's fun to read, too.

Sue Halpern does a tremendous job of taking a complex area of study (neuroscience) and boiling it down to relevant, digestible information. I was impressed with her ability to distill the information in a way that can help non-scientists understand clinical issues, diagnostics and best practices. Additionally, it was a pleasure to see an author become well enough acquainted with the scientific process and the specific subject matter to recommend that consumers purchase products with independent, peer-reviewed research backing up their claims. Thank you for doing the work and providing consumers with useful guidance. Three cheers!

This is a really wonderful book--it's just that it's about normal memory loss, not catastrophic types like Alzheimers. I.e., about the thing that's affecting all of us as we age, and keeping us from remembering where the hell the car keys are. The author, who has a piece about PTSD in last week's New Yorker, has been in all the cutting-edge labs, and indeed has let them scan her brain with all the latest gear. It describes what scientists are discovering about the brain, and about what you can do to keep yours working better longer--hint, I'm going out for a run now.