Best-selling author and Harvard Ph.D., Lisa Genova, will be in Galveston on March 6 to speak about her book, Still Alice, this year’s Galveston Reads selection. Genova will speak at 5pm at UTMB’s Levin Hall as part of the Lefeber Winter Series on Aging Lecture and then will speak to the public at 7pm at Galveston College Student Center, 4015 Avenue Q.
Galveston Reads is pleased to welcome Lisa Genova to Galveston and to provide the public with the opportunity to learn from her, free of charge. Genova travels worldwide, speaking about the causes, treatments, ways to prevent, and what it feels like to live with Alzheimer’s Disease. She has appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, the Diane Rehm Show, CNN, Chronicle, Fox News, and Canada AM.
Genova deftly blends neuroscience expertise with insight into the human condition and relationships to create engaging and powerful novels. “In describing literary works seldom would we say ‘love story’ and ‘chilling’ in the same breath, yet that juxtaposition seems most apt in this instance as Alice’s world changes rapidly with the onset of this disease,” said Professor Michael Berberich, Galveston College, of Genova’s first novel, Still Alice.
A touching, true to life story told from the perspective of a fifty year-old Harvard University professor afflicted by early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Still Alice won the 2008 Bronte Prize and the 2011 Bexley Book of the year, debuted at #5 on the New York Times Bestseller list and remained a best seller for 40 weeks. It was nominated for the 2010 Indies Choice Debut Book of the Year by the American Booksellers Association, was the #6 Top Book Group Favorite of 2009 by Reading Group Choices, a 2009 Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, a 2009 Indie Next pick, a 2009 Borders Book Club Pick, and a 2009 Target Book Club pick. There are over a million copies in print, and it has been translated into 25 languages. Genova’s second book, Left Neglected chronicles the challenges of a “career driven supermom” whose life is changed following a car accident and brain injury. Left Neglected, a #1 Indie Next Pick, spent 7-weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list in hardcover and is now a paperback bestseller. Genova is writing her third novel, Love Anthony, the story of a boy with autism. Books will be available for purchase, to have autographed by the author, at the March 6th event.
Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. Prior to her success as a novelist, Genova worked as a lab technician, NIH Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School Neuroanatomy Instructor, Healthcare Industry Strategy Consultant, and even an as an actress. In a revealing question and answer dialogue provided by her publisher, she describes her life as “blessed, expressive, unplanned, fearless, hopeful, full of love” and lists Still Alice as her greatest professional achievement to date.
Genova’s visit is the culmination of the Galveston Reads 2012 Event Series and is sponsored by the Rosenberg Library, Kempner Fund, Sealy Center on Aging UTMB, UTMB Department of Family Medicine, Galveston College, Texas A&M Galveston, Inn at the Waterpark and Moody Gardens. In its 9th year, Galveston Reads encourages unity through literature, hosting discussions, events, films and bringing speakers and authors of national acclaim to Galveston.
For more information, please visit or call the Rosenberg Library 409-763-8854 ext. 115.
