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Viewpoint

how and why things happen with memory but that Genova does destigmatize
forgetting and distinguishes between normal and pathological forgetting.
Section 3 and an appendix offer insight into things that may “improve or
impair” remembering. Genova discusses the role of chronic stress; she describes
studies that showed that meditation and exercise can increase the size of the
hippocampi and aid memory. She stresses the
importance of sleep: “Insufficient sleep puts you
at a higher risk for heart disease, cancer, infection, ...“senior moments”
mental illness, Alzheimer’s, and memory impairment” (p.
208). She goes on to say that experts agree 7 to 9 hours of are not the same as
sleep a night are needed. Likewise, she reports that studies
have demonstrated that a Mediterranean diet cuts the risk dementia and ...there
of Alzheimer’s disease (p. 218) but that red wine does not. are benefits of not
Both in Remember (p. 223) and in an interview (Pearson,
2021), Genova stresses the value of learning new things as remembering.
an aid for improving memory. She suggests that learning to
play the piano, participating in a book club, and traveling build new neural roads.
Genova’s discussion of the value of exercise and sleep is supported by Small
in his book, but he offers more explanation of why each is important. While she
mentions the role of vitamins, coffee, and chocolate (pp. 218–220), Small’s view
of the role of diet differs (Korte, 2021). Small writes, “While there is reason to
be hopeful that both dietary interventions and cognitive exercises will turn out
to be useful in ameliorating cognitive aging, at this point only physical exercise
meets the minimal standards validating a clinical recommendation” (p. 34).

Conclusion
With increasing numbers of individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and
with just the normal day-to-day forgetting experienced by all individuals, more
and more research is being conducted and written on the subject of memory.
The two books discussed in this article were both written to offer insights and
encouragement to those concerned about forgetting. Both authors use stories
from their own lives to enhance understanding of the topics, and each offers that
forgetting is normal and has value. Small focuses more on the science behind
forgetting and offers more insights into its role in autism, PTSD, creativity, and
decision-making. He approaches the topic with more insights from philosophy,
psychology, and neuroscience. He includes more of the ethical debates related
to memory issues (e.g., the use of drugs in treating things like PTSD). As
noted by a reviewer on Genova’s book jacket, she provides “easy-to-follow,
no-nonsense advice on how to maximize one of the greatest outputs of your
brain—memory.” Read together, the books provide the latest research about
remembering and forgetting in an engaging format accessible to the general reader.

Dr. Barbara Perry-Sheldon is retired from North Carolina Wesleyan College, where she directed
the teacher education program. She holds degrees from Appalachian State University (NC) and
the University of Georgia. A member of Alpha Gamma Chapter, she chairs the finance committee
for North Carolina State Organization and is serving a second term on the editorial board of DKG.
bpsheldon@aol.com

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