In Pursuit of Memory

Reviews / Votes

Joseph Jebelli's wonderfully clear, vividly readable and comprehensive survey of the search for a cure . . . The world is closing in on Alzheimer's. There is nowhere left for it to hide * THE TIMES * A fascinating quest at the frontiers of neuro-degeneration... and a moving, sober and forensic study of the past, present and future of Alzheimer's from the point of view of a neurologist who has lived with the disease, at home and in the lab, from a very young age. The story Jebelli tells illustrates the tantalising mystery of Alzheimer's: it's both highly visible yet agonizingly elusive...a timely analysis [that] might give comfort. -- ROBERT McCRUM * OBSERVER * A personal story and smart scientific thinking reveal the history and humanity behind an epidemic that affects 44 million people worldwide * NEW SCIENTIST * A riveting debut... the very human story of the disease that is now an epidemic * BOOKSELLER, SCIENCE BOOK OF THE MONTH * In Pursuit of Memory is a remarkable combination of fine writing, personal honesty and deep scientific insight - about a devastating and baffling disease that is becoming all too common. Jebelli weighs up all the evidence and all the theories about Alzheimer's and even allows us a glimpse of optimism about a cure * MATT RIDLEY * An accessible, diligently researched and well-travelled overview of the disease that is more deadly than cancer. Jebelli poignantly weaves the current science with the tragic stories of affected families, not least his own * SUNDAY TIMES * The definitive portrait of Alzheimer's disease - an illness that is rapidly becoming the defining plague of the 21st century * Big Issue * On the surface it's about Alzheimer's disease but more than that it demonstrates how challenging it is to understand the brain -- Suzanne O'Sullivan * Observer, BOOKS OF THE YEAR * An elegant and precise writer, Jebelli follows every lead for a cure with the panache of a detective novelist, giving readers much to hope for despite the devastation Alzheimer's has left in its wake. Based on his meticulous and wide-ranging research, he makes a convincing argument that Alzheimer's will be defeated in the decades to come. Jebelli analyzes every facet of Alzheimer's with personal empathy and scientific rigor, a combination that makes for enthralling reading. * Kirkus, starred review *