Author Lauren Aguirre will discuss her recent critically-acclaimed book, The Memory Thief and the Secrets Behind How We Remember - A Medical Mystery, a finalist for this year's PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.

About The Book: Sometimes, it’s not the discovery that’s hard – it’s convincing others that you’re right. The Memory Thief chronicles an investigation into a rare and devastating amnesia first identified in a cluster of fentanyl overdose survivors. When a handful of doctors embark on a quest to find out exactly what happened to these marginalized victims, they encounter indifference and skepticism from the medical establishment. But after many blind alleys and occasional strokes of good luck, they go on to prove that opioids can damage the hippocampus, a tiny brain region responsible for forming new memories. This discovery may have implications for millions of people around the world. Through the prism of this fascinating story, Aguirre recounts the obstacles researchers so often confront when new ideas bump up against conventional wisdom. She explains the elegant tricks scientists use to tease out the fundamental mechanisms of memory. And finally, she reveals why researchers now believe that a treatment for Alzheimer’s is within reach.

About The Author: Author Lauren Aguirre is an award-winning science journalist who has produced documentaries, short-form video series, podcasts, interactive games, and blogs for the PBS series NOVA. She has covered everything from asteroids to human origins to art restoration, but is particularly fascinated by the brain. Aguirre’s articles on memory and addiction have appeared in STAT, The Boston Globe Ideas Section, Undark, The Atlantic, The Scientist, and PBS. Learn more about Lauren HERE.

Register below. Sponsored by the Corning Foundation and the Friends of the Library.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Can't make it to the library? You can watch this program live on the Town of Tewksbury's YouTube Channel.