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The Memory Thief : And the Secrets Behind How We Remember: A Medical Mystery336 pages Hardcover The remarkable true story of a team of doctors who through years of scientific sleuthing and observant carediscover a surprising connection between opioids and memory, one that holds promise and peril for any one of us. How could you lose your memory overnight, and what would it mean? The day neurologist Jed Barash sees the baffling brain scan of a young patient with devastating amnesia marks the beginning of a quest to answer
336 pages | Hardcover
The remarkable true story of a team of doctors who – through years of scientific sleuthing and observant care—discover a surprising connection between opioids and memory, one that holds promise and peril for any one of us.
How could you lose your memory overnight, and what would it mean? The day neurologist Jed Barash sees the baffling brain scan of a young patient with devastating amnesia marks the beginning of a quest to answer those questions. First detected in a cluster of stigmatized opioid overdose victims in Massachusetts with severe damage to the hippocampus—the brain’s memory center—this rare syndrome reveals how the tragic plight of the unfortunate few can open the door to advances in medical science.
After overcoming initial skepticism that investigating the syndrome is worth the effort—and that fentanyl is the likely culprit—Barash and a growing team of dedicated doctors explore the threat that people who take opioids chronically as prescribed to treat severe pain may gradually put their memories at risk. At the same time, they begin to grasp the potential for this syndrome to shed light on the most elusive memory thief of all—Alzheimer’s disease.
Through the prism of this fascinating story, Aguirre goes on to examine how researchers tease out the fundamental nature of memory and the many mysteries still to be solved. Where do memories live? Why do we forget most of what happens in a day but remember some events with stunning clarity years later? How real are our memories? And what purpose do they actually serve?
Perhaps the greatest mystery in The Memory Thief is why Alzheimer’s has evaded capture for a century even though it afflicts tens of millions around the world and lies in wait for millions more. Aguirre deftly explores this question and reveals promising new strategies and developments that may finally break the long stalemate in the fight against this dreaded disease.
But at its core, Aguirre’s genre-bending and deeply-reported book is about paying attention to the things that initially don’t make sense—like the amnestic syndrome—and how these mysteries can move science closer to an ever-evolving version of the truth.
How could you lose your memory overnight, and what would it mean? The day neurologist Jed Barash sees the baffling brain scan of a young patient with devastating amnesia marks the beginning of a quest to answer those questions. First detected in a cluster of stigmatized opioid overdose victims in Massachusetts with severe damage to the hippocampus—the brain’s memory center—this rare syndrome reveals how the tragic plight of the unfortunate few can open the door to advances in medical science.
After overcoming initial skepticism that investigating the syndrome is worth the effort—and that fentanyl is the likely culprit—Barash and a growing team of dedicated doctors explore the threat that people who take opioids chronically as prescribed to treat severe pain may gradually put their memories at risk. At the same time, they begin to grasp the potential for this syndrome to shed light on the most elusive memory thief of all—Alzheimer’s disease.
Through the prism of this fascinating story, Aguirre goes on to examine how researchers tease out the fundamental nature of memory and the many mysteries still to be solved. Where do memories live? Why do we forget most of what happens in a day but remember some events with stunning clarity years later? How real are our memories? And what purpose do they actually serve?
Perhaps the greatest mystery in The Memory Thief is why Alzheimer’s has evaded capture for a century even though it afflicts tens of millions around the world and lies in wait for millions more. Aguirre deftly explores this question and reveals promising new strategies and developments that may finally break the long stalemate in the fight against this dreaded disease.
But at its core, Aguirre’s genre-bending and deeply-reported book is about paying attention to the things that initially don’t make sense—like the amnestic syndrome—and how these mysteries can move science closer to an ever-evolving version of the truth.
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★★★★★ 5
Cool
So far nice charge
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2026
★★★★★ 1
Muy lento
Muy lento para cargar
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Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Streak free and quick drying. Big and pricy but worth it.
Size: 1 Pack (24" x 36")
Great for drying off your car especially in places where the water pools. Streak free and covers a lot of area. It’s big and versatile- it would work as a pet drying towel too. Soft and good quality. Great gift for a car buff. Not cheap but man does it cut down on drying time.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Great size, super soft, and extremely efficient.
Size: 1 Pack (24" x 36")
Love this drying towel. It’s super soft, super efficient and cuts my dry time in half. The size is perfect for my car as it covers most of my roof making it really easy and quick to dry the whole car. It’s also super absorbent and definitely worth every penny.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2025
★★★★★ 5
One towel , two cars, zero spots
Size: 1 Pack (24" x 36")
Best drying towel. Can dry full size SUV and sedan with one towel. A small buff after and super clean, no spots.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026