Left Neglected (2011) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Sarah Nickerson: The novel's protagonist, a career-driven woman trying to juggle family and her career as vice-president of human resources of a global company, Berkley Consulting, who finds herself championing a new challenge.
• Bob Nickerson: Sarah's husband. Supporting and struggling husband.
• Charlie Nickerson: Sarah's seven-year old son. A concern for Sarah in her life.
• Linus Nickerson: Sarah's youngest son who was named Linus when co-workers perceived that Bob and Sarah had a Charlie Brown theme occurring when naming their first two children.
• Lucy Nickerson: Sarah's five-year old daughter. Hyper, energetic, loving person.
• Abby: The Nickerson childrens' nanny.
• Nate: Sarah's brother. Sad and tragic relationship
• Jessica: Sarah's assistant
• Ms. Gavin: Charlie's teacher.
• Dr. Kwon: Sarah's neurologist
• Helen: Sarah's prone-to-histrionics mother.
• Martha: Sarah's physical therapist described as having the physique of a rugby player. Evil woman.
• Heidi: Sarah's friend and occupational therapist. Good supporting character.
• Richard Levine: Sarah's boss
• Nate: Sarah's younger brother who drowned when both were children.
• Mike Green: New England Handicapped Sports Association employee who adapts equipment to enable individuals with handicaps to ski or snowboard.

Quotes edit see section history

• “I try to remember the last time she helped me with anything. I think she poured me a glass of milk in 1984.”

  Sarah

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• Maybe there’s a different road for me with a more reasonable speed limit.

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• the 80–20 rule is an economic principle that states that 20 percent effort yields 80 percent value. Essentially, it means that for anything anyone does, only 20 percent really matters.

  Highlighted by 78 Kindle customers

• I’m listening to the rain, and the rain becomes the hand of God strumming his fingers on the roof, deciding what to do.

  Highlighted by 75 Kindle customers

• I’ve been so focused on what’s horrible and unfair and terrifying about my condition that I hadn’t acknowledged what is positive about my condition, as if the positive had been sitting quietly by itself on the far edge of the left side of my condition, there but completely ignored.

  Highlighted by 68 Kindle customers

• Because while I still hope for a full recovery, I’ve learned that my life can be fully lived with less.

  Highlighted by 63 Kindle customers

• The kind of visibly successful life that would in every way be the exact opposite of the broken, shameful life of my childhood.

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• The first step in my recovery is to become aware of my unawareness, to constantly and repeatedly remind myself that my brain thinks it’s paying attention to all of everything, but in fact, it’s only paying attention to the right half of everything and nothing on the left.

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• Nearing the shortest day of the year, it changes from day to night in the blink of an eye, reminding me of how everything can change in an unnoticed moment.

  Highlighted by 42 Kindle customers

• She has Left Neglect. It’s a pretty common condition for patients who’ve suffered damage to the right-hemisphere, usually from a hemorrhage or stroke. Her brain isn’t paying attention to anything on her left. ‘Left’ doesn’t exist to her.”

  Highlighted by 42 Kindle customers

• Our brains are wired differently, and we have to figure out how to make them work.

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Boston, Massachusetts: Where the Bob and Sarah both work.
• Baldwin Rehabilitation Center: Boston health facility where Sarah is transferred after the hospital for rehabilitation on the neurological unit.
• Cortland, Vermont: Ski resort and where the Nickersons own a chateau.

Organizations edit see section history

• NEHSA (New England Handicapped Sports Association): www.nehsa.org - assists handicapped individuals learn or re-learn sports

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Neuropsychology: Describe this theme.
• Brain injury: This injury is also called Hemispatial neglect.
• Life and Death
• Rehabilitation

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Lisa Genova (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3607.E55L44 2011
• Dewey: 813

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Medical
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary