Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Thanks for the Memories

I haven't read any good story books lately due to assignments and exams. Well, I actually managed to finish two library novels during the exam period, but the first book I read after the exams was Thanks for the Memories, a best seller book by Cecelia Ahern. For those of you who don't already know, she's one of New York Times' bestselling authors for her previous novel, PS, I Love You, which has also been adapted into a movie (and whose review I have yet to post).

The story is about Justin Hitchcock, a professor of Arts and Architecture, who decided to overcome his fear of needles and donate his blood (it was also because he wanted a date with the pretty doctor) in Ireland. In another part of Ireland, Joyce Conway had a traumatic accident and had to have a blood transfusion. Since her accident, she finds that not only has her eating habits changed (from being a vegetarian to a non-vegetarian), but she can also speak Italian and Latin besides knowing a lot about old heritage buildings. She also has dreams of people and places which she doesn't know, although they all seem familiar to her in a way. At first, she thought she was going crazy because of the stress she's feeling, but after several incidents, she discovers that the changes are due to the blood transfusion - her blood donor was Justin Hitchcock, and that somehow, his eating habits, knowledge, interests and even memories have been passed to her.

I really like the story...there are many moments of sadness, but it also has its hilarious moments, not to mention many moral values. Cecelia Ahern is one the few authors who write using the present tense, which is probably why you feel as if you're really "in the moment" when reading. What's most intriguing, however, is the fact that there actually are cases of heart transplant patients who acquire their donor's skills, tastes, etc after the transplant. Although I'm not sure exactly if there are also similar cases involving blood transfusion. From the psychological perspective, more research could be done to find out if blood transfusions and heart transplants can influence the patient's behaviour and mental processes. Hmm...have to keep that in mind if I want to do a research someday.

So how does the story end?? Ooohh...the ending is just so, so sweet. Read it yourself!

8 comments:

Mr Bubu said...

Slm.
I've heard of heart transplants transfer habits and skills. Although I have not read anything concrete supporting this idea, but as a student who took Cognitive psychology, that that might not be true, to some extent.

In the subject, we were taught that skills or habits are cognitively-influenced, meaning that you need experience to do them. Experiences are stored in ur brain, which later will be recalled to elicit a specific habit or skill.

Arguably, this view holds that a physical heart is not spiritual heart, which sometimes people associate with having skills and habits embedded into it.

But the otherwise(the idea of transferring habits and skills thru heart transplant) which supported by few cases, also makes those who are God-conscious know that not all things are explainable by science.

Even as Prof. Malik argues in his book "Contemplation", that venturing deeper in science will eventually lead us to God-conscious conclusions. We know that mind is the spiritual aspect and the brain is the physical "engine" to it, but cases tell us that both can influence each other.

Same goes to how we understand that the physical heart and the spiritual heart are different, yet cases tell us that they are somehow connected. Which hence, led us to safely conclude that God knows best. Wallahu'alam.
(yes, I will try to keep my comments shorter if possible, lol)

fazot said...

Hi Aisyah. I like her novel too. Her other novels that i like: A place called here, and P.S. I love U. I haven't read Thanks for the Memories yet, but maybe someday, i can grab 1, and dig it until end :-)

Little Bookworm said...

Bubu - thanx so much for your input. I haven't taken Cognitive Psyc yet, so that's one useful thing you've taught me. You've made me look forward to my Cognitive classes next sem. ;-) Btw, I am online...don't have enough credit to reply ur msg. Sigh.
And please, feel free write whatever you want, however long you want it. Its not like I have to pay for this blog anyway. Lol.

Kak Fazot - Hai akak! Thanx so much for reading my blog! Mesti Ummi bgtau ek?? Hehe. Ni Sakinah la akak...Aishah doesn't have a blog. Huhu. Yup, I love PS I Love You too...and Where Rainbows End. Tak baca lagi A Place Called Here. Maybe we can exchange books?? ;-)

fazot said...

ooo, darling sakinah ke? sorry, ingat aishah. :-).. btw, i borrowed A place called here from a friend, named Aisyah. Maybe we can exchange other books sometimes.

Little Bookworm said...

Hehe, takpe. Ala, ye ke...igt kan ur book. Huhu. Akak, blog parlimail tu kira korg contribute ramai2 ek? Lps ni ada pi mana2 lagi tak? Looks interesting la. :-)

fazot said...

yes, we just a small group of people. like our first project, we extend the news to our friends, colleagues. baby step dulu :-). insyaAllah, kalau ada next project, u can join us.

nadya.s said...

i'm so gonna buy this book. dah tgk kt MPH few weeks ago,tapi tak beli.

recommended by u eh?

takecare :)

ps: thanks for the bday wish too. lova ya!

Little Bookworm said...

Hai Kak Abby! Yup, actually I saw it a couple of times, tapi saja tunggu price turun dulu b4 buying. masa the book first2 keluar, the price was like RM 60 or RM 70 something. Fuh...tak terbeli le lagi. Huhu. Yup, I highly recommend it! Hehe.

BTW, I just read your older posts. Sorry to read about you being sick. Huhu. Hope you're feeling much better now. Luv ya too. Muahx!

“A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.”
- Martin Tupper