Lisa Genova Books in Order (Updated 2026-02-06)

Lisa Genova is a novelist and neuroscientist whose books focus on how neurological conditions reshape identity, family, work, and love. Her titles are not a continuing series, so there’s no “you must read book one first” rule.

What does help is reading by release date, because her storytelling moves from tightly personal case-study intimacy to broader, more outward-facing emotional questions.

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A quick way to choose your first Lisa Genova book

• If you want her signature novel: start with Still Alice.
• If you want family drama with medical stakes: start with Inside the O’Briens.
• If you want a shorter, intense emotional experience: start with Every Note Played.
• If you prefer nonfiction brain science: start with Remember.

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Novels in publication order

1. Still Alice (2007): A brilliant professor confronts early-onset Alzheimer’s while her family learns what love looks like when memory won’t cooperate.
2. Left Neglected (2011): After a life-changing accident, a high-achieving woman must rebuild her world by noticing what she can no longer see.
3. Love Anthony (2012): Two women’s grief and loneliness intersect, and an autistic child’s perspective becomes the thread that changes them both.
4. Inside the O’Briens (2015): A Boston cop’s diagnosis forces a working-class family to face inheritance, fear, and the meaning of choice.
5. Every Note Played (2018): An acclaimed pianist with ALS is forced into dependence, and the people around him must decide what compassion costs.
6. More or Less Maddy (2025): A young woman’s bipolar diagnosis collides with her hunger for freedom, and stability starts to look like a complicated bargain.

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Nonfiction in publication order

1. Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting (2021): A practical, story-rich guide to how memory works, why forgetting is normal, and what actually supports a healthy brain.

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Reading plans that match real moods

If you want the clearest “start-to-present” arc

Still Alice → Left Neglected → Love Anthony → Inside the O’Briens → Every Note Played → Remember → More or Less Maddy

If you want maximum emotional impact with minimal time

Every Note Played, then go back to Still Alice if you want her most iconic work.

If you want “medical + family” first

Inside the O’Briens → Left Neglected → Still Alice (then continue in publication order if you’re hooked).

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FAQs

Do these books connect through recurring characters?
No. Each novel stands on its own, with a new cast and a new situation.

Will reading out of order spoil anything?
Not across books. The only thing you “lose” is seeing how her style and thematic focus shifts over time.

What’s the newest Lisa Genova book right now?
More or Less Maddy (2025) is the most recent major release found in the latest publisher listings.

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Best simple plan

If you want one clean answer: read the novels in publication order, and slot Remember anywhere you feel like switching from story to science.