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hepalmer's review against another edition
5.0
Read in a day, with many tears. what a book full of love, grief, memories, words. One to re-read as we come to terms with our family situation.
sarahs1178's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Such a beautiful but sad story
madlymadly's review against another edition
5.0
From the opening to the end I had a knot in my throat and tears welling in my eyes. Beautifully written and read by the daughter a woman suffering from Alzheimers.
brogan7's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
A beautiful and difficult book. Sally Magnusson sets out to write about her experience with her mother's dementia, and it turns into a kind of love letter to her mother, a story of a family and a remarkable woman who is in the midst of great change. Heartbreaking, informative, honest and compassionate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Death of parent
wendydt's review against another edition
4.0
Very touching. Cried a few times. Sadly a story many people will have experienced themselves. The journalistic research was also well done and added extra interest to this complicated subject.
herreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful book - it lends another articulate voice to the campaign for massive change in the way we should deliver dementia care as it rapidly becomes the biggest healthcare challenge on the planet. Part memoir but also a brilliant and heart-rending insight into the fragmented and frightening world of dementia, of how her mother and the whole family coped with life while precious memories and self hood becomes eroded by the plaqued and tangled ravages of dementia. It is an important and vital book about a determined, resourceful human spirit and about triumphs of the soul overcoming the difficulties faced while living with dementia. How fundamentally important person-centred care is and how that must be delivered more effectively within community based interactions. Anyone who works in the field of dementia, in whatever care setting that may be - I urge you to read this book. Brilliantly and sensitively written yet leaving the reader in no doubt of the impending impact growing numbers of us developing dementia will be on global society and the necessity of urgent and radical change in healthcare and social welfare in order to deal with this growing situation.
wendoxford's review against another edition
4.0
A brutally frank insight into an extraordinary family. Sally talks of both her parents but the book largely covers her mother, Mamie's, "journey" into dementia. Sally & her siblings play an astonishing role in managing her care so she feels as safe and secure as she made them feel as children. Her mother was a journalist and her life was words - the sections about her losing words and how others and often quick repartee is both amusing and heartbreaking. The story alternates with facts about the brain, dementia and research including information about the researchers. Interesting perspective as her mother is addressed by Sally as "you" throughout
joelsreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
purpleall41's review against another edition
5.0
WOW!! This book is one of the most real, heartbreaking, challenging, inspiring and thought-provoking book I have ever read.
The book, in my opinion, is well written. The books takes you on her journey with dementia. At time I found myself laughing with her at small things, other times I was crying at the darker times they faced. I also felt her frustration with the very broken system that so needs to be changed to make families life not only with dementia better, and grieving with her at the inevitable end.
Definitely a book, everyone should read.
The book, in my opinion, is well written. The books takes you on her journey with dementia. At time I found myself laughing with her at small things, other times I was crying at the darker times they faced. I also felt her frustration with the very broken system that so needs to be changed to make families life not only with dementia better, and grieving with her at the inevitable end.
Definitely a book, everyone should read.
lnatal's review against another edition
3.0
From BBC radio 4 - Book of the Week:
Sally Magnusson's moving account of her mother's long struggle with dementia
Sally Magnusson's moving account of her mother's long struggle with dementia
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