This was a well written book by a qualified neuro-scientist who has worked with Alzheimer's patients. Alice is a highly educated Harvard professor who begins to have memory episodes. After a clear diagnosis, the book continues with the unfolding of the stages of Alzheimer's, written from Alice's perspective. This is both heartbreaking and scary ~ as she realizes too late that she & her husband have drifted apart into their own careers and schedules. There are times when she just wants to spend more time with him as they used to. I felt torn with the husband's withdrawal and making choices that did not always seem in her best interest, but on the other hand -he could clearly see that she would not be impacted by these choices, down the road.
It was heartening to see that as the disease progresses, there are positive sides -- Alice slides into a world where she does not know or care about her disabilities, so much easier on her than when she was struggling with her memory and all that she would miss. Also, her relationship with her youngest daughter improves as Alice mellows -- and they find a common ground, on an emotional level when Alice can listen to her daughter read or act in a play -- and she can name the emotional response that is conveyed. My favorite part -- when Alice wanders to the beach and the sea beckons her-she discards her clothing and is comforted by the sea. She sees her busband heading toward her on the beach, and rather than scolding her for leaving or for getting in the water -- he joins her in the ocean. A moment of acceptance and intimacy for two people facing the upcoming great chasm that is inevitable.
