Before Wendy Mitchell, I wasn't aware of books or media by people living with dementia, telling their stories in their own words. She is an incredible advocate and this book, delivered so simply with truth and resilience, is unbelievably touching. She doesn't sugar coat a single moment, allowing readers into the depths of her mind and the details of often enormous effort it takes her to maintain her Independence. This makes reading Somebody I Used to Know feel so intimate and surprisingly confident, given how often Mitchell admits to feeling the opposite. It is a mostly joyful, sometimes heartbreaking, and entirely empowering book. I know I will return to it.  

This is such an important book and one that is of such value to everyone to read to help gain a better understanding of alzhimers and dementia. Wendy tells her own first hand account of what it is like have early onset alzhimers and the impact it has on her own life and those around her. Wendy is an inspiration and a trail blazer helping to do so much more for those who are also living with dementia by speaking at all these conferences, taking part in research trials and helping to bring about change. It was educational as well as being really sad as it was so raw and honest. The little snippets of valuable memories which have been written to her future self who may forget and how there are parallel stories running alongside like the start of her first job when she has to leave her old. What enlightened me the most is the kindness of strangers who are willing to go the extra mile to support her compared to those such as the bus driver who made it more difficult then it ever needed to be. This book will definetly stay with me and I'm thankful that there are people like Wendy in this world.