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A review by littoral
My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's by Sandeep Jauhar
4.0
My Father’s Brain by Sandeep Jauhar is a personal memoir that explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the individual and the family. As a physician-writer, Jauhar is well-positioned to weave together the narrative history of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with his own experience as a son and caregiver.
One of the refreshing elements of this book is Jauhar’s honesty, sparing nothing in his portrayal of his father’s illness. There are two parts to his honesty - the first is the portrayal of the insidious and relentless progression of Alzheimer’s disease on his father. This is in contrast to many popular portrayals of Alzheimer’s disease, which can gloss over elements like toileting and inappropriate behaviors that can be seen as shameful. Jauhar helps us recognize and normalize these signs as part of dementia, In separating these elements of disease from the person, I felt this actually helps maintain his father’s dignity more than an attempt to avoid discussing these.
The second part of his honesty is in readily admitting his own faults and blindspots as he comes to term with the diagnosis and how it changes his father. Despite his privileged position as someone who is both medically-trained and well-off financially, Jauhar shows how unprepared he is for the all-consuming work of caregiving. He gives us permission and grace to experience the same conflicting emotions he experiences as part of the long grieving process that comes with the life-changing diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and the constant loss that comes afterwards.
Increasingly, our society is recognizing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on an entire generation, but literary treatments of this illness are only starting to emerge. My Father’s Brain is both medically accurate and poignantly and sensitively written - the first of many texts I’ve read that has done so. It can be an emotionally difficult read, but I recommend to all who are interested in this subject.
Thanks to @fsgbooks for the eARC via @netgalley. For further reading, I also recommend The End of Alzheimer’s by Jason Karlawish.
One of the refreshing elements of this book is Jauhar’s honesty, sparing nothing in his portrayal of his father’s illness. There are two parts to his honesty - the first is the portrayal of the insidious and relentless progression of Alzheimer’s disease on his father. This is in contrast to many popular portrayals of Alzheimer’s disease, which can gloss over elements like toileting and inappropriate behaviors that can be seen as shameful. Jauhar helps us recognize and normalize these signs as part of dementia, In separating these elements of disease from the person, I felt this actually helps maintain his father’s dignity more than an attempt to avoid discussing these.
The second part of his honesty is in readily admitting his own faults and blindspots as he comes to term with the diagnosis and how it changes his father. Despite his privileged position as someone who is both medically-trained and well-off financially, Jauhar shows how unprepared he is for the all-consuming work of caregiving. He gives us permission and grace to experience the same conflicting emotions he experiences as part of the long grieving process that comes with the life-changing diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and the constant loss that comes afterwards.
Increasingly, our society is recognizing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on an entire generation, but literary treatments of this illness are only starting to emerge. My Father’s Brain is both medically accurate and poignantly and sensitively written - the first of many texts I’ve read that has done so. It can be an emotionally difficult read, but I recommend to all who are interested in this subject.
Thanks to @fsgbooks for the eARC via @netgalley. For further reading, I also recommend The End of Alzheimer’s by Jason Karlawish.