Conversations with My Mother: A Novel of Dementia on the Maine Coast - Softcover

Gilbert, Ronald-Stéphane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1578691818 ISBN 13: 9781578691814

Publisher: Rootstock Publishing, 2024

Synopsis

The memory of who we are survives in those we love. In <i>Conversations with My Mother, a Novel of Dementia on the Maine Coast, </i>an elderly, good-hearted Francophone struggles with dementia as her small town succumbs to real-estate development. Focused on her relationship with her acerbic caregiver daughter and peripatetic businessman son, the novel examines the siblings' attempts to cope with their mother's deepening decline and the impending sale of the family property to underwrite her care. A first-person present narrative with a strong sense of place that draws parallels between the beleaguered heroine's persistent kindness and the embattled Maine coast's enduring beauty, the book is as much about gain as it is about loss, and, ultimately, is more about hope than regret.

• Winner, 2025 Gold Book Award, Fiction, Literary Titan Awards
• Silver Medalist, Literary Fiction, 2025 North American Book Awards
• Finalist, 2025 Hawthorne Prize, American Writing Awards
• Finalist, General Fiction, 2025 International Book Awards
• Finalist, Regional Fiction (Northeast), 2025 Indie Excellence Book Awards

About this title

About the Author

Born into a New England family of Québécois descent, Ronald-Stéphane Gilbert is a retired global marketing and communications professional who lives in the Cleveland metro area with his wife Leah and their aged rescue Pekingese, Reggie. His debut novel, Conversations with My Mother, a Novel of Dementia on the Maine Coast,  was inspired by his mother's gentle but unremitting descent into dementia and Alzheimer's and his family's attempts to care for her while cherishing what remained of her rapidly vanishing personality. He is a participant in the Cleveland Clinic's landmark BRAIN and Mind studies, a member of various dementia and Alzheimer's organizations, and a native French speaker.

From the Back Cover

The memory of who we are survives in those we love.

In Conversations with My Mother: a Novel of Dementia on the Maine Coast,
an elderly, good-hearted Francophone struggles with dementia as her small
town succumbs to real-estate development. Focused on her relationship with
her acerbic caregiver daughter and peripatetic businessman son, the novel
examines the siblings' attempts to cope with their mother's deepening decline
and the impending sale of the family property to underwrite her care. With
a strong sense of place that draws parallels between the beleaguered heroine's
persistent kindness and the embattled Maine coast's enduring beauty, this
book is as much about gain as it is about loss, and, ultimately, is more about
hope than regret.

"A touching tale of love and devotion as a brother and sister navigate the
turbulence of old age and dementia in caring for their elderly mother." Julia Fox Garrison, motivational speaker and author of Don't Leave Me This Way

"I recommend this touching novel to anyone who wants to learn about the
effect of an elder's cognitive deterioration on a family and its caregivers." Sandeep Jauhar, MD, New York Times bestselling author of My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's

A native French-speaker, Ronald-Stéphane Gilbert resides in the Great Lakes Region with his wife, Leah, his son, Nathaniel, and their aged Pekingese, Reggie. This novel, inspired by his mother's affliction with dementia and Alzheimer's, is his first published book.

From the Inside Flap

"This fictionalized account of the relationship between mother and son as
the parent slowly succumbs to dementia is a deeply insightful and engaging
work. It is thoughtful, touching, and entirely authentic....The narrative is
beautifully composed, entrancing readers through language and story...a truly
unique novel from the first page to the last." BookLife Reviews

"Gilbert paints a compassionate mural of a life well-lived in the sweet musings
of a mother as dementia ravages the canvas of her memories. A touching tale
of love and devotion as a brother and sister navigate the turbulence of old age
and dementia in caring for their elderly mother, a Quebecois who clings to
her sanity and French heritage on coastal Maine, as her life ebbs away."
Julia Fox Garrison, motivational speaker and author of Don't Leave Me This Way

"In a series of fictional vignettes, Ronald-Stéphane Gilbert insightfully
explores the descent of a clan's matriarch into dementia. I recommend this
touching novel to anyone who wants to learn about the effect of an elder's
cognitive deterioration on a family and its caregivers." Sandeep Jauhar, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician and My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's

"For all of us who have been touched by dementia, this story, so well told in
this book, will feel achingly familiar. But for those who haven't, Conversations
With My Mother provides a powerful window into the lives of people living
with dementia as well as the loved ones who care for them. While this book
is about sharing conversations within one family, I hope it will help spark a
national conversation about dementia that will bring it out of the shadows
and eliminate the stigma that too often impedes progress." George Vradenburg, cofounder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's, and chair of the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative, the Phillips Collection, and the Vradenburg Foundation

"Conversations with My Mother depicts an elegant, older woman facing
dementia, and its effects on her family. Set on the beautiful, but ever-more
crowded coast of Maine, it's a fitting reminder that despite our memories
of how idyllic things might have seen, we can come to accept a new reality:
the past is history, the future a mystery, while being present, especially in the
presence of dementia, is a gift to all." Kevin Jameson, founder and chair of Dementia Society of America

"Ronald-Stéphane Gilbert has a gift for capturing the delicious details of life.
He creates a vivid atmosphere as he introduces us to the strong and captivating
presence of a mother who is just entering her dementia journey. This book is
a bouquet of anecdotes that honor this mother, based on the author's own
mother, and capture her story with the family's dynamics and intricacies. The
writing is engaging, filled with poignancy, wit, loss, and love." Deborah Shouse, author of Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregivers' Journey

"Who grapples more when a loved one drifts into dementia? This author has
created a masterfully crafted, fictionalized story of the journey taken by his
mother as she and her children struggle with the new reality of dementia.
A poignant portrayal of a plucky woman determined to face her memory's
demise while holding on to life's connections. Siblings, whose love for each
other is intertwined with frustration and resentment, plan for mom's necessary
care and for life once passed. Conversations with My Mother provides a window
into the intimate and private moments of each character. Set in Maine, with its
startlingly beautiful coastlines, the author creates vivid imagery and engages
the reader's sensitivity. Simply, a beautiful read!" Maxine Brand, author of The Brand Family Chronicles or OMG They're Moving Again

Edition details

• Publisher: Rootstock Publishing
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1578691818
• ISBN 13: 9781578691814
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 324