I recently reviewed a book for the Associated Press that exceeded expectations. The non-fiction work , “All Gone: A Memoir of My Mother’s Dementia with Refreshments,” sounds like a downer but was surprisingly funny, relatable, and beautifully written.
The author, Alex Witchel, is a writer whom I admire for her insightful and engaging celebrity interviews as a staff writer for the New York Times magazine. She also had a regular food column for the Times and now writes a column called “Stage Fright” about new art, theater, and restaurant endeavors in New York.
(That’s my latest dream job: writing about celebrities, artists, and food for the New York Times. Where do I apply?!)
You might balk at a story about a woman caring for her ailing mother as she loses her memory and sense of self. But this book is more than that– detailing Witchel’s childhood in Scarsdale, her complicated family relationships, and how she came to work at the Times. She also includes some family recipes for comfort food that evoke nostalgia and tie her themes together.
I’d love you to read the review here and let me know if I sold you. The book will make you think about your relationship with your mother and maybe hanker for some meat and potatoes.
carpool candy 