Monsters, vampires, werewolves, clown-clad serial killers, and demons—there’s a lot to be afraid of in life, especially as portrayed in fiction. But, if you want to read a tale about the most relentless of villains, don’t turn to the works of King, Bradbury, Lovecraft, or Koontz, but, rather, to Eric Rill’s latest novel.
According to recent statistics, at least thirty-six-million people across the globe are currently suffering with Alzheimer’s. In the United States alone, the disease claims more than 500,000 lives a year, and, with a new case being diagnosed approximately every sixty-seven seconds, it’s anticipated that many, many more folks will eventually fall victim. “An Absent Mind” by Eric Rill follows one man’s journey down the downward spiral of this disease, as delivered from his perspective and the perspectives of his wife, daughter, son, and doctor. Heartfelt, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at the same time, it finds Canadian married father Saul on the brink of his slow, dark descent and chronicles the changes he endures over the next several years, as well as those endured by his family. Whether you’re new to information on Alzheimer's or are unfortunately familiar, this story is sure to affect and alarm you, and make you think more about your own future and how you would handle such a sickness, as patient, caregiver, friend, or family member. As apt as the story is, so, too, is the way it is written. Rill uses short first-person narrative chapters, in alternating voices, to record the goings-on, thoughts, and feelings experienced by Saul and his family, from before Saul’s initial diagnosis to his final lucid moments and beyond. Saul’s voice, in particular, changes drastically, as is expected—starting out with cohesive, eloquent memories; turning to scatterbrained, distracted entries that are full of suspicion and are unquestionably impulsive; and, near the end, simply spitting out a word or two, misspelled and misplaced in what barely passes for a sentence. Dovetailing Saul’s transformation are those of his wife and children, which won’t be mentioned here, for the sake of preserving many of the book’s tribulations and treasures.
“An Absent Mind” by Eric Rill was, indeed, a very difficult novel to read, inasmuch as it explicitly depicts something most of us would like to avoid confronting unless we have to. But ignoring this disease won’t make it go away—and, until medical science can effectively do so, we must confront the disease and, dare say, embrace it, so that we can prepare ourselves for what will inevitably affect us, either directly or indirectly, in our future and find further impetus to feed, fuel, and fund the research necessary to combat this relentless villain… and, that’s exactly what this book will help you do. Kudos to Rill for his loving handling of the topic, for his compassion and sensitivity, and for his dedication to increasing public awareness.
According to recent statistics, at least thirty-six-million people across the globe are currently suffering with Alzheimer’s. In the United States alone, the disease claims more than 500,000 lives a year, and, with a new case being diagnosed approximately every sixty-seven seconds, it’s anticipated that many, many more folks will eventually fall victim. “An Absent Mind” by Eric Rill follows one man’s journey down the downward spiral of this disease, as delivered from his perspective and the perspectives of his wife, daughter, son, and doctor. Heartfelt, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at the same time, it finds Canadian married father Saul on the brink of his slow, dark descent and chronicles the changes he endures over the next several years, as well as those endured by his family. Whether you’re new to information on Alzheimer's or are unfortunately familiar, this story is sure to affect and alarm you, and make you think more about your own future and how you would handle such a sickness, as patient, caregiver, friend, or family member. As apt as the story is, so, too, is the way it is written. Rill uses short first-person narrative chapters, in alternating voices, to record the goings-on, thoughts, and feelings experienced by Saul and his family, from before Saul’s initial diagnosis to his final lucid moments and beyond. Saul’s voice, in particular, changes drastically, as is expected—starting out with cohesive, eloquent memories; turning to scatterbrained, distracted entries that are full of suspicion and are unquestionably impulsive; and, near the end, simply spitting out a word or two, misspelled and misplaced in what barely passes for a sentence. Dovetailing Saul’s transformation are those of his wife and children, which won’t be mentioned here, for the sake of preserving many of the book’s tribulations and treasures.
“An Absent Mind” by Eric Rill was, indeed, a very difficult novel to read, inasmuch as it explicitly depicts something most of us would like to avoid confronting unless we have to. But ignoring this disease won’t make it go away—and, until medical science can effectively do so, we must confront the disease and, dare say, embrace it, so that we can prepare ourselves for what will inevitably affect us, either directly or indirectly, in our future and find further impetus to feed, fuel, and fund the research necessary to combat this relentless villain… and, that’s exactly what this book will help you do. Kudos to Rill for his loving handling of the topic, for his compassion and sensitivity, and for his dedication to increasing public awareness.
Five Stars