Book Synopsis
This memoir, written with and edited by Jacqueline Grace Hayward, is a bounty of stories told, in seven distinct sections, about the author’s life, from her birth in 1944 into a family with a raging father and troubled brothers, her lonely childhood, her search for freedom and friendship, the pain of dysfunctional love affairs, and the challenges and joys of her relationship with her husband. Along the way, she discovers her gift for writing and music. Two sections are devoted to the author’s travels: the diary entries that record her year living in Hawaii facing loneliness while attempting to succeed as a professional writer, and stories that share some of her favorite experiences from 33 trips to Third World countries, in which she sought out connection with local people. The final section is about navigating change: the loss of her husband to dementia and the challenges involved in living with a rare form of Alzheimer’s disease that robs her of her sight, memory, and independence.