Discussion Questions and Summary Part 3

[Stephania]

In the book's last section, Alice loses her self-autonomy, beginning with being unable to go outside running by herself, which she holds dearly. She begins to feel alone, and in her quest to feel more connected to others, she creates an Early-onset Alzheimer's support group! At the same time, we also see how rapidly her condition progresses. This is especially apparent when a conversation between her husband and her children arises regarding the possibility of her husband taking up a new job offer in New York and taking Alice with him. At this point, Alice knows what she feels and how she would like to respond, but having a complex conversation is highly taxing on her.

In this section, Alice gives the most influential talk of her life at the Dementia Care Conference, where she discusses the importance of working with Alzheimer patients to navigate "Dr. Suess land." By April 2005, Alice has forgotten who her children are, referring to them as labels such as "the mother" and "the actress." Soon, Alice stumbles across the letter she wrote for herself when she was first diagnosed, and we learn that she gave instructions to take a whole bottle of sleeping pills and go to bed but ultimately forgets what she is looking for when she goes to look for her pills.

By Summer 2005, Alice has forgotten what she looks like and is stunned when she sees herself in the mirror. At this point, she refers to her husband as the man who owns the house. By September, we learn that her husband has moved to New York, and while reading the New York Times, he learns that the clinical trial Alice was a part of failed. The last chapter sees Alice with her children in her home with her youngest daughter, Lydia, asking her for thoughts on a monologue for class.


1. By the end of the book, we see the relationship between Lydia and Alice change drastically. At the beginning of the book, Lydia and Alice can barely converse without arguing. By the end, we see that Lydia has not only decided to enroll in college but is now asking her mother for advice on her monologues.
- What do you think helped to facilitate this change in their relationship?
- Do you think this would have happened regardless of whether Alice had Alzheimer's disease or not?

2. We finally get to read Alicie's letter to herself in which she provides instructions for how to overdose on sleeping pills.
- Were you surprised by what Alice wrote to herself?
- Do you think Alice wanted that or herself, or was she scared?

3. On page 267, Alice and her husband, John are having a conversation outside of a Harvard building where John asks Alices where her old office building used to be. She states she does really know where it is and that it doesn't matter where it is and to focus on the present. John responds with, "I'm trying."
- What do you think John means by "Im trying?"
- Why do you think he kept asking Alice about where her old office building was when she clearly doesn't remember?

4. We learn that Alices husband John, decided to move to New York for a job opportunity without Alice.
- Did you think John was going to move?
- Why do you think he chose to move knowing Alice's condition?
- What would you have done in his shoes?

5. What are your overall thoughts on the ending of the book?