A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a national Australian radio program about books. I only caught the end of the conversation, but one of the presenters was talking about a book she’d read called, “The Story of Forgetting” by Stefan Merrill Block. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but she must have been something about a young man looking for members of his mother’s family after a long estrangement. His mother had early onset Alzheimer’s and his quest was to find her genetic family, who would also have the disease. It sounded like somebody had already written my story.
Immediately I went online and bought the book (from an Australian retailer). It arrived in two days and I had read it by the following morning.
Somebody had written my story – although had fictionalised it and made it sound so much more interesting. I can’t tell you exactly how amazed I was to find how completely I could identify with the young man looking for his mother’s family. It was the logic and methodology he used, his scientific reasoning (I have a background in science), the parallel between the methods he used with mine and the urgency with which he was propelling himself forward. There were the highs and lows, the fits and starts in the quest and the drain of the experience. Now I understand a little better why I am doing what I am doing.
I don’t want to spoil the book or give anything away. I’ve also passed it on to other members of my family, so even though I want to make more reference to it, I haven’t got it to help me write about it. I’ll do that later when I come across a situation, experience or emotion that has a parallel in the book. It was so powerful – it really helped me make sense of my world – as all good books should.
It’s well worth the read. www.stefanmerrillblock.com
