John Suchet conveys the utter devastation of losing his adored wife to dementia. The relentless progression of the dementia is offset with memories of happier times, but gradually the Bonnie that John Suchet knew and loved fades, to Bonnie, now shorn of all but the flicker of memory, he becomes John...Someone. This account is both a tribute to the woman he loved and an outpouring of grief, anger and feelings of loss. One of a growing number of welcome books revealing the heartbreak, the utter exhaustion and mental trauma that is the carer’s lot, exposing too how little help is available to both sufferers and carers.
Like for Like Reading
Keeper: Living with Nancy, A Journey into Alzheimer’s, Andrea Gillies
And Still the Music Plays: Stories of People with Dementia, Graham Stoke
| Primary Genre | Biographies & Autobiographies |
| Recommendations: |
My Bonnie was the number one bestseller in its category, according to the Sunday Times. Finally, the long awaited paperback edition is published, this time with a poignant new epilogue updating us on Bonnie and John's journey through the illness. The Mail on Sunday calls My Bonnie 'remarkable'; 'an act of living resistance' says the Observer. My Bonnie is a heart-rending and uplifting read, alternating between Bonnie and John's intense love story and the progression of the illness. When he first met Bonnie, John was bowled over by her Grace Kelly-esque poise and radiance. An exotic, and married, American beauty, she seemed beyond his reach. He had no idea, however, that his love was returned; even less suspected that the two of them would one day be together, and that for 26 years, every moment would be intense, perfect, and shared. Described by readers as 'astonishingly honest' and a 'personal, beautiful love story', John's moving account of how his wife, barely past middle age, was diagnosed out of the blue with dementia, a disease usually associated with the elderly, remains full of joy, despite the tragedy. Finally united, their marriage was passionate and anyone could see that John admired and adored Bonnie and that she loved him right back. They looked forward to their golden years when they could finally be with each other without distractions or obstacles. But the bewildering and gradual seizure of Bonnie's mind stole away their hopes of growing old together and made each day a struggle. And yet Bonnie's sense of humour and natural warmth constantly triumphs.
My Bonnie : How Dementia Stole the Love of My Life features in the following genres: Biographies & Autobiographies, Non-Fiction Books of the Month, Biography, Literature and Literary studies, Recommendations
My Bonnie : How Dementia Stole the Love of My Life is available in Paperback
My Bonnie : How Dementia Stole the Love of My Life was written by John Suchet and published by Harper an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
My Bonnie : How Dementia Stole the Love of My Life has 316 pages
