Where Memories Go

Why Dementia Changes Everything

By: Sally Magnusson

Narrated by: Sally Magnusson

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

This book began as an attempt to hold on to my witty, storytelling mother with the one thing I had to hand. Words. Then, as the enormity of the social crisis my family was part of began to dawn, I wrote with the thought that other forgotten lives might be nudged into the light along with hers.

Dementia is one of the greatest social, medical, economic, scientific, philosophical, and moral challenges of our times. I am a reporter. It became the biggest story of my life. (Sally Magnusson)

Regarded as one of the finest journalists of her generation, Mamie Baird Magnusson's whole life was a celebration of words - words that she fought to retain in the grip of a disease which is fast becoming the scourge of the 21st century. Married to writer and broadcaster Magnus Magnusson, they had five children of whom Sally is the eldest.

As well as chronicling the anguish, the frustrations and the unexpected laughs and joys that she and her sisters experienced while accompanying their beloved mother on the long dementia road for eight years until her death in 2012, Sally Magnusson seeks understanding from a range of experts and asks penetrating questions about how we treat older people; how we can face one of the greatest social, medical, economic, and moral challenges of our times; and what it means to be human.

An extraordinary and deeply personal memoir, a manifesto and a call to arms, in one searingly beautiful narrative.

©2014 Sally Magnusson (P)2014 John Murray Press

Critic reviews

"Touching... There are many moments of heartwarming sentiment. Literary snowdrops grow out of the barren earth.... This book is the constant, tenuous, but vital reconnection between a child and its mother.... A fine book." ( The Sunday Times)

Very much appreciated.

Would you consider the audio edition of Where Memories Go to be better than the print version?

I am sure the book is just as good.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Where Memories Go?

Hard to pick - so many.

What about Sally Magnusson’s performance did you like?

Knowing it was the author narrating such a personal story made it more compelling and enjoyable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As our family is on the same journey - it did both ... and more.

Any additional comments?

Very helpful story and resource for those families on the same journey. Thank you Sally.

What a captivating audio book

I thought this was a beautiful, informative, thought-provoking and tear-jerking look at what it was like for the author to care for her parent with dementia. I am at the very beginning of this journey with a family member so I have been trying to consume all the information I can find in an effort to prepare myself for what's ahead, and this book has been my favorite by far. I appreciated Sally's honesty about her frustrations with her mother and about her mother's denials and minimizations of her memory lapses in the early days - these things felt relatable and seemed like a sign that she wasn't trying to sugarcoat the past. I thought Where Memories Go did an excellent job of combining good scientific, social and economic information related to dementia that isn't widely known/publicized/ thought about, with a warm, relatable tale of the enduring relationship between a mother and daughter. The fact that Sally Magnusson, with her Scottish burr and great storytelling abilities, narrated the audio book herself added to my enjoyment of this book. I have already recommended this to several people.