AWAKENINGS IN REAL LIFE

A debut author reflects on his father’s brief reprieve from dementia in this memoir.

Cohen’s father, Herbie, developed dementia following a stroke in 2005. Over the course of the next decade, Herbie’s late-stage dementia wreaked havoc not just on his mind but on his physical body as well. “I missed my confidant, my problem solver, my best friend,” the author recalls as he describes Herbie’s general lack of verbal communication, loss of short-term memory, and need for around-the-clock care to help him with basic bodily functions. Almost a year prior to his death in April 2016, Cohen’s father had a miraculous “brief awakening from his condition” during which he became his old self for a time. While Herbie’s rally offered Cohen a final chance to spend time with the father he adored, it also sparked an awakening of his own that prompted him “to take a deep dive into [his] family’s history.” This volume, effectively a love letter to the author’s deceased father, emphasizes the role that Herbie played as the “hero” of Cohen’s life. The author shares engaging personal memories of his father, such as Herbie’s quirky habit of asking for just “a ‘sliver of cake’”—which almost always became multiple slivers that equated to an oversized slice. These memories are paired with recollections from Herbie’s extended family and friends as Cohen shares stories of his father’s upbringing in Brooklyn, New York. Many of these anecdotes emphasize Herbie’s sense of justice and proclivity to stand up for others, such as when a rabbi falsely accused the author’s brother of throwing away prayer books. Cohen’s intimate text is accompanied by a wealth of family photographs that adorn every chapter. The memoir parallels Cohen’s podcast of the same title, a project in which he uses his family stories to urge readers to reflect on their own loved ones. To this end, each chapter ends with a pensive essay that asks moving questions for readers to consider, along with blank lined pages for personal journaling and reflection.

A poignant farewell from a son to his father.