All These Beautiful Things

When memories become fragments, who keeps the whole story?

Beth Curry's mother is disappearing—not suddenly, but in the slow erosion of cognition that transforms familiar landscapes into foreign territory. As dementia reshapes the woman who once remembered everything from birthdays to Bible verses, Curry embarks on a mission to collect the scattered pieces of her mother's life from those who still hold them.

Through intimate conversations with family members, childhood friends, and long-time confidants, Curry assembles a kaleidoscopic portrait that transcends a single perspective. Each contributor reveals a different facet: the rebellious sister, the playful grandmother, the loyal friend, the woman of faith. Within these overlapping narratives emerges a more complete truth—that her mother exists not just in her own fading memories, but in the collective remembrance of all she touched.

With unflinching honesty and lyrical prose, Curry navigates the peculiar grief of loving someone who is simultaneously present and absent. She documents the small mercies—moments of startling clarity amid confusion, flashes of the mother she knew emerging briefly before receding again—while confronting the reality that some connections cannot be restored.

More than a memoir, this book offers practical guidance for anyone navigating the complex journey of dementia care— from communication strategies and self-care practices to handling the emotional challenges that arise at each stage of cognitive decline.

Both a love letter and a reckoning, "All These Beautiful Things" offers a profound meditation on memory, identity, and what remains when the mind begins to surrender what the heart refuses to forget.

Also available soon:  Help the children in your life understand dementia with "The Memory Birds," a gentle, illustrated story for ages 3+. This companion to "All These Beautiful Things" uses the same powerful themes in a child-appropriate format, creating a shared language for families to discuss memory loss across generations.