A Murder-Mystery with a Twist: A Protagonist with Alzheimer's
Girl Talk, Silicon Valley — When science gives up, art takes over. And if science cannot explain to us what goes on in the mind of someone with Alzheimer's, author Alice LaPlante proves more than up to the challenge. Just as Mark Haddon opened a window into the mind of a boy with autism with his bestseller,The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, LaPlante manages the difficult feat of turning the topic of Alzheimer's, which few people choose to read about, into a compelling mystery.
In Turn of Mind, LaPlante asks if Dr. Jennifer White, who suffers from Alzheimer's dementia, murdered her best friend. LaPlante's unexpected twist: The story is told from Jennifer's point of view as she struggles to uncover the answer — even if she can't remember the clues:
"Something has happened. You can always tell. You come to and find wreckage: a smashed lamp, a devastated human face that shivers on the verge of being recognizable. Occasionally someone in uniform: a paramedic, a nurse. A hand extended with a pill. Or poised to insert a needle. This time I am in a room, sitting on a cold metal folding chair.... My guess is that a smile would be inappropriate. Fear might not be."
This is the first novel for LaPlante, who won Stanford University’s prestigious Wallace Stegner Fellowship more than 20 years ago while still a technology reporter. Since then, LaPlante has gone on to teach creative writing at San Francisco State University and at Stanford University, and has written five books, including Method and Madness: The Making of a Story: A Guide to Writing Fiction. Turn of Mind is a New York Times Editor’s Choice and bestseller and was named among the best books of 2011 by Newsday, Amazon.com, The Guardian, Kirkus Reviews, and the Globe and Mail.
One Thing New contributor Rochelle Garner spoke with LaPlante, who lives in California's Silicon Valley, about her experience with Alzheimer's, her Sherlock Holmes' inspiration, her advice for budding authors and doomsday cults.
Read more: A Murder-Mystery with a Twist: A Protagonist with Alzheimer's
Good Show! Sundays with Downton Abbey
I once hosted a Twin Peaks party. Many friends joined me to watch the TV drama, eating cherry pie and drinking damn fine cups of hot, black coffee as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper tried to figure out who murdered Laura Palmer. The show was smart, quirky, inventive — unlike so many other TV shows of the time, which is why I was sucked in.
Over the years, as family and work obligations have taken center stage, watching TV hasn't been high on my list of priorities. I've avoided making commitments to various series because I know I'll miss episodes and feel irritated at falling behind. Instead, I wait until a series has run its course and then, when I can, I watch complete seasons, without commercials, on DVD.
It's amazing what you can find at your public library. Last summer, I picked up and watched the complete Pushing Daisies (only two seasons long, unfortunately), and all six seasons of Lost. I'm eager to get up to speed on 30 Rock, Mad Men, Glee, Rome and Dexter.
But they'll have to wait because I'm hooked on Downton Abbey. Seriously hooked. After watching the first season over several nights in the fall on the recommendation of a friend, I've abandoned my watch-it-later rule. I'm now glued to the set on Sunday nights for Season Two, which started airing on Jan. 8 as part of PBS' Masterpiece series.
20 Great Wines to Bring To a Party (Or, Inexpensive Wines That Taste Better Than They Should)
I never loved it when I'd ask a friend what to bring to her party, and she'd say, "Nothing. We're all set." We all know what that means: Bring a bottle of wine.
Ugh. You don't want to bring expensive wine to a party, because chances are that neither you nor your host will get to drink or appreciate it. Likewise, you can't bring something super-inexpensive, because a) you'll look cheap, and b) it might actually taste bad, and if it does, you can bet that someone's plus one will be a wine snob and actually notice that it tastes bad. Out loud.
Luckily, my plus one (now husband) knows his wine. And he's an expert at finding the $15 bottle, or even the $10 bottle, that tastes like it costs much more. While these have become our 'house wines,' they're also great choices for parties. They taste good, they won't break the bank, and if anyone asks you about them, you'll look like a bargain-hunting genius. Which, of course, you are.
Holiday Wish List: Thinking Outside the Gift-Wrapped Box
What's the perfect holiday gift? Of course world peace and good will toward everyone would be nice. But we're pragmatists here at One Thing New, so when it came time for holiday wishing, we decided to consider things slightly more within reach (but only just). We also realized our list shouldn't be merely about getting more stuff — most of the time, what we really want is a backhoe to get rid of all the stuff! So here's what we're wishing for this holiday season:
- A day all to ourselves.
- Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook — on vinyl. Forget the debate about vinyl versus CD, analog versus digital, and which sounds better. There's just something cool about pulling a record out of its sleeve and putting it on the turntable to play.
- Two pounds of seven-layer cookies from a great Italian bakery. I love those green, red, and yellow almond cakes, layered wtih apricot jam and coated in chocolate. Why is this a great gift? Well, have you ever tried to make them?
Read more: Holiday Wish List: Thinking Outside the Gift-Wrapped Box
Chasing My Karaoke Song
I don’t have a karaoke song.
I realized this the other day while waiting for coffee as two people in line in front of me debated the merits of various songs for karaoke night.
Sure, I know the words to a lot of songs. I just couldn't come up with one song I would feel confident enough to sing in front of friends. Not that I can sing. But still.
By A Web Design
