Gentle into the Darkness: A Deaf Mother’s Journey into Alzheimer’s, by Canadian author and coda Patricia Conrad, is back in our catalogue in a new revised edition. It tells the story of a remarkable deaf woman who tackled life’s challenges with unflagging zeal. Filled with laughter, tears, and tender moments, this is a book you will not soon forget.
Hendrika came with her family to the western prairies of Canada as a six-year-old Dutch immigrant in 1929, and lost her hearing to meningitis soon after. The story chronicles the hardships of immigrant life on the prairies of western Canada, delves into Deaf education and employment for Deaf individuals in the 1930s and ’40s, and explores the bicultural experience of hearing children with Deaf parents. Indeed, Gentle into the Darkness offers a rare “insider” perspective on life between two cultures.
Whether you’re involved in the Deaf community, caring for an elderly parent, or simply a daughter who loves her mom, this touching memoir will warm your heart and stir your emotions.