Joyce Dyer's memoir offers readers a rare and authentic glimpse into the world and culture of an Alzheimer's special care unit. Her mother is the central focus, but we come to know an entire group of people, each in various stages of Alzheimer's and each affected in a different way by its ravages. Through the inhabitants of the unit, and through the staff that cares for them, we learn about Alzheimer's disease, and about the boundlessness of the human spirit. Dyer offers no cure for Alzheimer's, but she does discover wonder and hope. This is a powerful book, filled with pain and sadness, but one that demonstrates the irony that this devastating disease can offer occasion for joy and laughter as well.