A powerful memoir of resilience, love, and redefining life after an Alzheimer's diagnosis.After decades as a tireless advocate for justice and social change, Samuel A. Simon faces the most personal fight of his life: the slow, undeniable progression of cognitive decline.
Author(s): Samuel A Simon
256 Pages
Health + Wellness,

Description

Book Synopsis

A powerful memoir of resilience, love, and redefining life after an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

After decades as a tireless advocate for justice and social change, Samuel A. Simon faces the most personal fight of his life: the slow, undeniable progression of cognitive decline. When the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease comes, he refuses to fade quietly.

Based on his award-winning play Dementia Man, this deeply personal memoir invites readers into Simon's "existential journey"-a story told with candor, courage, and an unflinching look at a broken medical system. As he revisits pivotal moments from his past and navigates the daily challenges of neurocognitive disease, Simon offers an intimate portrait of a man determined to shape his own future, even as the disease seeks to define it.

Both moving and urgently important, Dementia Man is changing the conversation about Alzheimer's in America. It's a story of hope and defiance that challenges us all to imagine a future of dignity, connection, and purpose for the millions living with cognitive decline.

Review Quotes

"Sam Simon is a gift to us all as we seek more space and place for people with memory challenges in our lives."

-Stephen G. Post, PhD, Director, Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care & Bioethics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine

"This book is a captivating and thoughtfully written account of the author's fascinating life, including the years he's spent living with dementia... He rightfully advocates for a world where those living with brain changes are provided adequate support, and healthcare providers offer resources instead of simply a diagnosis."

-Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Founder of Positive Approach to Care(R)

"Sam continues to live as a maker of 'good trouble, ' transforming pain into performance, isolation into dialogue, and despair into art. What a gift."

-Mary Fridley, Founder of The Joy of Dementia (You Gotta Be Kidding!) and Coordinator, Reimagining Dementia: A Creative Coalition for Social Justice

Specifications

Dimensions (Overall): 8.0 Inches (H) x 5.0 Inches (W) x .54 Inches (D)

Weight: .56 Pounds

Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up

Number of Pages: 256

Genre: Health + Wellness

Publisher: Actual Dance LLC

Theme: Alzheimer's & Dementia

Format: Paperback

Author: Samuel A Simon

Language: English

Street Date: November 18, 2025

TCIN: 1008288518

UPC: 9781737909736

Item Number (DPCI): 247-05-5879

Origin: Made in the USA or Imported

If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping & Returns

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.54 inches length x 5 inches width x 8 inches height

Estimated ship weight: 0.56 pounds

We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.

This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.

This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.

See the return policy for complete information.