Making an Exit

Elinor Fuchs grew up largely apart from her mother, Lil. When Lil left a troubled marriage, a choice unusual for her time, she handed her young daughter over to be raised by grandparents while she built a career traveling the world as a salesperson for automotive parts and military equipment. Lil's striking looks and drive made her someone Elinor admired more than someone she felt close to, and once Elinor reached college she resolved to keep her distance.

This memoir picks up years later, when Lil is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As her condition worsens, the relationship between mother and daughter shifts. Elinor grows more compassionate and gradually takes on the role of caring for her mother as a parent would a child. Lil, who often speaks about love, finds a new closeness with her daughter through the fragmented, poetic way her language breaks down.

Written with wit, insight and a sense of drama, the book follows a ten-year decline and the rebuilt bond that comes with it. It will appeal to readers interested in caregiving, dementia, and the complicated ties between mothers and adult daughters.