Where the Light Gets In, Kimberly WilliamsPaisley
Where the Light Gets In, Kimberly WilliamsPaisley
6 Rating(s)
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
Club: $9.97

Where the Light Gets In
Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again

Author: Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Michael J. Fox

Narrator: Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Unabridged: 5 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/05/2016

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

Many know Kimberly Williams-Paisley as the bride in the popular Steve Martin remakes of the Father of the Bride movies, the calculating Peggy Kenter on Nashville, or the wife of country megastar Brad Paisley. But in 2014, Williams-Paisley revealed a tragic secret: her mother had been diagnosed with a rare form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia at the age of sixty-one.In Where the Light Gets In, Williams-Paisley tells the full story of her mother’s illness, from diagnosis through the present day, drawing on her memories of her relationship with the fascinating, complicated, and successful woman who raised her so well. She describes educating herself on her mother’s condition, letting go of the shame and secrecy that surrounded it, and finding unexpected humor and grace in a terrible situation. Her book also chronicles the ways in which her family’s bond was strengthened by the experience, to becoming an awareness advocate, to accepting the woman her mother has become. It is a heartrending and inspiring reminder of how unbreakable our relationships with our mothers are.

About Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is an award-winning actress, producer, and director who starred in Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II, as well as Nashville and According to Jim. She has won the Sedona International Film Festival Award for Outstanding Acting and Directing as well as two Heartland Film Festival awards. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a degree in drama.

About Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox first gained fame playing Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties. In addition to many other acting successes, including the Back to the Future trilogy and an award-winning role in Spin City, he has authored several bestselling books. In 2000 he launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which has leapt to the forefront of the effort to find a cure. Fox lives with his family in New York City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Liz on May 08, 2016

The bravery and eloquence with which Kimberly Williams-Paisley tells her family’s story is heart-wrenching. Kim shares how her mother, a once fearless, adventurous woman was affected by PPA, Primary Progressive Aphasia, a disease that her father called “the rat” – an intruder gnawing at his wife’s c......more

Goodreads review by Melora on November 06, 2016

Sigh. Okay, I'm giving this five stars, because it speaks to my situation, but if I were rating it purely as a family memoir I'd have rated it a bit lower. Though that really wouldn't have been fair either, since illness memoirs aren't one of my preferred genres, and neither are autobiographies of a......more

Goodreads review by DKM on April 18, 2016

The writing is competent but not particularly insightful or literary. Williams-Paisley comes across as somewhat self-centered. I appreciate her honesty, and I wish her and her family the best, but the book itself did not live up to my expectations.......more

Goodreads review by Laurie • The Baking Bookworm on April 27, 2016

Anyone who has had a family member suffer the effects of dementia or Alzheimer's knows what an all-encompassing and devastating disease they are and how they can affect not only the person afflicted with the disease but their loved ones as well. As someone who has lost both grandmothers to Alzheimer'......more

Goodreads review by Melody on April 12, 2016

A MUST READ FOR ANYONE GOING THROUGH DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER'S If only I'd had this 12 years ago. I know my dad hid a lot of my mom's problems from me. He didn't know what was going on either. When we finally took her to the doctor for those "little tests ", the doctor came in with papers from the Interne......more


Quotes

“Informative, relatable, heartbreaking, and funny, Kim’s book will be a must-read for those who have a loved one struggling with dementia.” Seth Meyers, American actor and television host

“Kimberly’s insight into her family’s struggle with dementia will be a comfort and resource to many.” William Shatner, Emmy Award–winning actor and New York Times bestselling author

“Kimberly Williams-Paisley is a shining example of what it means to live with an open heart—she courageously shared the devastating impact of her mother’s dementia diagnosis with the world, turning her family’s crisis into an opportunity to inspire and educate others.” Jane Seymour, Emmy Award–winning actress

“Kimberly’s story really resonated with Good Morning America viewers. I told her right then she should write a book. I know it will help countless families.” Robin Roberts, New York Times bestselling author and Good Morning America anchor

“This is a story of a family uniting with love through the nightmare of dementia…Tragic yet beautiful.” Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medalist

“Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s mother was fading into dementia, and this could have been a sad story. Instead it is the wonderful story of a daughter’s journey of hope and understanding that led her to find new ways to connect with and love her mother.” Bob Schieffer, Emmy Award–winning television journalist

“In this moving yet disturbing memoir, actress Williams-Paisley shares the story of her life and tells of her mother’s struggle with primary progressive aphasia…Realizing that she has lost her ‘old mom,’ Williams-Paisley moves beyond denial and grief to develop a surprisingly joyful bond with a ‘new’ mother.” Publishers Weekly

“Heartbreaking but never sentimental, Williams-Paisley’s book offers an intimate look at a family’s struggle with a life-altering disease. It is also a daughter’s tribute to the mother whose disease offered her a new opportunity to ‘love unconditionally…and practice being comfortable with…[the] uncomfortable.’ A simply told, moving memoir.” Kirkus Reviews

“Kimberly Williams-Paisley is many things to many people: a wonderful actress, a generous humanitarian, and a loving wife and mother. Yet Kim is also a compelling storyteller. Now…this beautiful and brilliant woman who played the bride in those Father of the Bride movies reveals herself to be a real-life daughter with an important and meaningful story to tell about family, love, and loss and how we care for one another in this life.” David Wild, contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine

“Kimberly’s personal journey as a daughter and a member of her mom’s caregiving team is one that is reflected in families across the country, as dementia knows no boundaries. The willingness of Kimberly and her family to share their story publicly reminds families that they are not alone and demonstrates the importance of work with family members as a team and to seek resources that are available for guidance and support.” Angela Geiger, chief strategy officer, Alzheimer’s Association