While many books about Alzheimer’s focus only on the science or the tragedy, B. Smith and Dan Gasby provide a 360-degree view that includes the medical reality, the day-to-day caregiving struggle, and the enduring power of love. If you appreciate memoirs that serve a dual purpose—telling a compelling story while offering a “survival guide” for life’s hardest challenges—this book is essential. It is especially impactful for its focus on how the disease disproportionately affects the African American community, making it a vital piece of social advocacy as well as a memoir.
- B. Smith & Dan Gasby
- Memoir
- Rich
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B. Smith was a pioneer—a ground-breaking supermodel, a successful restaurateur, and a lifestyle icon often called the “Black Martha Stewart.” But at age 66, she and her husband, Dan Gasby, faced a challenge they couldn’t outwork: a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
The book is structured in short, accessible chapters that interweave their personal narrative with “Lessons Learned” sections. It chronicles the small, confusing signs that something was wrong, the terrifying hours when B. went missing in New York City, and the gradual shifting of their roles from partners to patient and caregiver. Throughout the book, they break the stigma surrounding the disease, offering medical insights and heartfelt advice on how to maintain dignity and love in the face of a progressive illness.
⭐ Reviews
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review):“An enduring love story. This is a brave and important book, told with candor and useful information. It offers a real glimpse into what Alzheimer’s actually looks like in a loved one.”
The Washington Post:
“A powerful portrait… marked by strong emotions and often bleak honesty. It is a clarion call for better research, better treatment, and above all else, a better understanding of one of the great healthcare crises of our time.”
🎙️ Audible Note
This is a unique listening experience because it is narrated by B. Smith and Dan Gasby themselves.Hearing B. Smith’s own voice—at times clear and vibrant, at others simple and vulnerable—adds a layer of intimacy that is profoundly moving. Dan’s narration is equally powerful; he is “unstintingly open” about his own frustrations, exhaustion, and the profound love that keeps him going. Much like Know My Name, the fact that the authors are telling their own story makes the Audible version the definitive way to experience this book.