Awakenings in Real Life - Paperback

by Dan Cohen (Author)

Gold Winner, 2026 Manhattan Book Awards

Best Memoir Nominee, 2026 Astra Book Awards

"Awakenings in Real Life offers a heartwarming collection of memories, insights, and personal reckonings as the author reflects on his father, his family, and his father's dementia journey. It's a book that doesn't just share a journey, it invites you to walk alongside it."

-Teepa Snow, author of Understanding the Changing Brain

"A poignant farewell from a son to his father."

-Kirkus Reviews

"Cohen's journey is heartfelt and uplifting, offering a deeply human perspective on dementia, memory, and connection. It adds new dimensions of possibility and understanding to the experience of cognitive decline."

-Midwest Book Review

When Dan Cohen's father, living with dementia, unexpectedly experienced a brief return of clarity, he spoke with recognition, warmth, and love. For two unforgettable days, those moments became a profound reminder of connection, presence, and what can still emerge even in loss.

In Awakenings in Real Life, Cohen weaves this experience with family history and reflection, creating a memoir that explores memory, love, and the unexpected awakenings that shape a life. It is a story of resilience, humanity, and the bonds that remain even as everything else changes.