A WRITER TURNS DETECTIVE TO LEARN WHAT HER MOTHER’S LIFE HAD BEEN LIKE BEFORE ALZHEIMER’S STOLE HER MEMORIES. A TRUE STORY OF FORGIVENESS AND HEALING.As fiercely independent Ruth struggles to stay self-reliant at the age of 86, each day brings her closer to an event that will alter her life forever. While her author daughter shifts through Ruth’s possessions prior to her move into a skilled … skilled nursing facility, she discovers a previously unseen photo from 1949 and realizes how little she knows of her mother’s life.
As Alzheimer’s continues to warp Ruth’s once sharp mind, she can no longer shed any light on the past. Yearning to know who her mother was as a person in her own right, the author painstakingly reconstructs Ruth’s life from photos, letters, public records and firsthand memories.
What emerges is a portrait of a bright, beautiful woman who is propelled through decades of broken promises and heartache, bouncing from one ill-fated relationship to the next, but always staying strong, always surviving. Through a timeline going back sixty years, the author gleans a much better understanding of the woman she had known only as Mom.
“SOUL-BEARING AND HEART-WARMING.” K. ANSBRO
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Finding Ruth by Cynthia Hamilton is a heartfelt and honest telling of one woman’s struggle with what her mother has become.It is heartbreakingly beautiful and engaging story about a complex yet remarkable woman, her mother. It is a story that will make your heartache and yes there will be tears, so get those tissues out. Cynthia put her heart and soul into this compelling narrative and has shown us the strength and courage that it has taken to show us this part of her world. We see the real life relationship, the ups and downs and the toil that dementia takes on everyone.
I applaud Cynthia for sharing with us. This is truly a remarkable read.
4 Stars
Finding Ruth by Cynthia Hamilton is a real life story about the author’s own mother. As her mother succumbed to Alzheimer’s, Ms. Hamilton realized that there were parts of her mother’s life, and aspects of her mother, that she really didn’t know- so she set about discovering the woman underneath it all.
This story was emotional, thought-provoking, and full of life’s complexities- with dubious choices, strength, spirit, hard work, resilience, perseverance, ups and downs, heartache, difficulties, obstacles, heart, and soul. This memoir was beautifully written and was a poignant and emotive read!
Thank you, Ms. Hamilton!
Finding Ruth A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past by Cynthia Hamilton is a book so heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time. The author delves deep into her own mothers past to learn more about the person she thought she knew.
I loved the fact that this was about Cynthia’s own mother. For me it really made the connection you forge as a reader that much deeper. It added a whole new level of emotion to the book as you imagined what she must have been thinking discovering all this new information.
Although it is completely different from anything else I have read by this author I have to say it is definitely my favourite. It is rare to be given such an insight into an author and her life and I feel like that is exactly what Cynthia Hamilton invites with this book. I cannot recommend this book enough!
I knew this book would be captivating and emotional. I was unprepared for how much it was both. Hamilton provides such a candid, yet well written review of her own journey and did so with grace. Her own quest is one that resonates loudly with me even though I have not as of yet walked this particular road. Such a beautifully written journey and what a beautiful reflection of the bond between mother and daughter.
Finding Ruth is not my typical type of go to read, often biographical books just tend to not keep my attention quite the way fiction books do. However, I adore Cynthia Hamilton and her Madeline Dawkins novels have really been some of my absolute favorites that I have read this year so I decided I needed to give this one a go as well. I am so glad that I did. It was eloquently written story that I never expected to grasp me by the heartstrings quite the way that it did.
Finding Ruth tells the life story of Ruth, Hamilton’s mother. I can’t imagine how that must have felt to do, especially with knowing the outcome of the life secrets and trials she would unearth. I loved how this never failed to stay real, it was quite frankly raw and beautiful in all its scarred edges. I really ended up absolutely admiring Ruth for the life she managed to live, and give to three children on her own. It makes you feel really lucky to have the things I do as a mother, I couldn’t imagine doing without some of the basics like Ruth does so often. There isn’t really a negative comment I could make about this novel. I would highly recommend that you scoop it up! I can’t wait to see what will come from the ever talented Cynthia Hamilton.
I loved this story, a heartwarming story. This book is about a subject that I have experienced, it is a difficult subject, this author did a great job with it. This story is told from the POV of a daughter talking about her mother. In this story the daughter realizes that she doesn’t know much about her mother’s life. The more she digs, the more she realizes the trials and hardships her mother went through and more. This story is full of heart and will touch your soul, a must read.
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past
By: Cynthia Hamilton
Finding Ruth is the first book I have read by Cynthia Hamilton. I enjoyed this book and it amazed me how the author was able to give us a great insight on her mother’s life. This book has been written so beautifully and on times pulled on the heart strings a bit. I did question giving up on her first marriage, yes it was boring to her, but I questioned whether she had properly looked for ways to make it more exciting. On a personal note I think she jumped from the pan into the fire. Yes, she was in a marriage that became to make her bored, but husband number one never laid a hand on her, while husband number two had been cruel to her. On saying that there were times in the book that I became quite frustrated with Ruth and the antics she got up to. This book will capture you and most probably have you thinking of your own past life.
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past will have you crying in no time. Cynthia Hamilton writes about something that hits so many families. What the author in the novel does to find out who her mother was, is, and will become is astonishing. When someone you love can’t or has trouble remembering things that were important to them, you will do anything to help them. While this novel is sad, it is also comforting to know that the author cares about her mother to find out everything she can. While it is sad, there is some happy too.
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past by Cynthia Hamilton
5 of 5 Stars
Wow, this was an emotional read made even more poignant by the fact that it is written by the author, Cynthia who is Ruth’s daughter. Part memoir and part fictionalised biography, ‘Finding Ruth’ tells the story of Ruth’s life. Ruth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and so was unable to provide any insight into her life before she became ‘Mom’, and so the author literally turned detective to discover what her mothers life had been like before, as Cynthia says, “Alzheimer’s stole her memories”. The author begins the book by explaining how she came to write this novel and it was all down to the discovery of the eye catching photograph of Ruth taken in 1949 which is on the front cover of the book. The author had never seen this photo before and it only came to light as she was going through her mother’s possessions prior to her moving into a skilled nursing facility. This beautiful photo of a very glamorous looking young Ruth got her daughter thinking how little she knew of her mother’s life and being an author she did was she does best and put pen to paper to fill in the missing memories. The photograph had me intrigued before I had even opened the book and then once I began reading Ruth and Cynthia’s story I was hooked from beginning to the very last page.
You can tell how much research has gone into this book, in reconstructing her mother’s life the author looked at photos, letters, public records and firsthand memories but you can also feel how much love and emotion has gone into this original and unique story. Ruth’s life reads as a novel, having dealt with ill fated relationships, heartbreak and also high points in her life. Remembering that the main character, Ruth, is actually a real person just makes the story all that more remarkable as is the women herself. As her daughter writes, Ruth always stayed strong and survived what ever life through at her even Alzheimer’s. The book covers sixty years of a life well lived and not only is it a wonderful story and a fitting memoir but both the reader and the author gain a much better understanding of Ruth herself.
This is a heartwarming read and I recommend you have a box of tissues handy, but it is also inspirational and empowering and I can not recommend it highly enough.
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past by Cynthia Hamilton
4 Stars!!!!
I really found that I went through a roller coaster of emotions reading this book. I think that the author did a wonderful job of dealing with a very sensitive subject. There are many families out in the world that I am sure are dealing with different stages of this very scenario.
I found that I really got grabbed by this book and although not in my regular favourite genre really enjoyed it. The emotions that it brings to the surface really tug at your heartstrings. Alzheimers is a very viscous disease and this book really portrays how difficult and uncertain things can be when dealing with a relative with this illness. I like how the author was able to navigate the twists and turns that can be dealt with. I would definitely read more from this author in the future.
Wow! What a great job Cynthia Hamilton has done with her mother’s story! I was glued to the pages and I could feel the emotions in her words as I read. Alzheimer’s is a very difficult disease to watch someone you love struggle with this there are no words. I commend Cynthia Hamilton for doing research and piecing together her mother’s story I truly hope it helped her during her time of dealing with an emotional roller coaster.
Finding Ruth is heartfelt story it is very engaging but can take time to get into. Ruth is a very strong woman and very independent. Very well written biography after witnesding many of her mother hardships of Ruth’s life. Her mother developed a disease later and this then changes her behaviors
This was an emotional book for me. It was a very heartfelt and emotional story. This could not have been an easy story to write but I appreciate and applaud Ms. Hamilton for allowing us all into her most precious work. Writing about family can be emotional to begin with but when it is about your mother that takes it to another level of personal. Ms. Hamilton takes us on the journey that she and her mother went on with horrible dementia. You can not help but get emotional while reading and you will have tears. Thank you for allowing us into your life!!!
Cynthia Hamilton has once again transported us into another world with this read. I love following her crime thriller reads and this read just shows us another level of this author’s writing. This read was real, raw and totally heartfelt, heart-wrenching and heart-warming read all at the same time. This book showed the relationship and bond between mother and daughters, the ups and downs and the journeys they take. To know this read is based on this author’s own mother, it really makes you connect on a deeper level with the thoughts and feelings that are throughout this book. I loved following the journey our main character takes finding out all the ups and downs, trials and tribulations that her mother goes through in her lifetime. This read will hit you and take you on a never-ending emotional rollercoaster. I’m so glad I picked up this read, and can’t wait to read more from this author!
This was an amazing and emotional read. It was heartbreaking and inspiring reading Ruths story. It follows the story of Ruth who has always been a independent and strong women.
As she gets older and suffering from Alzheimer’s she finds life getting harder.
Her daughter Cynthia supports her and doesn’t want to put her mum into a home. Upon searching through some old photographs they bring up question about Ruth in her younger years.
Cynthia wants to know who her mum actually is. The person she was and the things that happened in her life to make her the person Cynthia knows and loves. With Ruth memory failing Cynthia needs to dig through her memories and keepsakes to discover her mums past.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love Cynthia Hamilton. This book was so unlike anything I’ve read from her, I wasn’t sure how I would feel. The raw emotion portrayed in this book was heartwarming. It made for a fantastic read. I loved learning how a writer can go from one genre to another without any transition. It was flawless just as her other books are. This is a phenomenal story that is mostly factual but written as fiction as the way she writes. I can not wait for another book from Cynthia Hamilton- bring. It on.
This book served as a love letter to the author’s mother’s life and it’s so beautifully written as she makes her mother human. A human and mother I could relate to. As a nurse, we know how the disease affects others but not quite sure how a person’s life was until we look into their life stories and this book paints a vivid picture Ruth left behind. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to take a trip back in time, especially women who want to know how to overcome so much while balancing being mothers and in relationships. Great read!
Alzheimer’s is such a horrible disease that steals memories and the person’s identity. That being said, this book does pull at the heart strings a bit. I can’t even imagine how difficult it was to piece together someone’s life starting with a lone picture from the late 1940’s. Many of us have no idea what our mothers have gone through in their lifetime. Ruth seemed to be a very smart and strong woman, so it was very hard to read about all her failed relationships. This story pulls out all the raw emotions and is very engaging.
5/5 Stars
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past by Cynthia Hamilton
This is the first book I’ve read by the author and I’ve got to say that I really enjoyed this. This won’t be the last book I’ll read by Hamilton.
This follows Cindy in her mom’s journey. She goes through her mother’s things to find who her mom was in the past. This hit close to home as a family member went down the same path Ruth did.
Ruth can no longer remember anything of who she once was. Finding herself over the years has stopped as she depends on her kids. Her past is no longer there and there are days she doesn’t know who she is. The quote I choose for Ruth is: “Do you see those trees right there? Would you believe, every day when I walked to school, I’d walk right by those trees…and here they are!”
I do highly recommend this for anyone who loves an emotional read.
Finding Ruth: A Daughter’s Quest to Discover Her Mother’s Past by Cynthia Hamilton. This is such a beautiful loving story of a Daughter’s love for her Mother. This is the story of Ruth who is getting ready to move to a skilled nursing facility due to her having Alzheimer’s. Cynthia her daughter realizes she doesn’t really know much about her mom’s life before her so she tries to piece it all together thru pictures, letters, public records and her own memories. What she finds is an amazing women who was strong, attractive, loved the arts and life itself. Having several difficult relationships and none of them working out she is left bitter and lonely. She raised her children and loved them as she could but was always searching for love for herself. Finally towards the end of her life at the age of 86 after being self sufficient all her life she is now in the throws of a horrible disease. This is a powerfully, beautiful story of a mother and daughters love and life.