A high school English teacher introduced my mom to the books of Emilie Loring. Emilie Loring (and that teacher) started my mom on a life of reading. Mom didn’t keep a list of which books she read, but she believes she read about “a hundred” of them. Her librarian would always let her know when there was a new one. Eventually she read them all and she drifted off to other books.
Now my mom is in her late eighties and suffering from dementia. Life is different. She has forgotten many of her skills – knitting, sewing, quilting, baking, and she is too weak to take care of her roses. The good news is that she still has one skill left which gives her great pleasure: READING!!! Thank God for that.
She doesn’t remember any of the books from the last fifty years and isn’t pleased with some of the others we get for her. She talks with so much fondness of her high school favorites, Emilie Loring’s books, that I had to find them. I made it my mission to get them. I was surprised that it really wasn’t that hard. They are available at used book stores through Amazon and in packets on e-bay.
To get started I ordered three and they came quickly. Mom was thrilled. She read one within a couple of days and was able to talk clearly about it. However, with the evilness that is dementia, within a few days she didn’t remember that she had read that book and just started reading it again. I may not need to buy any more, except that having them sit right there for her gives her so much pleasure.
[I'm sure everyone who is reading this is also a lover of books. I hope you can see the hope in this story of my mom. I do. I pray that no matter what happens to me in the years ahead, just please let me be able to read. Get me my books!]
With Mom receiving so much pleasure from these books my curiosity was aroused. It drove me to read one of them. This is the second book Emilie Loring published in 1924.
Here Comes The Sun
Fleeing from the train that was to take her to her prospective but uninteresting fiance, golde-haired Julie Lorraine became caught in an unexpected sequence of events. Hours later, she found herself married to the handsome stranger who had followed her from the train.
Political intrigue and the threat of a deceitful woman threatened both their futures. Only Julie’s courage and questioning spirit saved them–and revealed the true instincts of her heart and the man who had always loved her.
Now I love a good romance novel, but this one was a little far-fetched for my taste. The book was way too clean. By that I mean it didn’t seem real. I find it hard to believe that men and women, even in the 1920’s, talked so pure. And, there is not one hint of sex in this book. Yes, way too clean for me.
Another problem for me was that the best and only possibility for a woman in this book was to become a homemaker. Ugh. However, all these things that I disliked about the book are irrelevant. It’s what makes it a gem in my mother’s eyes. And, that’s good. I didn’t buy the books for me. The books are all hers.
About the author:
Emilie Baker Loring (1864 – 1951) was the daughter of a playwright and publisher and the wife of an attorney. She was a homemaker until she began writing at the age of fifty. She kept on writing until her death. Within that thirty-seven-year writing career she wrote over fifty books. Twenty of those books were published after her death.
NORTHERN CALLIFORNIA
That is indeed a blessing that your mom still enjoys reading.
I have not heard of this author before, but if she was instrumental in developing your mom into a lifetime reader, I will definitely want to check her out – I don’t mind “way too clean”
How nice that you can still talk about books with your mom. Jim’s mom, who also is very into dementia, can also talk about books she read a long time ago. In fact, she is great with anything that happened at least 40 years ago! Forget the more recent stuff, however! (as you probably have noticed!)
What a wonderful post! My dad is 90 and still enjoys reading, so there is hope for us. You made me laugh when you said the book is too clean for you!
Margot — this is a beautiful post. What a wonderful thing you have done for your mother. I grew up in a reading family == it was (still is) as essential to life as eating and sleeping. Mom read as long as she lived (mid-nineties) and I too pray that I’ll be able to do that.
My grandma (almost 90) has a lot of memory loss from small strokes and is failing these days but like your mother, she is still an avid reader. It is sad to me that she can’t remember the plots for very long but the fact that it is still appealing to her to escape into fictional worlds is lovely, I think.
I have had the same fear – please don’t let me lose the ability to read. Dave’s mother has Alzheimers and words were one of the first things to go – she has trouble expressing herself and can’t read any more. However, she retained numbers – loves to play cards (Personally, I think math can go any time – just let me read!) Your story is so touching, and what a blessing that there is something you two can still share. And what a wonderful gift you have given her. God bless you both.
I was very touched by your post today.
Dave’s mum had vascular dementia, she lost all interest in reading, couldn’t follow TV programmes, but give her flowers and she hadn’t forgotten any of her flower arranging skills – she used to teach flower arranging. It is comforting to know that the things we like best stay with us even if we can’t remember it the next day. I just hope if it happens to me I’ll still want to read.
Yes mom your killin me with the too clean for you…Now I know my mother likes a bit of smut in her books
Dont worry I will always keep you supplied in books…and if you cant see to read them I will find the best audio books for you. No worries this family loves to read too much for you to do without.
I’m sure those are a great comfort to her. How nice of you to find them for her. Be thankful you didn’t grow up in that generation for homemaker was the ultimate profession and sex was taboo ;0)
LOL on the clean part! Yes be thankful she has the ability to read. The name of the author is familiar to me but I don’t think I’ve read any of her books.
Once I got the tears out of my eyes I could finish reading the rest of your post. Dementia is such an evil thing. I’m glad that your mother is still able to enjoy reading and can talk about it clearly.
Well, I share this Mimi with Margo and I must add that our mom loves the books so much that they are now a decorating item on the organ bench. They are lined up and introduced as long lost friends, a special way for many of us to remember a few of our most treasured books! And, cheers if we can even “remember to forget” or was that “forgot to remember”?
I can appreciate anyone with this type of relationship with their mothers. Thanks for sharing!
Be sure to check out my new book as well!
I love Emilie Loring, too. It’s great to hear that others do also. I’m glad that you and your mom can share books. That is such a great thing. Keep enjoying that connection.