Books like Terry Pratchett: 90 fan favorites

By Rob Wilkins,

Here are 90 books that Terry Pratchett fans have personally recommended if you like Terry Pratchett. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Space Between Lost and Found

Shannon Wiersbitzky Author Of What Flowers Remember

From my list on when a loved one has Alzheimers dementia.

Why am I passionate about this?

The inspiration to write about Alzheimerā€™s came from my own life. My grandfather had the disease. He and I were very close and it broke my heart when I realized Iā€™d been forgotten. He only remembered my voice, that it sounded like a little girl he used to know. I wanted to capture the truth of that in a story. Sadly, dementia is so common, but for some reason, we donā€™t talk about Alzheimerā€™s as openly as we do other diseases. Kids need to be able to have everyday conversations about what they might be experiencing in regards to whomever they know with the disease. My hope is that books like Flowers can help.

Shannon's book list on when a loved one has Alzheimers dementia

Shannon Wiersbitzky Why did Shannon love this book?

Stark-McGinnis tackles Alzheimerā€™s of a parent, in this case, a mother. The disease is already well-progressed as we meet Cassie; her mother has already forgotten her name. Told in the present tense interspersed with a series of flashbacks to before Cassieā€™s Mom had the disease, we see all that has been lost. Linking memories to math, in that each can be broken down into more finite parts, Cassie draws ā€œmemory sketchesā€ in the hopes that connecting all the dots in Momā€™s life will make her remember. It doesnā€™t of course, but with her father, Cassie finds a path toward acceptance. 

By Sandy Stark-McGinnis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Space Between Lost and Found as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the acclaimed author of Extraordinary Birds, a powerful story about family, friendship, and the light that can be found even in the darkest of places.

Cassie's always looked up to her mom, a vibrant woman bursting with grand ideas. Together they planned to check off every dream on their think-big bucket list, no matter how far the adventures took them. The future seemed unlimited.

But then came the diagnosis, and Mom started to lose her memories. Even the ones Cassie thought she'd never forget. Even Cassie's name.

Cassie tries her hardest to keep Mom happy . . . toā€¦


Book cover of A Tattoo on My Brain: A Neurologist's Personal Battle Against Alzheimer's Disease

Jason Karlawish Author Of The Problem of Alzheimer's: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease Into a Crisis and What We Can Do about It

From my list on making sense of Alzheimerā€™s disease and dementia.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m a physician and a writer. Together, they create a matrix of practice, research, and writing. I care for patients at the Penn Memory Center and am a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where I teach and study topics at the intersections of bioethics, aging, and the neurosciences. I wrote The Problem of Alzheimerā€™s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It and the novel Open Wound: The Tragic Obsession of Dr. William Beaumont and essays for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Hill, STAT, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. I raise whippets, and Iā€™m a passionate reader of the physician and poet John Keats. 

Jason's book list on making sense of Alzheimerā€™s disease and dementia

Jason Karlawish Why did Jason love this book?

This first-person account of living with a biomarker-defined diagnosis of Alzheimerā€™s disease is a clearly written story of two very distinct, even antagonistic experiences. Thereā€™s the highly subjective experience of being a patient and the highly objective experience of being a physician who has diagnosed and cared for persons with the same disease. In one book is one narrative of two perspectives embodied in one person. The result is an unadorned account of what itā€™s like to lose oneā€™s mind just a little bit at a time. Case in point is his account of apathy. Iā€™m routinely prescribing this book to my patients. 

By Daniel Gibbs, Teresa H. Barker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Tattoo on My Brain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dr Daniel Gibbs is one of 50 million people worldwide with an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Unlike most patients with Alzheimer's, however, Dr Gibbs worked as a neurologist for twenty-five years, caring for patients with the very disease now affecting him. Also unusual is that Dr Gibbs had begun to suspect he had Alzheimer's several years before any official diagnosis could be made. Forewarned by genetic testing showing he carried alleles that increased the risk of developing the disease, he noticed symptoms of mild cognitive impairment long before any tests would have alerted him. In this highly personal account, Dr Gibbsā€¦


Book cover of The Story of Mrs. Inez

Anne O'Brien Carelli Author Of I'll Remember, Poppy

From my list on dementia and Alzheimerā€™s disease for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an educator, author of childrenā€™s books, and caregiver of a loved one with dementia, I felt that I had to write a story about the disease from a childā€™s point of view. When I became a caregiver, I was struck by the lack of information for children and the misconceptions of the public about the disease. I wanted to create a story that reassures children and gives them guidance on how they can help be a caregiver. I added the Authorā€™s Note to provide accurate information to adults so that more people are aware of the signs of dementia and to build understanding and compassion. 


Anne's book list on dementia and Alzheimerā€™s disease for children

Anne O'Brien Carelli Why did Anne love this book?

What a wonderful way to help children understand that residents in nursing homes and assisted living centers led rich, interesting lives.

So many children have loved ones who are in long-term care facilities and this beautiful book shows children how they can build friendships with residents. I highly recommend this if a loved one canā€™t communicate but appreciates a visit from a young child. 

By Madeline Wolfe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Story of Mrs. Inez as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Oak Grove Retirement Home recently got a new resident named Mrs. Inez. She doesn't talk much, and doesn't seem to like her surroundings, but she has a lot of photos on her wall that show she had a life full of memories to be shared. She wants to be left alone, it seems, but that doesn't stop one special little girl from wanting to be her friend.


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Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest by Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctorā€”and only womanā€”on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route upā€¦

Book cover of The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias

Andrew E. Budson and Maureen K. O'Connor Author Of Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: A Guide for Families

From my list on to understand dementia.

Why are we passionate about this?

As a neurologist and neuropsychologist team who have spent their entire clinical, teaching, and research careers focused on individuals and their families experiencing memory loss, Alzheimerā€™s disease, and dementia, our goal is simple. We want to empower individuals and their families with the tools they need to manage memory loss, Alzheimerā€™s disease, and dementia. We work to balance pharmacological and nonpharmacological management, as well as the needs of the individual with those of their family. Reading books like the ones in our list plus articles in medical journals keeps us current with the progress in the science of dementia and the humanity of individuals and families living with the disease. 

Andrew's book list on to understand dementia

Andrew E. Budson and Maureen K. O'Connor Why did Andrew love this book?

Now in its 7th edition, this book is the classic guide to caregiving for individuals with dementia. Comprehensive, and filled with stories and anecdotes, it is packed with valuable information on dementia and the behaviors that dementia engenders. We have read it several times and have recommended it to hundreds if not thousands of families. 

By Nancy L. Mace, Peter V. Rabins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The 36-Hour Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With over 3.5 million copies sold, the bestselling guide to understanding and caring for people with dementia is now completely revised and updated!

For 40 years, The 36-Hour Day has been the leading work in the field for caregivers of those with dementia. Written by experts with decades of experience caring for individuals with memory loss, Alzheimer's, and other dementias, the book is widely known for its authoritativeness and compassionate approach to care. Featuring everything from the causes of dementia to managing its early stages to advice on caring for those in the later stages of the disease, it isā€¦


Book cover of Memory's Last Breath: Field Notes on My Dementia

Marianne Sciucco Author Of Blue Hydrangeas

From my list on living with dementia.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a registered nurse, author, and dementia daughter. As a nurse and hospital case manager, I spent many years caring for people living with dementia and their families. This inspired me to write a novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimerā€™s love story. I soon encountered difficulties marketing my book. I reached out to two other dementia daughters Iā€™d met online who had also written books on the subject from personal experience and together we founded the non-profit organization AlzAuthors.com. Our mission is to carefully vet resources ā€“ stories of personal caregiving ā€“ to help busy caregivers find the information and inspiration they need for their own journeys. To date, we are 300+ authors strong.

Marianne's book list on living with dementia

Marianne Sciucco Why did Marianne love this book?

Gerda Saunders was diagnosed with cerebral microvascular disease, the leading cause of dementia after Alzheimerā€™s disease, a few days before her sixty-first birthday. This forced her to confront her mortality and to write an end-of-life plan she could live with. Gerda is a brave, inspiring woman. Her book is a rich, thoughtful accounting of life with dementia.

By Gerda Saunders,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Memory's Last Breath as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A "courageous and singular book" (Andrew Solomon), Memory's Last Breath is an unsparing, beautifully written memoir -- "an intimate, revealing account of living with dementia" (Shelf Awareness).

Based on the "field notes" she keeps in her journal, Memory's Last Breath is Gerda Saunders' astonishing window into a life distorted by dementia. She writes about shopping trips cut short by unintentional shoplifting, car journeys derailed when she loses her bearings, and the embarrassment of forgetting what she has just said to a room of colleagues. Coping with the complications of losing short-term memory, Saunders, a former university professor, nonetheless embarks onā€¦


Book cover of Granny Can't Remember Me: A Children's Book About Alzheimer's

Debra Daugherty Author Of The Memory Jar

From my list on helping children understand memory loss.

Why am I passionate about this?

Childrenā€™s stories about memory loss, Alzheimerā€™s, and dementia resonate with me because I know firsthand how difficult it is to care for someone with this disease. My Aunt Luella had Alzheimerā€™s, and I cared for her in my home. When my aunt no longer remembered me, my heart ached. I felt hopeless, afraid. I can only imagine how difficult it is for a child to watch as a beloved grandparent forgets them. I found these five books to be helpful and inspiring. They offer hope. They embrace the love that still exists.

Debra's book list on helping children understand memory loss

Debra Daugherty Why did Debra love this book?

Granny Canā€™t Remember Me is told through the childā€™s eyes. Six-year-old Joey talks about having two grandmas, one who lives in Florida, and one who lives a few blocks away.

His nearby Granny doesnā€™t remember him, but she does remember stories of when she was young, and when his mother was a child. Joey loves hearing her stories, and playing cards with her. He loves Granny and knows deep down that she loves him, too.

This story was written by a doctor whose mother and father-in-law both had Alzheimerā€™s. As I read it, I was reminded of my aunt who also had Alzheimerā€™s. She regaled me with tales of her youth but had no memories of her present. Children will relate to this story as itā€™s told from a childā€™s point of view.

By Susan McCormick, Timur Deberdeev (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Granny Can't Remember Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Granny Canā€™t Remember Me is a lighthearted picture book about Alzheimerā€™s disease and dementia told from the perspective of a six-year-old boy, appropriate for children in preschool through early elementary school (ages 3 ā€“ 8). Granny canā€™t remember that Joey likes soccer and rockets and dogs. Granny canā€™t remember much of anything. But with Grannyā€™s stories of her Three Best Days, Joey knows she loves him just the same.Alzheimerā€™s disease is more and more common, and many young children experience this sometimes scary and sad family situation. Granny Canā€™t Remember Me shows a boyā€™s acceptance and love for his grandmotherā€¦


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Book cover of You're Doing Great!: And Other Lies Alcohol Told Me

You're Doing Great! by Dustin Dunbar,

An inspiring, hilarious, and much-needed approach to addiction and self-acceptance,

Youā€™re Doing Great! debunks the myth that alcohol washes away the pain; explains the toll alcohol takes on our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being; illustrates the steps to deal with our problems head-on; exposes the practices usedā€¦

Book cover of Leaving Tinkertown

Ann Campanella Author Of Motherhood: Lost and Found: A memoir

From my list on inspiring memoirs about Alzheimerā€™s and Dementia.

Why am I passionate about this?

An author of a caregiving memoir myself, Iā€™m also a former magazine and newspaper editor who has had the opportunity to read and write about many topics. For the past five years, I have been a manager and director of AlzAuthors, an online global organization that offers the worldā€™s most comprehensive collection of books and blogs on Alzheimerā€™s and dementia. To say I have done a lot of reading on this subject is an understatement. Iā€™ve been honored to work with so many talented and big-hearted authors who share their Alzheimerā€™s and dementia experiences. Being immersed in the Alzheimerā€™s world through AlzAuthors has given me insight into many of the best memoirs on this subject.   

Ann's book list on inspiring memoirs about Alzheimerā€™s and Dementia

Ann Campanella Why did Ann love this book?

Leaving Tinkertown is a romp of a memoir that takes the reader behind the scenes of Tinkertown, her fatherā€™s colorful roadside attraction in New Mexico. As Ross Ward descends into Alzheimer's, we learn what it was like growing up with this man and how Tanyaā€™s complicated but tender history with him both repels and pulls her back home. Tanyaā€™s writing is gorgeous, and this memoir is both vivid and heartbreaking! Itā€™s a story you wonā€™t soon forget.

By Tanya Ward Goodman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leaving Tinkertown as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Tanya Ward Goodman came home to New Mexico to visit her dad at the end of 1996, he was fifty-five years old and just beginning to show symptoms of the Alzheimer's disease that would kill him six years later. Early onset dementia is a shock and a challenge to every family, but the Wards were not an ordinary family. Ross Ward was an eccentric artist and collector whose unique museum, Tinkertown, brought visitors from all over the world to the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque. In this book Tanya tells Ross's story and her own, sharing the tragedy and theā€¦


Book cover of The Experience of Alzheimer's Disease: Life Through a Tangled Veil

Julian C. Hughes Author Of Thinking Through Dementia

From my list on personhood and dementia.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an old age psychiatrist, I was naturally interested in dementia. But Iā€™m also trained to doctoral level in philosophy. Iā€™ve been both an honorary professor of philosophy of ageing (at Newcastle) and a professor of old age psychiatry (at Bristol). Whilst training in psychiatry at Oxford, I came across the work of Tom Kitwood. Subsequently, Iā€™ve become great friends with Steve Sabat. His work and Kitwoodā€™s brought home to me the complexity of personhood and its relevance to how we care for and think about people living with dementia. And the more you consider it, the more the notion of personhood broadens out to include citizenship and human rights.

Julian's book list on personhood and dementia

Julian C. Hughes Why did Julian love this book?

Difficult for me not to gush about this book by my good friend! It is amazingly rich. It builds on Kitwood, introducing the idea of ā€˜malignant positioningā€™. It deepens Kitwoodā€™s approach to personhood using William Sternā€™s notion of ā€˜Critical Personalismā€™. Steve sets out how, from a social constructionist standpoint, we can give different accounts of selfhood. He shows how these remain relevant even as dementia advances. The richness, for me, comes from the verbatim accounts of people with whom Steve worked closely over an extended period of time. Theory and reality come together. We get to know real people and see into the intricacies of their lives. The importance of the new culture of dementia care ā€“ where seeing the person as a psychosocial being is imperative ā€“ becomes utterly compelling. 

By Steven R. Sabat,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Experience of Alzheimer's Disease as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

At a time when the incidence of Alzheimera s Disease is increasing dramatically, this accessible account revolutionises our stereotypes of Alzheimera s patients and their care.


Book cover of Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer's Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers

Mary McDaniel Cail Author Of Dementia and the Church: Memory, Care, and Inclusion

From my list on books for dementia-friendly churches.

Why am I passionate about this?

I founded the All-Weather Friend, which is about helping friends get through difficult situations. My first book, Alzheimerā€™s: A Crash Course for Friends and Relatives, tells how to help people living with dementia. Iā€™ve had hard times in my lifeā€”my husbandā€™s brain tumor and suicide, my fatherā€™s dementia, infertility, miscarriage, my brotherā€™s sudden death, and other things that flooded me with grief. But my life is filled with joy; Iā€™ve learned that joy comes from God and from a compassionate connection with friends and people we love. I write and speak about ā€œinformed compassion.ā€ I hope youā€™ll visit my website, where thereā€™s a great dementia resource page with contributions by many readers.

Mary's book list on books for dementia-friendly churches

Mary McDaniel Cail Why did Mary love this book?

Moments of joy are often all that can be had by people in the later stages of dementia when life is lived moment by forgotten moment. What people may not realize, though, is that while the memories of joyful moments (an ice cream cone, petting a dog, looking at pictures, taking a walk) may be quickly forgotten, the emotion of joy will linger.

Brackey tells us how to create moments of joy for our loved ones with dementia and that people with dementia have much to teach us about ourselves.

By Jolene Brackey,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer's Journey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The beloved best seller has been revised and expanded for the fifth edition.

Jolene Brackey has a vision: that we will soon look beyond the challenges of Alzheimer's disease to focus more of our energies on creating moments of joy. When people have short-term memory loss, their lives are made up of moments. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer's, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did orā€¦


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Book cover of American Daredevil: Comics, Communism, and the Battles of Lev Gleason

American Daredevil by Brett Dakin,

Meet Lev Gleason, a real-life comics superhero! Gleason was a titan among Golden Age comics publishers who fought back against the censorship campaigns and paranoia of the Red Scare. After dropping out of Harvard to fight in World War I in France, Gleason moved to New York City and eventuallyā€¦

Book cover of Somebody I Used to Know: A Memoir

Vered Neta Author Of Things We Do For Love

From my list on the light side of Alzheimerā€™s.

Why am I passionate about this?

Like the Bach sisters in my novel Things We Do For Love, my sisters and I have cared for our mother, who battles Alzheimer's. Witnessing her transformation from a vibrant powerhouse to someone resembling the Walking Dead has been heart-wrenching. Despite the emotional rollercoaster, this journey has deeply connected us with our mother. Delving into the depths of her being has been a privilege, offering profound insights into her true essence. This challenging experience has unfolded as a disguised blessing. In this journey, we've discovered the beauty of unconditional love that binds our family together. It reflects the central question of my novel: What truly makes a happy family?

Vered's book list on the light side of Alzheimerā€™s

Vered Neta Why did Vered love this book?

Receiving a dementia diagnosis at just 58 years old can be paralysing, but Wendy Mitchell chose a different path. Instead of preparing for the end, she embraced life with newfound determination.

Wendy became a passionate advocate and speaker for dementia awareness. Her remarkable journey includes earning two honorary doctorates and achieving many of her life's dreams, including becoming a published author to share her deeply personal story.

With engaging wit and unwavering courage, Wendy candidly narrates her daily battle with the illness. Her story is both heartwarming and inspirational, as she shows us that despite the challenges, dementia can also bring unexpected gifts alongside sorrow.

Wendy's character is endearing, and her resilience shines through, leaving readers with a profound sense of hope and a deeper understanding of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

By Wendy Mitchell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Somebody I Used to Know as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK CHOSEN AS A 2018 SUMMER READ BY THE SUNDAY TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE TIMES AND THE MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Revelatory' Guardian 'A miracle' Telegraph 'A landmark book' Financial Times Brave, illuminating and inspiring, Somebody I Used to Know gets to the very heart of what it means to be human. What do you lose when you lose your memories? What do you value when this loss reframes how you've lived, and how you will live in the future? Howā€¦


Book cover of The Space Between Lost and Found
Book cover of A Tattoo on My Brain: A Neurologist's Personal Battle Against Alzheimer's Disease
Book cover of The Story of Mrs. Inez

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