Mother and other secrets, by Wendyl Nissen (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)

Reviewed by Caroline Barron

Former New Zealand Woman’s Weekly editor Wendyl Nissen set out to write a simple story of her mother’s life and a guide for people dealing with dementia. But the book took on a life of its own, developing into a personal account of generational trauma and mental illness, and a journey to understand her own identity – a genealogical detective story of sorts.

My Mother and Other Secrets is told with Nissen’s usual journalistic precision and insight. She sensitively handles her tricky relationship with her brother, stating up front that he has his own version of events, and leaves him out as much as possible.

An excellent handbook for those dealing with dementia – and there’s an estimated 70,000 New Zealanders living with the disease as of 2020.