The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins

Laminack treats this sensitive topic with care, giving voice to the often silent tragedy of watching a loved one slip out of the present and into the past. Bergum's delicate watercolors also give soft expression to the love that holds a family together during difficult times.

The jacket indicates that this is Mr. Laminack's first book, I certainly hope there are others to come.


Gives You Hope   March 10, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Lester Laminack has given all readers who have had their life touched by Alzheimer's new hope. My grandmother passed away with Alzheimer's, and I was devastated when I felt she did not know me. However, this book gives you hope that somewhere deep inside the people it affects, this horrible disease cannot fully erase those memories. It should be recommended reading to not just children whose lives have been affected by this disease, but adults as well. Thanks Mr. Laminack for giving me a new hope to hold on to! :)


Sensitive Telling of a Difficult Issue- Kudos to Laminack   November 29, 2002
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

When young Troy and his Grandma Angel visit Momma Olivia in the nursing home we get a brief glimpse into the life of an Alzheimers patient. Any family coping with Alzheimers will immediately recognize the tender care, the love, and the hope that lies within the lyrical language of this most sensitive story. The poetic prose and exquisite art reveal a rich and robust life now trapped within. A sensitive telling of a difficult issue. Kudos to Mr. Laminack and Ms. Bergum.


A Beautiful Story   February 13, 2002
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Miss Olivia just sits with her hands folded in her lap and stares, saying nothing. Her daughter Angel and great-grandson Troy visit, and she still sits as they talk to her. She still says nothing, but she thinks of beautiful memories from her past, beautiful as the sunset the nurse had pointed out that evening. Beautifully illustrated by Constance R. Bengum, this wonderful book was written by Lester Laminack, who went to the same high school as I. Though it was published in 1998, I didn't discover this book until Christmas 2001 when I was visiting my sister and she showed me the copy she had purchased. It is such a beautiful book, and a wonderful gentle and loving story that can help young and old cherish their loved ones who have Alzheimer's.


Confusing!   January 24, 2002
 3 out of 10 found this review helpful

The first time I read this book, I could not figure out the relationship of the characters. One generation was totally missing. There is the elderly mother, her daughter, and the boy--who is not the son! After rereading it, I inferred that the daughter had a child who was the parent of the boy, but is never mentioned. Also, I would never have known the elderly person had alzheimers if I had not read the book jacket since it is not stated in the story. Can anyone who has such vivid memories of her life have a serious case of alzheimers? Because I was confused with this story, I imagine children will be as well.