Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly fresh and touching
Review: A friend recommended this book to me, and after seeing what it was about, my first reaction was to pass. I was expecting a heavy and depressing memoir about caring for the aging. In fact, it's a sprightly and life-affirming story about the continuity of love. First of all, David Touff is no ordinary dementia patient. He has lived a remarkable life as a businessman, community leader, and world traveler, and his kindness, sense of humor, and vitality are keenly observed and vividly brought to life. Even more importantly, author Marilyn Mitchell is no ordinary caregiver. Mitchell was originally hired to provide "adventures" for David, and these adventures, which take place throughout the city of Denver, keep the narrative fluid and interesting. She repeatedly engages David with a remarkable zest and creativity that is both a lot of fun to read about and an outstanding example for people caring for a friend or relative suffering from dementia. Mitchell always gives David the benefit of the doubt, and where other people might dwell on what he can't do or remember, she always finds a surprising cogency and consistency with his core personality.What emerges in the end is the story of an improbably intimate relationship between two very different people. Dementia is a disease that I wouldn't wish on anyone, but I came away from this book less afraid of it than I used to be. I know now that love between two people can persist in the face of severe memory loss.
Rating:
Summary: Far more than an "Alzheimer's book"
Review: Dancing on Quicksand is not well served by its subtitle, "A Gift of Friendship in the Age of Alzheimer's." While accurate enough, the subtitle is unfortunately limiting. I have no loved one suffering with dementia and yet I found this intimate, irreverent, funny, and deeply caring book a testimony to the power of respect, trust, love, and living attentively in the moment. Ms. Mitchell, a wonderful storyteller, shows us the value in noticing the details. DOQ made me want to try abandoning a self-conscious, harried, bustling way of life to explore beauty, complexity and our shared human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Not just another Alzheimer's book
Review: Dancing on Quicksand is the captivating, sunset story of David Touff, a once-brilliant man, one of Denver's eminent visionaries in the 20th century. As David slipped into dementia, he continued to be stimulated by the companionship and "adventures" created by a caring and inventive woman. Not just another Alzheimer's book, this is a beautifully written and inspiring story of how love and attention can make a difficult journey surprisingly upbeat and shows us that in spite of a deteriorating mind, the human heart longs for vital experience and meaningful relationship.
Rating:
Summary: Real love with clothes on. . .
Review: Dancing on Quicksand was an incredibly inspirational book. Reading it has made me want to be a better person, listen more carefully, to love others unconditionally, to work harder at loving others where they are. In a culture where we want to get rid of anything difficult, it was refreshing to see what Marilyn Mitchell gained by sticking with David and loving him through his illness. Although this is a book about a person who has helped someone with dementia, it is far more than that. It is a book about what real love looks like. I am just about to open up my copy one more time and read it again. Thanks Marilyn for sharing this rich experience with us!
Rating:
Summary: An Inspirational Story about a Transforming Relationship. .
Review: I came to this delightful book from the perspective of a daughter helping to care for my dear mother in the last 5 years of her life with Alzheimer's. Oh, how I wish I had read the book 7-9 years ago for its insights about relating to someone with dementia. Yet I think readership of this book should not be limited to people interested in this growing health problem. The book is a guidebook to enjoying life more fully, especially in the city/area where you live, as the author and David did with the many field trip pleasures of Denver. If you feel that a key ingredient of a good story is how people transform one another through their relationships, you will find yourself instantly captivated by Marilyn's and David's encounters and ensuing bond. They each possess charm, wit, and intelligence. Marilyn has an endearing ability to put herself in David's shoes, trying to understand his shrinking world and helping him uncover his genius. Marilyn's gift for language and her perceptiveness gives this book an energy that carries you to the end and leaves you regretting you're on the last page. You counter the regret by sharing this gem with others.
Rating:
Summary: Reality can be inspiring!
Review: I love this book! It is one of those books that I constantly wanted to share with others as I read it. I stopped many times and shared bits and pieces with my wife and family. The magic of this book, for me, is that it is focused on David and friendship and not on David's disease or the minutia of care giving. The book, like the disease, is not linear. This is not a slow spiral down to a depressing ending. Far from it! At the same time, there is no attempt to shield us from the often-harsh reality of David's experiences. We are, instead, subtly assisted in recognizing our common humanity through the recounting of David's very human condition. This is never just an abstract story about a man with dementia. Next time you are trying to think of an inspiring book to give as a gift, don't turn to the positive thinking or self-psych books. Give somebody Dancing on Quicksand. Reality can be inspiring. Sometimes, in real life, there is no quick fix and sometimes there is no "fix" at all.
Rating:
Summary: THE MOST CAPTIVATING BOOK I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME!
Review: Marilyn Mitchell has done an extrodinary job depicting the life and heartwarming stories of David Touff. Marilyn focused on herself just enough; not too much, but enough to let the reader understand her as the loving caregiver that she is. As the reader becomes acquainted with David throughout the book, they feel wrapped up in every emotion he experiences. My father has Alzheimer's and there is never "one size fits all" formula when it comes to caregiving. From the time I finished this book, I am still carrying David in my heart! Marilyn is an extrodinary person and writer. She gave of herself far beyond what the average caregiver or family member could even imagine doing. David was blessed indeed to have had the years with her as his close friend.
Rating:
Summary: THE MOST CAPTIVATING BOOK I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME!
Review: Marilyn Mitchell has done an extrodinary job depicting the life and heartwarming stories of David Touff. Marilyn focused on herself just enough; not too much, but enough to let the reader understand her as the loving caregiver that she is. As the reader becomes acquainted with David throughout the book, they feel wrapped up in every emotion he experiences. My father has Alzheimer's and there is never "one size fits all" formula when it comes to caregiving. From the time I finished this book, I am still carrying David in my heart! Marilyn is an extrodinary person and writer. She gave of herself far beyond what the average caregiver or family member could even imagine doing. David was blessed indeed to have had the years with her as his close friend.
Rating:
Summary: A Best Seller
Review: Marilyn Mitchell teaches us a compelling lesson. Regardless of a person's mental or physical condition, there are always means to express love, to exhibit respect, to offer support and to nurture. Mitchell always finds a way, in spite of David Touff's persistent slide into dementia. She captivates the reader as she recollects their "adventures" together. She encourages David to continue to savor the magnificence of life, in spite of his progressing disability, and in turn, he responds by dazzling her with his spontaneous moments of brilliant lucidity. The difficult challenges of life are recounted in their "dance" together, although she never fails to find grace in each hour she spends with him. This, in spite of the fact that during their eight years together, David has never recalled her name. Marilyn Mitchell teaches us about dignity and the grandeur of the human spirit. She is an inspiration. I didn't want this book to end.
Rating:
Summary: Real love with clothes on. . .
Review: Mitchell's remarkable account of her relationship with David Touff reminds us, regardless of whether dementia is involved, to be respectful and mindful in our relationships with each other. This well-told story is inspirational and informative, and is of especially great use to anyone dealing with how to relate to anyone whose faculties are fading.
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