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Introduction Prologue Purchase The Bad Daughter |
The Bad Daughter: Betrayal and Confession
THE BAD DAUGHTER (Algonquin Books 1998) is Julie Hilden's memoir of her fraught relationship with her mother, who was ultimately stricken with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, and her own fear that she would inherit the gene for the disease. THE BAD DAUGHTER was serialized in Glamour, and reviewed widely, including in Newsweek and The New Yorker's Books in Brief. Newsweek said it "cuts straight to the dark heart of life" and is "as illogically vivid as a nightmare"; Kirkus described it as "a disquieting and gripping memoir"; Booklist gave it a starred review, saying it is "part confessional, part self-examination, part memoir, and totally riveting," and "packs an enormous wallop"; and Mademoiselle called it "stunning work by a natural writer." UPDATE: Since the memoir was written, Hilden has fortunately tested negative for a major familial Alzheimer's gene. In addition, a multiple-gene explanation has been developed, suggesting that it is unlikely that she will ultimately contract the disease in light of the fact that only her mother, and not her maternal grandparents, suffered from it. |