Eugenia Zukerman - Like Falling Through a Cloud: A Lyrical Memoir

What People are Saying... Eugenia Zukermans new book, Like Falling Through a Cloud , is a masterpiece of inspiration, poetry, reflection, memories, and the heartbreak of discovering that one is having the early signs of dementia. Writing in the present tense, of past reflection, of moments of sheer delightas well as moments of sheer horrorEugenia has authored a must-read. I was going to say a must-read for those who suffer from moments of forgetfulness, but instead, Im going to say its a book for everyone . It transcends the particulars, becoming applicable to any situation you might find yourself in. That is the sign of a truly inspiring volume, a classic, and Like Falling Through a Cloud is a classicfor everyone.

The beautiful message that Ms. Zukerman has created in the astonishing, revealing, and inspiring book is that we all have life to live, dreams to dream, and human kindness to both give and receive. The author has always been an extraordinary talent, both musically and linguistically. In Like Falling Through a Cloud , she has written the unforgettable. Judy Collins , American singer and songwriter In writing Like Falling Through a Cloud, Eugenia Zukerman gives her reader privileged access to her inner life, as she begins to understand and live with a recent medical diagnosis. As she describes the vast changes in her different states of mind in a series of poetic snapshots, Genies artistic aura shines through with lightness, courage, and humor.

In expressing the borders between fear, doubt, vulnerability, and love, Genie reminds us of the delicate balance between human fragility and resilience, and how poetry and music offer a balm when we are faced with psychic turbulence. Yo-Yo Ma , cellist The most interesting writers of our time are creating hybrid literature that combines poetry, fiction, and autobiography. As we proceed in life, our way of perceiving the world changes, and few writers have the courage to depict this. Eugenia Zukermanperhaps because she is a musician and a writerhas chronicled the music of the brain in an extraordinary way. Like Falling Through a Cloud is beautiful and riveting. Erica Jong , author of Fear of Flying Bravery and inspiration come in many forms.

In the face of dealing with her own challenges, Eugenia Zukerman has written a beautiful personal narrative that inspires bravery in the face of serious life changes. Jaap van Zweden , New York Philharmonic Music Director Eugenia Zukerman has taken an experience and event that can be traumatic and brought light to it. Her poetic style of communicating the nature of her world in the face of this challenge is endearing. I believe anybody who is themselves or is having any family member experience some decline in memory will feel uplifted and informed by this highly special and unique work. Herbert Pardes , M.D., Executive Vice Chairman of
the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital My sister, Eugenia (Genie to me), admirably always embraces the moment for whatever it brings. After recently receiving the diagnosis of cognitive decline, she was stunned but then took stock of how she felt and what it all means.

A generous result is her beguiling prose poem, Like Falling through a Cloud, in which she faces the mysteries of memory and self-discovery through change. In this short, yet revealing, sometimes funny, sometimes sad volume, she shares her experience and her candid self-perceptions. This compact volume has helped me as Genies big sister (and a physician) understand what is going on far better than my empiric medical knowledge. This gem of a book should provide solace and insight for family and friends struggling to understand the complex issues of cognitive decline. More than that, it is a tale of bravery, strength, and healing. Julie R.

Ingelfinger, M.D. , Professor of Pediatrics,
Harvard Medical School, and Senior Consultant in
Pediatric Nephrology at Massachusetts General Hospital
for Children at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston Heart-crushing poetry, eloquent typography, and stunning candor combine to make Eugenia Zukermans voyage into the uncharted landscape of memory loss the most compelling book you will read this year. A brave journey beautifully told. Letty Cottin Pogrebin , a founding editor of Ms. magazine,
and author of Getting Over Getting Older I have known and loved Eugenia Zukerman my whole adult life. Of course, it was easy to fall for such a ravishing beauty, devastatingly diaphanous Diana that she is, but once hooked, more arrows felled me: a brilliant musician, to be sure, but also a brilliant and panoramically empowered mind and spirit, a captivating and pioneering tele-journalist and media advocate for the arts, an inspired and masterful writer, endlessly quick-witted and always an impassioned and aware citizen of the world.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when she discerned early signs of a potential and ever-unnamed usurper of mental acuity, her response would be to make us all traverse this frightening stage of her life by imbuing tragedy with transcendence in her memoir, Like Falling Through A Cloud . Eugenias choice of telling this chilling tale of tenuous tendrils of cognition as aphorisms of light, fleeting and fleeing as dandelion seeds, is a true masterstroke. She paints the pages in serendipitous typographical free-verse, with the ease and urbanity of an Ogden Nash, with the nostalgia and romance of Nabokov, and ever with an endearing charm and more than occasional epiphany all her own. Never has a book made me want to laugh and cry in equal and empathetic measure. Christopher ORiley , world-renowned pianist
and host of NPRs From the Top Eugenia Zukerman bravely shares her personal journey and self-awareness as she battles with Alzheimers and the anxiety that comes with it. She inspires with her strength and willingness to find joy and beauty in small and big things in life.

Through music, love, family, and peace of nature, you feel her determination to appreciate every day and the will to move forward. She beautifully translates her frightening and inspiring experiences into poetry for the reader. Yefim Bronfman , pianist If there is any writer who might awaken your love of poetry, its Eugenia Zukerman. She plays with words in a way that makes you want to play with words in order to find humor, insight, and peace. Alec Baldwin , actor, writer, producer Like Falling Through a Cloud Copyright 2019 by Eugenia Zukerman All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or online reviews, no portion of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published by EAST END PRESS Bridgehampton, NY Library of Congress Control Number: 2019911526 ISBN 978-1-7324912-2-9 Ebook ISBN 978-1-7324912-3-6 FIRST EDITION Book Design by Pauline Neuwirth, Neuwirth & Associates, Inc. Jacket Design by Tim Green Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To the end of Alzheimers and to those who labor to find a cure acknowledgments Im grateful to so many people who encouraged and helped me My great friends Oscar and Didi Schafer supplied their encouragement and support Actress Mary Beth Peil led me to writer Denise Daily who then introduced me to publisher Pauline Neuwirth of East End Press and
publicist Emi Battaglia that led to the publishing of this book To people who worked on the book production, and distribution I am so very grateful To my daughter Natalia who helped with editing the layout and look of the book I send thanks and a million kisses And to those who cheered me on: my daughter Arianna and her grand girls music mentor Mary Lou Falcone Investment banker/writer Beth Jacobs Dr. Herb Pardes and others who pushed me through the clouds to find the clarity I needed to Claude Debussy with hopes to meet him on the other side AND to the love of my life, my husband, Richard Novik