Author Event: Payson R. Stevens: 'The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage'
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Warwick’s presents Payson R. Stevens as he discusses and signs his new book, "The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage: A Son's Journey Through Caregiving, Identity, and Spiritual Transformation." Payson R. Stevens is an award-winning science communicator, artist, writer, environmentalist, filmmaker, and a recipient of the Presidential Award for Design Excellence from Bill Clinton. He has appeared on CNN's Network Earth and was an early TED speaker. The co-author of two books, "Embracing Earth" and "Meshuggenary," he and his wife, the writer Kamla K. Kapur, divide their time between the remote Indian Himalayas and San Diego, California.
Reserved Seating is available when "The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage" is pre-ordered from Warwick's. Only books purchased from Warwick's will be signed. Please call the Warwick's Book Dept. (858) 454-0347 for details.
When Stevens became his mother's caregiver, he prepared for sorrow. What he found instead was a slow, mysterious transformation—hers and his own. As her successful identity as a pioneering dentist dissolved into the haze of Alzheimer's, Stevens began to witness something unexpected: startling moments of clarity, humor, serenity, and connection. Her fragmented speech began to echo Zen koans. Her gaze, emptied of ego, radiated peace. What appeared to be disintegration revealed a paradoxical wisdom—what Stevens came to call "Alzheimer's wisdom."
With lyrical vignettes, Stevens explores how caregiving became a path of grace. As he and his mother moved beyond past conflicts into quiet communion, their journey illuminated truths about love, identity, and what remains when memory fades. This is a meditation on how dementia, while undeniably painful, can also strip away the ego to reveal a deeper presence—one that mirrors the surrender described in Buddhist, Sufi, and contemplative Christian traditions.
Part memoir, part caregiving companion, and part spiritual meditation," The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage" invites readers to see beyond the tragedy of dementia—to find beauty, insight, and even sacredness in one of life's most difficult passages.
Warwick's
When W.T. Warwick founded his paper goods shop in Minnesota in 1896, he sold books, writing paper and writing instruments. Upon relocating to California in the mid-1930s, Warwick re-established his store in downtown La Jolla. The next generation, Wynn and Louise Warwick took over in 1950, expanding and modernizing the shop. In 1964, the third generation of Warwicks took on the mantle of ownership. Under the management of Bob and Marian Warwick, the store grew in both size and prominence, undergoing two expansions and establishing loyal customers all over San Diego County. In 2001, the fourth generation stepped up to the plate. W.T. Warwick's great granddaughters, Nancy and Cathy Warwick, have continued to emphasize the savvy buying of diverse products - from books to international artisan jewelry - and have undertaken the store's third renovation. After over 100 years in business, the family tradition of classic customer service and modern merchandising continue to make Warwick's an integral and historic part of the community. *Parking is available behind the store for customers while shopping at Warwick's. **Delivery is available for $5 with a minimum purchase of $25 and is limited to the La Jolla Village area from La Jolla Shores to Bird Rock. Delivery for purchases over $50 is free. ***Warwick's also offers complementary gift wrap on any item purchased at the store.
