Woman of Valor: A Family Story of Love and Dementia

by Jeanne Simonoff

Beginning in the early 1990s, Jeanne Simonoff recounts the gradual losses that reshape her world as dementia claims first her uncle, then her father, aunt, and beloved second mother. At the center of the story is Achias Chial, the “Woman of Valor” who helped raise Simonoff after the death of her birth mother when she was just two years old. Through years of caregiving, devotion, exhaustion, and grace, Simonoff explores what remains when memory begins to disappear.

150 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2026

Reviews

[Hailie]

Thank you Redhawk Publications for this ARC!
Jeanne Simonoff's prose faces fear with open arms and a welcoming heart. Dementia has affected multiple loved ones in Simonoff's family. Instead of running from the reality of memory loss, she examines what love leaves behind when memories fade. Guided by the spirit of "Bubbie" her time-traveling grandmother, and her second mother "Achias Chial", Simonoff navigates decades of familial struggles with poetic insight and wit.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoirs and experimental prose, and to caretakers, adult children, and especially women who have ever been the cornerstone of a family.
I've read the book inside-out, sideways, backwards and forwards during my time on this team and I still find the writing beautiful, unique, and timeless.

[Ned Laventall]

This short read, a memoir, recounts with pathos and spirituality, through multi generational slices of life, the Simonoff family story, . The relationships from childhood through her mid life are both loving and difficult. Anyone who is experiencing dementia in their family, either as a caregiver, patient or witness will find solace and inspiration from this talented and extraordinary LA Jewish family. It spoke to me on several levels. I recommend it for anyone who may be seeking some personal first hand insight into the phenomenon of memory loss.