The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni

 I love people who write about restaurants and food, and I have a few that I have been following for years like Ruth Reichl and Frank Bruni. So when I heard Bruni, an author and New York Times writer, had written a new book, not about food but about losing his eyesight, I was intrigued. In 2017 he woke up with blurred vision in one eye. At first, he tried to ignore it, hoping it was simply a temporary condition or situation. But when the vision in that eye became completely obscured, and words on his computer screen began to dance without reason, he finally went to the doctor. The doctor told him he had had a stroke in one eye, and the damage was irreversible. However, there was treatment. It began with an injection in his eye, and then lead to a more experimental treatment in which he had to insert an injection in his own eye twice a week for two months. This tragic turn of events for a man in his 50s might overwhelm, and even depress, most people. But Bruni soon discovered the stroke made him realize not how weak he was, but how strong he is. The experience gave him an early glimpse into what aging is like, and how you need to focus not on the skills you are losing, but the skills you still maintain. With hard work and some adaptations, Bruni continues to write and now teaches journalism at Duke University. The vision he lost has taught him lessons in perspective and perseverance. His memoir is a beautiful example of how to live and age gracefully despite the inevitable problems along the way. To buy this book on Amazon click here.