real lives · many voices · expert insight · narrative medicine
A collection of literary stories rooted in real experiences of dementia, accompanied by expert commentary.
About the book
64 literary stories · 27 authors · expert commentary
The stories are told from the perspectives of family members and carers, people living with dementia, and doctors.
Rooted in real events but reshaped through literary imagination to protect the dignity and privacy of those involved, they explore the emotional and human realities of dementia.
Expert commentaries accompany the stories, offering insight and helping readers better understand dementia.
Why this book is different
Narrative medicine
Stories rooted in lived experience.
Literary voices
Dementia explored through literary narrative rather than clinical description.
Expert insight
Professional commentary accompanies the stories and places them in context.
Selected stories
- Pharmacy Tiles
A story about a thoughtfully adapted conversation between a pharmacist and a person with dementia, showing patience, respect and a sensitive approach to communication. - Double Game
A story about trust, vulnerability and manipulation, showing how dementia can expose both the person affected and their family to financial or emotional exploitation. - Along the Shimmering River that Fades into Darkness
A literary story that explores the inner experience of a person with dementia and evokes the gradual fading of orientation, memory and reality. - A Bedtime Story
A warm and gently humorous story that portrays the loving relationship between a grandmother with dementia and her granddaughter. - Shall We Eat Something Today?
A story about an everyday family situation caused by hidden keys, showing how confusion, frustration and care can become intertwined in daily life with dementia.
Recognition
- Originally published in Slovenian by Mladinska knjiga in 2025.
- Nominated for Slovenia’s Book of the Year 2025
- “These stories are a bridge between medicine and literature – an invitation to dialogue.” – prof. Zvezdan Pirtošek, MD, PhD
Book information
Original title: Kje so moji ključi: O življenju z demenco
English working title: Where Are My Keys? Stories of Living with Dementia
Original language: Slovenian
Publisher: Mladinska knjiga
First published: 2025
Format: Short literary prose (64) with expert commentaries
Authors: 27
ISBN: 9789610178644
367 pages
International rights
Interested in an international edition?
Translation and publishing rights enquiries are welcome.
Saša Novak, Authors’ Representative (sasa@znc.si)
Anže Okorn, Foreign Rights, Mladinska knjiga, anze.okorn@mladinska-knjiga.si
Meet us at the Frankfurt Book Fair – Mladinska knjiga · Hall 3.1 · Stand D30
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