Famous authors, dementia focus of Perspectives Lecture

Dementia and its extraordinary effects on the writings of famous authors will be the focus of a Canadian Perspectives lecture on Thursday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m., at Erindale United Church, 1444 Dundas Cr., Mississauga.

In a lecture titled When Muses No Longer Remember: Novels at the End of their Tether, Professor Ian Lancashire of the University of Toronto will discuss how dementia affected the writing of authors such as Robert Graves, E.B. White and Agatha Christie, who very likely died with Alzheimer's disease.

As these writers aged, some still wrote works that are, in their own way, extraordinary. The writings expose the effects on language that dementia brings, and can help to distinguish the language of healthy old age from that of Alzheimer's. They also show the courage of these writers as they faced greatly diminished mental capacity.

The lecture is part of the Canadian Perspectives Lecture Series, organized by the Associates of U of T Mississauga and the University of Toronto Mississauga. Now in its 25th year, the lecture series is designed to inform and educate, offer a historical perspective on current issues and introduce new ideas and technologies that shape everyday life. Funds generated through this series support student scholarships.

*Free parking is available on the church lot. 

CONTACT:
Jane Stirling
Marketing and Communications
University of Toronto Mississauga
905-569-4350
jane.stirling@utoronto.ca