Memory, and a link roundup

A personal note, before we begin.

My mother-in-law, Betty, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. It came on quick, where the mama I knew for many years was suddenly not the same person. She remembers Becky the Rodeo Rider visiting her, not entirely clear that that was a dream, but thinks I’ve been avoiding her even though I brought her a new set of clothes, a dresser, and a television just a week prior.

Memory is a precious thing. Watching Mama’s sad decline made me recall one of my favorite Donald Westlake novels, the posthumously published Memory, where the protagonist doesn’t have any memory. If I had read it when it was written, I would have thought Memento ripped it off. But there was no way for me, the screenwriter, or the director, to have read it. They do make a neat pair of compare and contrast.

I thought I had written a proper review of it, but my memory failed. Looking at the archives, I never wrote that piece. I did do a podcast about it with Jesse Willis of SFFaudio and the sadly late Gregg Margarite. I’ve never listened to it, but I don’t think I embarrassed myself.

Memory is a hell of a book. Losing your memory is a hell of a thing. Betty doesn’t remember me coming to see her, but she remembers Becky the Rodeo Rider, who doesn’t exist. It’s heartbreaking.

This is my long-winded (as usual) way of letting you know that I’m participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s a couple of weeks from now. First time I’ve done something like this, but it’s personal. I’d love to raise a few bucks. Links below, all more fun than this subject.

Here.

Link roundup.

• Tom Simon reviews The Jugger at Paperback Warrior: https://t.co/KVKvff6bRo ->
• This piece is from a few years back but worth visiting or revisiting. Shaft and the Ghosts of Ernest Tidyman by Steve Aldous, at The Rap Sheet: https://t.co/YCm8e929Wv ->
• Help pick the title of the next installment of Max Allan Collins’ Quarry series: https://t.co/WdZBlzdYMJ ->
• Levi Stahl at CrimeReads: The Mind of Donald E Westlake –
  The Letters, Books, and Films of a Crime Legend https://t.co/4fUjWrKRUm ->
• A review of The Sour Lemon Score at Paperback Warrior. https://t.co/A7TtgZlZlA ->
• Tom Simon reviews The Rare Coin Score at Paperback Warrior: https://t.co/wYsgrKORBI ->