Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind

Chandler, Arizona: Five Star Publications, Inc., 2009. BW6 - A first edition (no additional printings) hardcover book SIGNED and inscribed by author to previous owner on the half-title page in very good condition in very good dust jacket. Book has label adhered on the front free endpaper, dust jacket and book have some bumped corners, light discoloration and shelf wear. In Dr. Nicolas Bazan's brilliant first novel, neuroscientist Alvaro Cruz finds himself haunted by a recurring dream of a banjo player in an elusive cornfield that leads him on a personal quest to uncover the mysterious past of a New Orleans street singer known as Una Vida. Stricken with Alzheimer's, Una Vida can only offer tantalizing clues about her past through her mesmerizing vocals, incredible recollection of jazz lyrics, and the occasional verbal revisiting of a fascinating life that's fading quickly and forever into the recess of her mind. As Cruz searches for Una Vida's true identity, he learns profound lessons about the human psyche, the nature of memory - and himself. Una Vida is filled with delightful twists and unexpected turns, all centering around one of the greatest gifts New Orleans has offered the world - jazz. But the story will also deeply touch anyone who has had to witness the heartbreaking deterioration of a loved one's memory as it is consumed by the unforgiving encroachment of Alzheimer's. In the end, Una Vida represents a triumph of the spirit and sends an intensely personal message of hope to the world even as scientists like Dr. Bazan continue the search for the answers to one of life's most devastating diseases. 9.5"x6.5", 218 pages. Satisfaction Guaranteed. . Signed by Author. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.