Spiri Tsintziras – författare

How a mother's wisdom and grace helped one family come to terms with her dementia.Chrisoula had long been known for frying up honeyed Greek donuts anytime a guest arrived on her doorstep, offering a listening ear and sage advice, and sending her loved ones home with a plate of the golden orbs. She had cheeky blue eyes, a ready laugh and a generous heart - all of which had helped her deal with the many adversities she faced in her life.When she was diagnosed with dementia, Chrisoula drew on her trademark humour and earthy wit to ask the only questions that mattered: What would be the best photo to have on her gravestone? Did the glittering gold dress she wanted to be buried in need to be ironed? And would it hurt to enter the wormhole of death?As Chrisoula's dementia progressed, her adult children, Spiri and Dennis, grappled with guilt, sadness and fatigue as they fumbled their way from one bewildering symptom and care system to the next. But their mother had given them some very special gifts draw on at this time and which they could use long after she was gone.In this compelling tribute to her mother, Spiri shares these gifts, along with some practical no-nonsense 'golden nuggets' on dealing with the challenges of diagnosis, living with dementia and coping with grief. Twelve Golden Gifts is a must-read for those looking after a declining loved one and for anyone who is moved by a beautiful - and funny - love story.

Winner of the 2010 Australian Book Industry AwardsBook of the Year for Older Children (age range 8 to 14 years)Parlour Games for Friends and Family sets out to revive the tradition of indoor family games: push aside the consoles, turn off the telly, and bring some mental stimulation, silliness and laughter, joy and connection back into your living room.This book is bursting with games of logic and memory, wordplay, card games, role-play, and rough and tumble. Not a single game requires equipment that you won’t find in your average home: a pack of cards, a dictionary, an hourglass, dice, paper and pen.Games are organised thematically and referenced for age appropriateness. All are set out with clear rules and instructions. There are games that will challenge and stimulate you, and games that will have you in fits; games that can last all night, and games to fill that empty half-hour before tea; games for adults and older children, and games for your four-year-old’s birthday party.Parlour Games for Friends and Family, a book for fun-lovers aged four to 104, winds back the clock to remind you of games you’d forgotten and then a whole lot more. Whether you dip into it as the urge takes you or read it from cover to cover, a very good time is guaranteed.