Jan Carson: When stories about dementia can also be an enjoyable read 

A new collection of dementia-inspired fiction aims to go beyond the stereotypes about the condition 

Jan Carson edited A Little Unsteadily Into Light with Jane Lugea. 

When it came to naming her latest book, a collection of dementia-inspired fiction, Jan Carson turned to Samuel Beckett, whose work is steeped in the themes of memory, ageing and identity. 

The title, A Little Unsteadily Into Light, comes from a stage direction for Beckett’s play Krapp’s Last Tape. For Carson, the words encapsulated both the attempt to strike a fragile balance when writing authentically about dementia and the challenge of living as well as possible with the condition.