From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road comes the heart-wrenching journey of a family facing a tragic genetic destiny, set against the scientific search for hope for all of us who fear losing ourselves to dementia.

None of us knows how our story will end, or what shape we will be in by the time the end comes. Here, however, is the story of a family filled with people who do know—or could know. Each family member has a 50-50 chance of inheriting a genetic mutation that causes frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a cruel disease that emerges in middle age. As more and more family members begin to show symptoms, The Vanishing Family offers an intimate exploration of their emotional journeys and relationships, and the difficult decisions they face as they confront their genetic fate.

Through first-rate reporting and compassionate storytellling, Robert Kolker brings to life the experiences of those in the family who are afflicted by FTD and those who are not. Interwoven with this powerful narrative is the relentless search for a cure—and a glimmer of hope that FTD research could also help us understand more common forms of dementia like Alzheimer's. The decision of whether to get tested for the mutation looms over all members of the family, surfacing a troubling question: if you were going to lose yourself—in a year, or two, or ten—would you even want to know?

The Vanishing Family is a haunting allegory for our anxieties about aging and the unknown, offering a humane roadmap through the unthinkable.