2026 National Book Awards Nominee
Latest News
Adding to its growing list of honors, Awakenings in Real Life was named a 2026 Storytrade Book Awards Finalist for the Nonfiction Prodigy Award, recognizing excellence in debut nonfiction.
About the Book
In the summer of 2015, while deep in the grip of dementia, Dan Cohen’s father experienced a sudden and unexpected “awakening,” delivering a simple but powerful message to his family: he wanted to live. That moment changed everything.
Compelled to share the experience, Dan published an article on MEDIUM that quickly reached thousands of readers—families and caregivers searching for hope. Although Dan’s father passed away in 2016, the impact of that awakening endured, becoming the catalyst for a deeper personal journey of reflection and meaning.
Awakenings in Real Life explores moments of clarity—large and small—through intimate stories, family memories, and hard-earned lessons. What began as one man’s return from the fog of dementia becomes a moving meditation on gratitude, love, and the quiet transformations that shape our lives.
Part memoir, part invitation, this book encourages readers to recognize their own awakenings, share their stories, and remain open to the unexpected gifts life offers when we learn to truly see.
Book Trailer
Excerpt
Media Kit
tHE mEDIA kIT contents:
- Cover page (identification page)
- Sales sheet
- Press release
- Author bio
- Manuscript excerpt
- Full-page book cover
- Contact & media information
Reviews
Podcast
AwakeningsInRealLife.com is the home of Awakenings In Real Life, a project and podcast created and hosted by Dan Cohen to shine a spotlight on real people’s transformative moments of insight, resilience, and meaning. What began with Dan’s deeply personal experience when his father unexpectedly “awakened” from dementia—and the hundreds of thousands of readers who connected with his MEDIUM article—grew into a platform where others can share their own awakenings and stories of overcoming adversity.
Similar to the book, the website and podcast highlight inspiring stories of triumph over challenges such as illness, loss, addiction, trauma, and more, inviting listeners and readers alike to recognize and celebrate life’s wake-up moments and the hope they bring.
Interviews
What if the person you thought was lost forever suddenly came back — even for just a moment?
That question sits at the heart of everything Dan Cohen has created. When his father Herbie, deep in dementia, unexpectedly woke up — speaking clearly, sharing memories, expressing love — it didn’t just change their family. It changed Dan. For two unforgettable days, Herbie gifted his family laughter, wisdom and hope. And in that extraordinary awakening, a deeper understanding of resilience, memory and connection was born.
The result is Awakenings In Real Life — a moving memoir that weaves together family history, lessons and moments of joy, alongside a podcast that brings other people’s remarkable stories of transformation and hope to life.
In a recent interview on Authors Electric, Dan Cohen reflects on the unforgettable moment his father briefly emerged from advanced dementia—with clarity, warmth, and a powerful message that life still mattered. What began as a personal blog post that deeply resonated with readers on Medium grew into a broader conversation about memory, resilience, and connection, ultimately inspiring Dan to expand his father’s story into the Awakenings in Real Life memoir and companion podcast.
Industry Awards
About the Author
Dan Cohen is a dynamic entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of experience and a deep passion for brand building. Dan is recognized for his strategic approach and ability to foster strong, lasting relationships. With the release of this book, Awakenings In Real Life, he tells the story of his dad’s awakening from his dementia. When his father awoke, it woke Dan up too.
When Dan talks about “awakenings,” he’s referring to moments of insight—times of learning, clarity, and personal growth. Exploring his family’s past brought all of that forward, and he felt compelled to capture those experiences in this book. His hope is that readers will see parts of their own stories reflected here, enjoy the journey, learn from what his family lived through, and find a sense of connection and meaning. He wants this book to spark your own moments of awakening—or help you recognize the ones already within you—and perhaps even inspire you to share those reflections with the people you love.
Dan is the founder and host of the Awakenings In Real Life podcast. He hopes you will also find it, so you can hear the awakenings that others have shared. They are inspiring stories of transformation, meaning, and hope. Dan is also a speaker and storyteller.