\n \n \nPayson R. Stevens \u2014 Author of Before AI Decides & The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/title><br \/>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two new books from Payson R. Stevens: The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage (Nov 4, 2026) and Before AI Decides: Nine Ways to Stay Human. Press kits, review copies, and interview booking for reviewers and podcasters.\"><br \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Payson R. Stevens \u2014 Two New Books About Staying Human\"><br \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With AI, and with Alzheimer's disease. The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage and Before AI Decides: Nine Ways to Stay Human.\"><br \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"website\"><br \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\"><br \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Payson R. Stevens \u2014 Two New Books About Staying Human\"><br \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"With AI, and with Alzheimer's disease. Two new books from science communicator and caregiver Payson R. Stevens.\">\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Fraunces:ital,opsz,wght@0,9..144,300;0,9..144,400;0,9..144,500;0,9..144,600;1,9..144,400;1,9..144,500&family=Newsreader:ital,wght@1,400;1,500&family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n :root{\n --paper: #FFFFFF; \/* white \u2014 primary background *\/\n --linen: #FAF8F4; \/* whisper-warm off-white for alternating bands *\/\n --card: #F4EFE3; \/* parchment tint, used only for excerpt cards *\/\n --ink: #232420; \/* near-black warm charcoal *\/\n --ink-soft:#5B584D; \/* muted body text *\/\n --ember: #8B4A2B; \/* Sage book accent \u2014 burnt sienna *\/\n --ember-dk:#6B3A21;\n --slate: #33454F; \/* AI Decides book accent \u2014 deep slate *\/\n --slate-dk:#25333B;\n --moss: #5C6B4F; \/* shared accent \u2014 sage green *\/\n --line: rgba(35,36,32,0.13);\n --radius: 2px;\n }\n *{box-sizing:border-box;}\n html{scroll-behavior:smooth;}\n body{\n margin:0;\n background:var(--paper);\n color:var(--ink);\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif;\n font-size:17px;\n line-height:1.7;\n -webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;\n }\n h1,h2,h3,.display{\n font-family:'Fraunces',serif;\n font-weight:500;\n letter-spacing:-0.01em;\n margin:0;\n }\n .quote-serif{ font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic; }\n a{ color:inherit; }\n img{max-width:100%;display:block;}\n .wrap{ max-width:1080px; margin:0 auto; padding:0 32px; }\n .eyebrow{\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif;\n font-size:12.5px;\n font-weight:600;\n letter-spacing:0.14em;\n text-transform:uppercase;\n }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Nav ---------- *\/\n header.site-nav{\n position:sticky; top:0; z-index:40;\n background:rgba(255,255,255,0.92);\n backdrop-filter:blur(6px);\n border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);\n }\n .nav-row{\n max-width:1080px; margin:0 auto; padding:18px 32px;\n display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:space-between;\n flex-wrap:wrap; gap:12px;\n }\n .wordmark{ font-family:'Fraunces',serif; font-size:19px; font-weight:500; letter-spacing:0.01em; }\n .wordmark span{ color:var(--ink-soft); font-weight:400; }\n nav.links{ display:flex; gap:28px; font-size:14px; font-weight:500; }\n nav.links a{\n text-decoration:none; color:var(--ink-soft);\n padding-bottom:2px;\n transition:color .2s, border-color .2s;\n padding: 5px 11px;\n }\n nav.links a:hover{ color:var(--ink); border-color:var(--ink); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Intro ---------- *\/\n .intro{ padding:64px 0 24px; text-align:center; }\n .intro .eyebrow{ color:var(--ink-soft); }\n .intro h1{ font-size:clamp(28px,3.9vw,42px); margin-top:14px; max-width:760px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; line-height:1.18; }\n .intro h1 .ai-word{ color:var(--slate); }\n .intro h1 .alz-word{ color:var(--ember); }\n .intro p{ color:var(--ink-soft); max-width:560px; margin:16px auto 0; font-size:16px; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* Credibility badge row *\/\n .badge-row{\n display:flex; flex-wrap:wrap; justify-content:center; gap:10px 28px;\n margin:28px auto 0; padding-top:22px; border-top:1px solid var(--line);\n max-width:760px;\n }\n .badge-row .badge{\n display:flex; align-items:center; gap:7px;\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:12.5px; font-weight:600;\n letter-spacing:.03em; color:var(--ink-soft);\n }\n .badge-row .badge .dot{ width:4px; height:4px; border-radius:50%; background:var(--moss); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* Bibliographic quick-facts strip *\/\n .quick-facts{\n display:flex; flex-wrap:wrap; gap:6px 22px;\n margin-top:16px; padding:14px 0; border-top:1px solid var(--line); border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:12.5px; color:var(--ink-soft);\n }\n .quick-facts span b{ color:var(--ink); font-weight:600; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* Countdown *\/\n .countdown{\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:12.5px; font-weight:600;\n color:var(--ember-dk); margin-top:10px; display:block;\n }\n .ai .countdown{ color:var(--slate-dk); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Book Section ---------- *\/\n section.book{ padding:72px 0 0px; }\n section.book.sage{ background:var(--paper); }\n \/* section.book.ai{ background:var(--linen); } *\/<\/p>\n<p> .book-grid{\n display:grid; grid-template-columns:320px 1fr; gap:56px; align-items:start;\n }\n @media(max-width:820px){ .book-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; gap:32px; } }<\/p>\n<p> .cover-shot{ position:relative; }\n .cover-shot img{\n width:100%; border-radius:var(--radius);\n box-shadow:0 18px 40px -18px rgba(35,36,32,0.35), 0 2px 8px rgba(35,36,32,0.12);\n }\n .cover-cap{ margin-top:12px; font-size:12px; color:var(--ink-soft); font-style:italic; }<\/p>\n<p> .book-kicker{ display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; margin-bottom:14px; }\n .sage .book-kicker .eyebrow{ color:var(--ember); }\n .ai .book-kicker .eyebrow{ color:var(--slate); }\n .book-kicker .dot{ width:5px; height:5px; border-radius:50%; }\n .sage .dot{ background:var(--ember); }\n .ai .dot{ background:var(--slate); }<\/p>\n<p> .book h2.title{ font-size:clamp(28px,3.6vw,40px); line-height:1.08; }\n .book .subtitle{ font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic; font-size:28px; color:var(--ink-soft); margin-top:10px; }\n .book .meta{ font-size:13.5px; color:var(--ink-soft); margin-top:14px; letter-spacing:.01em; }<\/p>\n<p> .book .desc{ margin-top:26px; max-width:60ch; }\n .book .desc p{ margin:0 0 14px; color:#33322C; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* Read More toggle \u2014 echoes the \"View More \/ View Less\" link on paysonrstevens.com *\/\n .desc .more-text{ display:none; }\n .desc .more-text.shown{ display:block; }\n .read-more-link{\n background:none; border:none; padding:0; margin-top:2px;\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:13.5px; font-weight:600;\n cursor:pointer; text-decoration:underline; text-underline-offset:3px;\n }\n .sage .read-more-link{ color:var(--ember-dk); }\n .ai .read-more-link{ color:var(--slate-dk); }<\/p>\n<p> blockquote.pull{\n margin:26px 0 0; padding:4px 0 4px 22px;\n border-left:3px solid var(--line);\n font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic;\n font-size:21px; line-height:1.5; color:var(--ink);\n max-width:56ch;\n }\n .sage blockquote.pull{ border-color:var(--ember); }\n .ai blockquote.pull{ border-color:var(--slate); }<\/p>\n<p> .buy-row{ display:flex; flex-wrap:wrap; gap:12px; margin-top:30px; align-items:center; }\n .buy-btn{\n display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;\n padding:11px 20px; font-size:13.5px; font-weight:600;\n border-radius:999px; text-decoration:none;\n border:1px solid var(--ink); color:var(--ink);\n transition:background .2s,color .2s;\n background:transparent;\n }\n .buy-btn.primary{ background:var(--ink); color:var(--paper); }\n .sage .buy-btn.primary{ background:var(--ember); border-color:var(--ember); color:#fff; }\n .ai .buy-btn.primary{ background:var(--slate); border-color:var(--slate); color:#fff; }\n .buy-btn:hover{ opacity:.82; }\n .buy-note{ width:100%; font-size:12px; color:var(--ink-soft); margin-top:2px; font-style:italic; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Excerpt (details\/summary) ---------- *\/\n .excerpt{ margin-top:18px; }\n .excerpt summary{\n list-style:none; cursor:pointer;\n display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;\n font-size:13.5px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:.02em;\n padding:11px 20px; border-radius:999px;\n border:1px solid var(--line); background:transparent;\n transition:border-color .2s, background .2s;\n }\n .excerpt summary::-webkit-details-marker{ display:none; }\n .sage .excerpt summary{ color:var(--ember-dk); }\n .ai .excerpt summary{ color:var(--slate-dk); }\n .excerpt summary:hover{ background:rgba(0,0,0,0.03); }\n .excerpt summary .chevron{ transition:transform .25s ease; font-size:11px; }\n .excerpt[open] summary .chevron{ transform:rotate(90deg); }\n .excerpt-card{\n margin-top:16px; padding:28px 30px; background:var(--card);\n border-radius:var(--radius); max-width:64ch;\n border-left:3px solid var(--line);\n }\n .sage .excerpt-card{ border-color:var(--ember); }\n .ai .excerpt-card{ border-color:var(--slate); }\n .excerpt-card .excerpt-label{ font-size:11.5px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:.1em; text-transform:uppercase; color:var(--ink-soft); margin-bottom:14px; display:block; }\n .excerpt-card p{ font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic; font-size:18px; line-height:1.65; margin:0 0 14px; color:#2A2B26; }\n .excerpt-card p:last-of-type{ margin-bottom:0; }\n .excerpt-card .excerpt-src{ margin-top:16px; font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-style:normal; font-size:12.5px; color:var(--ink-soft); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* Nine Pillars mini-grid inside AI excerpt *\/\n .pillars-grid{ margin-top:6px; display:grid; grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr 1fr; gap:18px 22px; }\n @media(max-width:640px){ .pillars-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n .pillars-grid .sector{ font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-style:normal; font-size:11px; font-weight:700; letter-spacing:.08em; text-transform:uppercase; color:var(--slate); margin:18px 0 8px; grid-column:1\/-1; }\n .pillars-grid .sector:first-child{ margin-top:0; }\n .pillar-item{ font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-style:normal; }\n .pillar-item .num{ font-family:'Fraunces',serif; font-weight:600; color:var(--slate); font-size:15px; }\n .pillar-item .name{ font-weight:600; font-size:14px; display:block; margin:2px 0 3px; }\n .pillar-item .tag{ font-size:12.5px; color:var(--ink-soft); line-height:1.45; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Featured essay card ---------- *\/\n .featured-essay{\n margin-top:18px; max-width:60ch;\n display:flex; gap:16px; align-items:flex-start;\n padding:20px 22px; border-radius:var(--radius);\n background:var(--linen); border-left:3px solid var(--slate);\n }\n .featured-essay .fe-icon{\n flex-shrink:0; width:34px; height:34px; border-radius:50%;\n background:var(--slate); color:#fff; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center;\n font-family:'Fraunces',serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:600;\n }\n .featured-essay .fe-eyebrow{ font-size:11px; font-weight:700; letter-spacing:.09em; text-transform:uppercase; color:var(--slate-dk); margin-bottom:6px; display:block; }\n .featured-essay a.fe-title{\n font-family:'Fraunces',serif; font-size:17px; font-weight:600; color:var(--ink);\n text-decoration:none; line-height:1.3; display:inline-block;\n border-bottom:1px solid transparent;\n }\n .featured-essay a.fe-title:hover{ border-color:var(--ink); }\n .featured-essay .fe-sub{ font-size:13.5px; color:var(--ink-soft); margin-top:6px; line-height:1.5; }\n .featured-essay .fe-link{ font-size:12.5px; margin-top:8px; display:inline-block; color:var(--slate-dk); font-weight:600; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Praise ticker (continuous auto-scroll marquee) ---------- *\/\n .praise{ margin-top:56px; padding-top:40px; border-top:1px solid var(--line); }\n .praise .eyebrow{ color:var(--ink-soft); margin-bottom:22px; display:block; }<\/p>\n<p> .ticker{\n position:relative; overflow:hidden;\n margin:0 -32px; padding:2px 0;\n }\n .ticker::before, .ticker::after{\n content:\"\"; position:absolute; top:0; bottom:0; width:64px; z-index:2; pointer-events:none;\n }\n .ticker::before{ left:0; background:linear-gradient(to right, var(--paper), rgba(255,255,255,0)); }\n .ticker::after{ right:0; background:linear-gradient(to left, var(--paper), rgba(255,255,255,0)); }\n .ai .ticker::before{ background:linear-gradient(to right, var(--linen), rgba(250,248,244,0)); }\n .ai .ticker::after{ background:linear-gradient(to left, var(--linen), rgba(250,248,244,0)); }<\/p>\n<p> .ticker-track{\n display:flex; gap:20px; width:max-content;\n padding:0 32px;\n animation:ticker-scroll linear infinite;\n }\n .ticker-track.sage-track{ animation-duration:36s; }\n .ticker-track.ai-track{ animation-duration:52s; }\n .ticker:hover .ticker-track,\n .ticker:focus-within .ticker-track{ animation-play-state:paused; }<\/p>\n<p> @keyframes ticker-scroll{\n from{ transform:translateX(0); }\n to{ transform:translateX(-50%); }\n }<\/p>\n<p> .t-card{\n flex:0 0 340px; width:340px; min-height:224px;\n display:flex; flex-direction:column; justify-content:space-between;\n padding:22px 24px; border-radius:var(--radius);\n border:1px solid var(--line); background:#FBF9F4;\n }\n .ai .t-card{ background:#FFFFFF; }\n .t-card p.quote{\n font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic; font-size:14.5px;\n line-height:1.5; color:var(--ink); margin:0;\n }\n .t-card .attrib{ margin-top:14px; font-size:12px; font-weight:600; font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; line-height:1.4; }\n .sage .t-card .attrib{ color:var(--ember-dk); }\n .ai .t-card .attrib{ color:var(--slate-dk); }<\/p>\n<p> @media(max-width:640px){\n .t-card{ flex:0 0 270px; width:270px; min-height:250px; }\n .ticker::before, .ticker::after{ width:32px; }\n }\n @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){\n .ticker-track{ animation:none !important; flex-wrap:wrap; width:auto; padding:0; }\n .ticker{ overflow:visible; }\n .ticker::before, .ticker::after{ display:none; }\n .ticker-track [data-dup=\"true\"]{ display:none; }\n }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Ridge divider (signature element) ---------- *\/\n .ridge{ position:relative; height:120px; background:var(--paper); overflow:hidden; }\n .ridge svg{ position:absolute; bottom:-1px; left:0; width:100%; height:100%; }\n .ridge .cap{\n position:absolute; inset:0; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center;\n font-family:'Newsreader',serif; font-style:italic; font-size:14px; color:var(--paper);\n letter-spacing:.02em; text-align:center; padding:0 20px;\n }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- About ---------- *\/\n section.about{ padding:80px 0; background:var(--paper); }\n .about-grid{ display:grid; grid-template-columns:220px 1fr; gap:48px; align-items:start; }\n @media(max-width:700px){ .about-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n .portrait-frame{\n width:100%; aspect-ratio:1\/1; border-radius:50%; overflow:hidden;\n box-shadow:0 14px 34px -16px rgba(35,36,32,0.4);\n border:3px solid var(--paper); outline:1px solid var(--line);\n }\n .portrait-frame img{ width:100%; height:100%; object-fit:cover; }\n .about h2{ font-size:28px; color:var(--moss); }\n .about .desc p{ margin:14px 0 0; max-width:64ch; color:#33322C; }\n .about .links-line{ margin-top:18px; font-size:13.5px; font-style:italic; color:var(--ink-soft); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Press ---------- *\/\n section.press{ padding:72px 0; background:var(--linen); }\n .press h2{ font-size:24px; color:var(--ink); margin-bottom:26px; }\n .press-grid{ display:grid; grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr; gap:40px; }\n @media(max-width:700px){ .press-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n .press ul{ list-style:none; margin:0; padding:0; }\n .press li{\n padding:12px 0; border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);\n font-size:15px; display:flex; gap:10px;\n }\n .press li:first-child{ padding-top:0; }\n .press li::before{ content:\"\u2014\"; color:var(--moss); flex-shrink:0; }\n .press-note{\n font-size:13px; font-style:italic; color:var(--ink-soft);\n border:1px dashed var(--line); padding:16px; border-radius:var(--radius);\n }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- For Media, Reviewers & Podcasters ---------- *\/\n section.media-kit{ padding:80px 0; background:var(--ink); color:var(--paper); }\n .media-kit h2{ font-size:30px; color:var(--paper); }\n .media-kit .lead{ color:rgba(255,255,255,0.72); max-width:62ch; margin-top:12px; font-size:16px; line-height:1.65; }\n .mk-grid{ margin-top:44px; display:grid; grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr); gap:32px; }\n @media(max-width:820px){ .mk-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n .mk-card{ padding:26px 26px 28px; background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.14); border-radius:var(--radius); }\n .mk-card .mk-eyebrow{ font-size:11px; font-weight:700; letter-spacing:.09em; text-transform:uppercase; color:#E4A97E; }\n .mk-card h3{ font-family:'Fraunces',serif; font-size:19px; font-weight:600; margin-top:8px; color:var(--paper); }\n .mk-card p{ font-size:14px; line-height:1.6; color:rgba(255,255,255,0.72); margin:10px 0 0; }\n .mk-card ul{ margin:14px 0 0; padding:0 0 0 18px; }\n .mk-card li{ font-size:13.5px; color:rgba(255,255,255,0.8); margin-bottom:7px; line-height:1.5; }\n .mk-card a.mk-link{\n display:inline-block; margin-top:16px; font-size:13px; font-weight:600;\n color:var(--paper); text-decoration:none; border-bottom:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.4); padding-bottom:2px;\n }\n .mk-card a.mk-link:hover{ border-color:var(--paper); }\n .mk-video{\n margin-top:14px; aspect-ratio:16\/9; border:1px dashed rgba(255,255,255,0.3);\n border-radius:var(--radius); display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center;\n font-size:12px; color:rgba(255,255,255,0.55); text-align:center; padding:12px;\n }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Newsletter ---------- *\/\n section.newsletter{ padding:64px 0; background:var(--moss); color:#fff; text-align:center; }\n .newsletter h2{ font-size:25px; color:#fff; }\n .newsletter p{ color:rgba(255,255,255,0.85); max-width:52ch; margin:12px auto 0; font-size:15px; }\n .nl-form{ display:flex; gap:10px; justify-content:center; margin-top:26px; flex-wrap:wrap; }\n .nl-form input[type=email]{\n padding:12px 18px; border-radius:999px; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.4);\n background:rgba(255,255,255,0.12); color:#fff; font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:14px;\n min-width:260px;\n }\n .nl-form input[type=email]::placeholder{ color:rgba(255,255,255,0.65); }\n .nl-form button{\n padding:12px 26px; border-radius:999px; border:none; background:#fff; color:var(--moss);\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-weight:700; font-size:13.5px; cursor:pointer;\n }\n .nl-form button:hover{ opacity:.9; }\n .nl-note{ font-size:11.5px; color:rgba(255,255,255,0.6); margin-top:14px; font-style:italic; }\n .nl-confirm{ display:none; margin-top:22px; font-size:14px; font-weight:600; }\n .nl-confirm.shown{ display:block; }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Footer ---------- *\/\n footer{ padding:52px 0 60px; 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}\n .view-panel.active{ display:block; }\n .view-panel.book-view.active{ animation:view-fade-in .45s ease; }\n @keyframes view-fade-in{ from{ opacity:0; transform:translateY(10px); } to{ opacity:1; transform:translateY(0); } }\n @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){ .view-panel.book-view.active{ animation:none; } }<\/p>\n<p> .back-link{\n display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:6px;\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:13px; font-weight:600;\n color:var(--ink-soft); text-decoration:none; margin:26px 0;\n padding-left:0;\n }\n .back-link:hover{ color:var(--ink); }\n .back-link .arrow{ transition:transform .2s ease; }\n .back-link:hover .arrow{ transform:translateX(-3px); }<\/p>\n<p> \/* ---------- Splash ---------- *\/\n .splash{ padding:64px 0 76px; text-align:center; }\n .splash .eyebrow{ color:var(--ink-soft); }\n .splash h1{ font-size:clamp(28px,4vw,44px); margin-top:14px; max-width:760px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; line-height:1.18; }\n .splash h1 .ai-word{ color:var(--slate); 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font-weight:600; text-decoration:none; border-bottom:1px solid transparent; }\n .other-books a:hover{ border-color:var(--moss); }<\/p>\n<p> .site-btn{\n display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:6px;\n font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:12.5px; font-weight:600;\n padding:8px 16px; border-radius:999px; border:1px solid var(--line);\n text-decoration:none; color:var(--ink-soft);\n transition:border-color .2s, color .2s;\n }\n .site-btn:hover{ border-color:var(--ink); color:var(--ink); }<\/p>\n<p> .youtube-video {\n width: 100%;\n aspect-ratio: 16 \/ 9;\n overflow: hidden;\n}<\/p>\n<p>.youtube-video iframe {\n width: 100%;\n height: 100%;\n border: 0;\n display: block;\n}\n.modal-top-margin{\n margin:45px 0 0;\n}\nbody:has(.book.view-panel.book-view.active) .press-comman {\n display: none !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p><\/head><br \/>\n<body><\/p>\n<header class=\"site-nav\">\n<div class=\"nav-row\">\n<div class=\"wordmark\" style=\"cursor:pointer;\" data-goto=\"splash\"><a href=\"https:\/\/paysonrstevens.com\/writings\/\">Payson R. Stevens <span>\u00b7 Author<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<nav class=\"links\">\n <a href=\"#sage\" data-goto=\"sage\">Alzheimer\u2019s Sage<\/a><br \/>\n <a href=\"#ai-decides\" data-goto=\"ai\">Before AI Decides<\/a><br \/>\n <a href=\"#media\">For Media<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"site-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/paysonrstevens.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paysonrstevens.com \u2197<\/a><br \/>\n <\/nav>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p><!-- ================= SPLASH \/ ENTRY POINT ================= --><\/p>\n<div class=\"view-panel active\" id=\"view-splash\">\n<div class=\"splash reveal\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<div class=\"eyebrow\">Payson’s New Books 2026<\/div>\n<h1>Two Books. One Author.<br \/>One Question:<br \/>What Makes Us Human?<\/h1>\n<p class=\"sub\">A caregiver’s memoir on Alzheimer’s, and a technologist’s field guide to AI \u2014 from a mind that’s spent fifty years observing human patterns.<\/p>\n<div class=\"badge-row\">\n <span class=\"badge\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>CNN Network Earth<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"badge\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>Early TED Speaker<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"badge\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>U.S. Presidential Design Award<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"badge\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>Featured on Katie Couric Media<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"cover-picker\">\n <button class=\"cover-pick pick-sage\" data-goto=\"sage\" aria-label=\"Explore The Wisdom of the Alzheimer's Sage\"><br \/>\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"Alzheimers-Sage.jpg\" alt=\"alzheimers-sage\" \/><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-eyebrow\">New \u00b7 Nov 4, 2026<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-title\">The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-cta\">Explore the book <span class=\"arrow\">\u2192<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n <\/button><\/p>\n<p> <button class=\"cover-pick pick-ai\" data-goto=\"ai\" aria-label=\"Explore Before AI Decides\"><br \/>\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"before-ai-decide.jpg\" alt=\"Before Ai Decide\" \/><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-eyebrow\">Published Feb 2026<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-title\">Before AI Decides<\/span><br \/>\n <span class=\"pick-cta\">Explore the book <span class=\"arrow\">\u2192<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n<p class=\"other-books\">Looking for something else? <a href=\"https:\/\/paysonrstevens.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">See Payson’s full body of work at paysonrstevens.com \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"about\" id=\"about\">\n<div class=\"wrap about-grid reveal\">\n<div class=\"portrait-frame\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"payson.jpg\" alt=\"Payson R. Steaven\" \/>\n <\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>About Payson<\/h2>\n<div class=\"desc\">\n<p>Payson R. Stevens is a multidisciplinary talent whose career spans science, art, and literature. He divides his time between California and the remote Indian Himalayan Kullu Valley (Himachal Pradesh). He is the coauthor of <em>Meshuggenary: Celebrating the World of Yiddish<\/em> (Simon & Schuster) and <em>Embracing Earth<\/em> (Chronicle Books). A seasoned public speaker, Stevens has appeared on CNN’s Network Earth and was an early TED speaker.<\/p>\n<p>His unique blend of scientific inquiry, artistic sensibility, and spiritual exploration informs both new books \u2014 one an intimate reckoning with Alzheimer’s, the other a field guide to staying human alongside artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"links-line\">Fifty years of Payson’s work: <a href=\"https:\/\/paysonrstevens.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paysonrstevens.com<\/a> \u00b7 Artwork: <a href=\"https:\/\/energylandscapes.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">energylandscapes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- ================= BOOK 1 \u2014 THE SAGE ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"book sage view-panel book-view\" id=\"sage\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n <a class=\"back-link\" href=\"#splash\" data-goto=\"splash\"><span class=\"arrow\">\u2190<\/span> Back to both books<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<div class=\"book-grid reveal\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"cover-shot\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"Alzheimers-Sage.jpg\" alt=\"alzheimers-sage\" \/>\n <\/div>\n<p class=\"cover-cap\">Front cover, The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"book-kicker\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"eyebrow\">New \u00b7 Publishes November 4, 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"title\">The Wisdom of <br \/>the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/h2>\n<p class=\"subtitle\">A Son’s Journey Through <br \/>Caregiving, Identity, and Spiritual Transformation<\/p>\n<p class=\"meta\">Payson R. Stevens \u00b7 Park Street Press (Inner Traditions)<\/p>\n<div class=\"quick-facts\">\n <span><b>Pub Date<\/b> Nov 4, 2026<\/span><br \/>\n <span><b>ISBN<\/b> 979-8-88850-433-8<\/span><br \/>\n <span><b>Price<\/b> $18.99<\/span><br \/>\n <span><b>Format<\/b> Paper, 192 pp, 6\u00d79<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"countdown\" id=\"sage-countdown\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"desc\">\n<p>Alzheimer’s disease is usually seen as an unforgiving tragedy \u2014 a thief that steals memory, identity, and the people we love, piece by piece. <em>The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/em> asks a different question: what if, buried beneath the pain, there is also a deeper, almost mystical wisdom?<\/p>\n<p>In this intimate memoir, Payson R. Stevens weaves together caregiving, philosophy, and spirituality drawn from his years caring for his mother, Naomi \u2014 “Mamala” \u2014 through her decline. Her cryptic, often startling words (what Stevens calls her “Zenheimer koans”) become unexpected teachings, reframing Alzheimer’s not only as loss but as a kind of ego surrender described across the world’s spiritual traditions. A Postscript carries the journey into a second round of caregiving, for his brother Larry, and the book closes with a curated Resources section for caregivers navigating their own path.<\/p>\n<p>Told in short, episodic chapters, the book offers caregivers, families, and spiritual seekers a rare thing: permission to find beauty, connection, and even grace inside one of life’s hardest passages.<\/p>\n<div class=\"more-text\" id=\"more-sage\">\n<p>Mamala’s cryptic instruction \u2014 “make everything the same different” \u2014 became a kind of compass. Stevens began writing her words down, studying them the way one studies koans: paradoxical, illogical, and strangely illuminating. The parallels he found were not incidental. They echoed the ego-surrender described in Buddhist, Sufi, and contemplative Christian traditions alike \u2014 a dissolving of the self that mystics have long called a kind of grace.<\/p>\n<p>The book closes with a Postscript, “Round Two: All Things Larry,” in which Stevens confronts a second cycle of Alzheimer’s \u2014 this time with his younger brother. Where his mother’s decline revealed serenity, Larry’s is rawer, angrier, less easily reframed \u2014 a reminder that this path looks different for every family. A curated Resources section follows, with organizations, tools, and guideposts for caregivers navigating their own version of this journey.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"read-more-link\" data-target=\"more-sage\" data-more=\"Read more\" data-less=\"Show less\">Read more<\/button>\n <\/div>\n<blockquote class=\"pull\"><p>“I never expected my mother’s disappearance into Alzheimer’s would become a spiritual awakening for both of us.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"buy-row\">\n <a class=\"buy-btn primary\" href=\"#\">Preorder Now<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Amazon<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Barnes & Noble<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Bookshop.org<\/a><br \/>\n <span class=\"buy-note\">Insert live retailer links; preorder to go live ahead of Nov 4, 2026.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<details class=\"excerpt\">\n<summary>Read an excerpt <span class=\"chevron\">\u203a<\/span><\/summary>\n<div class=\"excerpt-card\">\n <span class=\"excerpt-label\">From the chapter “Thoughts from the Silence”<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mamala can be silent for hours \u2014 even days \u2014 on end. All questions are either ignored or answered with a brief nod. Sometimes she smiles with the grin of a Zen master knowing all, knowing nothing. We can only wonder and guess what she feels, experiences, whether our voices are heard, the words understood, or our concerns of any import.<\/p>\n<p>Her Alzheimer’s koans are filled with wisdom and absurdity. They bend reality, reconstruct language, reveal the inadequacy of logical reasoning.<\/p>\n<p>I ask, “Do you know me?”<br \/>\n <em>Of course! You’re you! It’s built into your chest like the heart of a tree and you’re looking to find it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Looking at her photo album, she says: <em>I’ve shot a movie that’s important… I’ll tell you when I have reached it and released all the sanctions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>What’s important, she tells me:<br \/>\n <em>Make it all the same different and the changes will be true.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"excerpt-src\">The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage, Park Street Press, 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"praise reveal\">\n <span class=\"eyebrow\">Praise for The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ticker\">\n<div class=\"ticker-track sage-track\">\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Every ten or so years a book comes along and shows us, in the most elegant story form, how to meet and rise up from life’s most daunting challenges. This is that special book.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 author of The Real Rules of Life and Courageous Aging<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Payson Stevens has given us a gift by sharing the story of his family’s grief and healing. It is a model for all of us and how to honor the process of aging, dying and transformation.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Stephanie S. Covington, PhD \u2014 author of Beyond Trauma and Helping Women Recover<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“If you know someone who is taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease, this book is a must read! It shines a light in the darkness by providing insights that will help caregivers discover an inner journey of newfound wisdom and strength.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Daniel Burrus \u2014 author of the New York Times bestseller Flash Foresight<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“This book is a lifeline for those who are walking alongside someone they love through the shadows of dementia. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s raw. It’s real. And yet, threaded throughout its pages is a deep tenderness \u2014 an offering that will stay with you long after you read the last page.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 from the Foreword<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- duplicate set for seamless loop; hidden from screen readers and shown statically under reduced motion --><\/p>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Every ten or so years a book comes along and shows us, in the most elegant story form, how to meet and rise up from life’s most daunting challenges. This is that special book.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 author of The Real Rules of Life and Courageous Aging<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Payson Stevens has given us a gift by sharing the story of his family’s grief and healing. It is a model for all of us and how to honor the process of aging, dying and transformation.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Stephanie S. Covington, PhD \u2014 author of Beyond Trauma and Helping Women Recover<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“If you know someone who is taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease, this book is a must read! It shines a light in the darkness by providing insights that will help caregivers discover an inner journey of newfound wisdom and strength.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Daniel Burrus \u2014 author of the New York Times bestseller Flash Foresight<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“This book is a lifeline for those who are walking alongside someone they love through the shadows of dementia. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s raw. It’s real. And yet, threaded throughout its pages is a deep tenderness \u2014 an offering that will stay with you long after you read the last page.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 from the Foreword<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- ================= PRESS ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"press modal-top-margin\" id=\"press\">\n<div class=\"wrap reveal\">\n<h2>Press & Recognition<\/h2>\n<div class=\"press-grid\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/imagination.ucsd.edu\/payson-stevens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:var(--moss); text-decoration:underline;\">Fellow, Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, UC San Diego<\/a><\/li>\n<li>U.S. Presidential Design Award \u2014 Arctic Data Interactive (CD-ROM, NASA\/NOAA\/USGS)<\/li>\n<li>Early TED speaker<\/li>\n<li>CNN Network Earth guest appearances<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"press-note\">\n [ As-featured-in press logos and article links to be added as national coverage is secured. Podcast bookings and launch-event listings to follow closer to the November 4 Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage publication date. ]\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- ================= BOOK 2 \u2014 BEFORE AI DECIDES ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"book ai view-panel book-view\" id=\"ai-decides\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n <a class=\"back-link\" href=\"#splash\" data-goto=\"splash\"><span class=\"arrow\">\u2190<\/span> Back to both books<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<div class=\"book-grid reveal\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"cover-shot\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"before-ai-decide.jpg\" alt=\"Before Ai Decide\" \/>\n <\/div>\n<p class=\"cover-cap\">Front cover, Before AI Decides<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"book-kicker\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"eyebrow\">Published February 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"title\">Before AI Decides<\/h2>\n<p class=\"subtitle\">Nine Ways to Stay Human<\/p>\n<p class=\"meta\">Payson R. Stevens \u00b7 Tarang Press<\/p>\n<div class=\"quick-facts\">\n <span><b>Pub Date<\/b> Feb 2026 \u2014 available now<\/span><br \/>\n <span><b>Price<\/b> $15.99<\/span><br \/>\n <span><b>Format<\/b> Paperback<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"desc\">\n<p>AI is already deciding more of your life than you realize \u2014 quietly, efficiently, and usually without your consent. <em>Before AI Decides<\/em> is not a book about whether AI is good or bad. It’s an orientation guide for the moment we’re in right now, before the defaults harden and the choices disappear.<\/p>\n<p>Drawing on five decades of work at the intersection of science, technology, and human systems \u2014 from early molecular biology and oceanography to pioneering interactive media for NASA, NOAA, and USGS \u2014 Payson R. Stevens identifies six warning signs that a system is already deciding for you, nine principles for protecting human judgment, three pressure points where delay becomes costly, and five habits you can put to use today.<\/p>\n<p>Part field guide, part call to attention, the book helps readers stay present as AI enters ordinary life \u2014 work, health, money, family, and the small daily choices that quietly add up to who decides. Read it in an afternoon. Return to it when decisions matter.<\/p>\n<div class=\"more-text\" id=\"more-ai\">\n<p>The book is organized in layers so it can be used, not just read. Part I tells real-world stories of AI quietly shifting from tool to decision-maker. Part II lays out the Nine Pillars. Part III names three pressure points where delay becomes costly, and Part IV offers five practices \u2014 including “Become the Director of AI,” Stevens’ framework for staying the author of your own decisions rather than their audience. An appendix includes a proposed Declaration of Human Rights in the Age of AI.<\/p>\n<p>Stevens used AI himself while writing the book \u2014 openly, and on the record, in an Author’s Note that treats the tool the way the book asks its readers to: with attention, verification, and judgment intact. As he puts it: “Because when we stop owning decisions, AI begins governing us.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"read-more-link\" data-target=\"more-ai\" data-more=\"Read more\" data-less=\"Show less\">Read more<\/button>\n <\/div>\n<blockquote class=\"pull\"><p>“The risk is not intelligence itself. The risk is losing our shared ability to decide what should happen \u2014 and to know who is responsible when it does.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"buy-row\">\n <a class=\"buy-btn primary\" href=\"#\">Buy Now<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Amazon<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Barnes & Noble<\/a><br \/>\n <a class=\"buy-btn\" href=\"#\">Bookshop.org<\/a><br \/>\n <span class=\"buy-note\">Insert live retailer links; add Tarang Press direct-sale link if available.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"featured-essay\">\n<div class=\"fe-icon\">KC<\/div>\n<div>\n <span class=\"fe-eyebrow\">As Seen on Katie Couric Media<\/span><br \/>\n <a class=\"fe-title\" href=\"https:\/\/katiecouric.com\/news\/opinion\/ai-governance-regulations-opinion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why We Need an AI Bill of Rights Before It’s Too Late<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"fe-sub\">A veteran digital innovator makes the case for truth, fairness, and human oversight.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"fe-link\" href=\"https:\/\/katiecouric.com\/news\/opinion\/ai-governance-regulations-opinion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the essay on KatieCouric.com \u2192<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<details class=\"excerpt\">\n<summary>Read an excerpt \u2014 The Nine Pillars <span class=\"chevron\">\u203a<\/span><\/summary>\n<div class=\"excerpt-card\">\n <span class=\"excerpt-label\">The Nine Pillars for Staying Human \u2014 at a glance<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"pillars-grid\">\n<div class=\"sector\">Section I \u00b7 Seeing Clearly<\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">01<\/span><span class=\"name\">Seek the Truth<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Errors compound quietly and reshape reality.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">02<\/span><span class=\"name\">Show the Work<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Hidden decisions block understanding and consent.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">03<\/span><span class=\"name\">Own Your Self<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Control your identity, data, and digital self.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"sector\">Section II \u00b7 Staying in Control<\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">04<\/span><span class=\"name\">Let Humans Decide<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Judgment must not be automated away.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">05<\/span><span class=\"name\">Pay for Human Work<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Value extraction without consent must stop.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">06<\/span><span class=\"name\">Protect Minds<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Attention systems shape wellbeing and identity.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"sector\">Section III \u00b7 Protecting the Future<\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">07<\/span><span class=\"name\">Design for Fairness<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Bias scales when systems go unchecked.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">08<\/span><span class=\"name\">Fix What Breaks<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Harm requires responsibility, repair, and cost.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pillar-item\"><span class=\"num\">09<\/span><span class=\"name\">Choose the Future<\/span><span class=\"tag\">Protect human agency before paths close.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin-top:22px; font-size:16px;\">“AI can generate information at scale. It cannot determine what is true. AI does not know what matters. People do.”<\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"excerpt-src\">Before AI Decides: Nine Ways to Stay Human, Tarang Press, 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"praise reveal\">\n <span class=\"eyebrow\">Praise for Before AI Decides<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ticker\">\n<div class=\"ticker-track ai-track\">\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Human progress has always involved risk and reward. AI now confronts us with something new: autonomy at scale without visibility or reversal. That combination may mark a point of no return. Before AI Decides makes this danger clear and urgent.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Lee Stein \u2014 Entrepreneur & Inventor<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“AI’s current trajectory threatens something fundamental: the human capacity to ask ‘why.’ This book offers a clear, grounded, and practical way to keep human intelligence alive and amplified in our encounters with AI.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Jessica Seddon, PhD \u2014 Senior Lecturer, Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“A clear-eyed guide for anyone trying to stay human in a world increasingly shaped and dominated by AI. Stevens lays out an essential framework for safeguarding our rights, our humanity, and our sanity.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Charles M. Levine \u2014 Former Vice-President, Random House<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Before AI Decides brings rare clarity to one of the defining challenges of our time. Stevens insists that vigilant human attention remain essential to guard against people being overridden as intelligent systems shape decisions that matter.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Erik Viirre, MD, PhD \u2014 Director, Center for Human Imagination, UCSD<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“A clear-eyed wake-up call about protecting human judgment in an automated world. He is no AI doomster. His Declaration of Human Rights for the AI era and Nine Principles offer a practical framework for navigating AI with awareness and care.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Anne Leer \u2014 AI Expert on Policy & Governance<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Having given a lifetime helping humanity, acting with humility, wisdom, and integrity with big picture ideas, Payson Stevens’ seminal work on conscientiously incorporating AI into our lives is a gift beyond measure.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 Best-Selling Author<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- duplicate set for seamless loop; hidden from screen readers and shown statically under reduced motion --><\/p>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Human progress has always involved risk and reward. AI now confronts us with something new: autonomy at scale without visibility or reversal. That combination may mark a point of no return. Before AI Decides makes this danger clear and urgent.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Lee Stein \u2014 Entrepreneur & Inventor<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“AI’s current trajectory threatens something fundamental: the human capacity to ask ‘why.’ This book offers a clear, grounded, and practical way to keep human intelligence alive and amplified in our encounters with AI.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Jessica Seddon, PhD \u2014 Senior Lecturer, Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“A clear-eyed guide for anyone trying to stay human in a world increasingly shaped and dominated by AI. Stevens lays out an essential framework for safeguarding our rights, our humanity, and our sanity.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Charles M. Levine \u2014 Former Vice-President, Random House<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Before AI Decides brings rare clarity to one of the defining challenges of our time. Stevens insists that vigilant human attention remain essential to guard against people being overridden as intelligent systems shape decisions that matter.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Erik Viirre, MD, PhD \u2014 Director, Center for Human Imagination, UCSD<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“A clear-eyed wake-up call about protecting human judgment in an automated world. He is no AI doomster. His Declaration of Human Rights for the AI era and Nine Principles offer a practical framework for navigating AI with awareness and care.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Anne Leer \u2014 AI Expert on Policy & Governance<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-card\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-dup=\"true\">\n<p class=\"quote\">“Having given a lifetime helping humanity, acting with humility, wisdom, and integrity with big picture ideas, Payson Stevens’ seminal work on conscientiously incorporating AI into our lives is a gift beyond measure.”<\/p>\n<p class=\"attrib\">Ken Druck, PhD \u2014 Best-Selling Author<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- ================= PRESS ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"press modal-top-margin\" id=\"press\">\n<div class=\"wrap reveal\">\n<h2>Press & Recognition<\/h2>\n<div class=\"press-grid\">\n<ul>\n<li>Author of the LinkedIn Newsletter “Chasing Agency” \u2014 on AI, aging, human judgment, and what it means to remain human<\/li>\n<li>Op-ed on Katie Couric Media: <a href=\"https:\/\/katiecouric.com\/news\/opinion\/ai-governance-regulations-opinion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:var(--slate-dk); text-decoration:underline;\">“Why We Need an AI Bill of Rights Before It’s Too Late”<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Advance review submissions in progress: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, Booklist, Foreword<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"press-note\">\n [ As-featured-in press logos and article links to be added as national coverage is secured. Podcast bookings and launch-event listings to follow closer to the November 4 Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage publication date. ]\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- ================= PRESS ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"press press-comman\" id=\"press\">\n<div class=\"wrap reveal\">\n<h2>Press & Recognition<\/h2>\n<div class=\"press-grid\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/imagination.ucsd.edu\/payson-stevens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:var(--moss); text-decoration:underline;\">Fellow, Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, UC San Diego<\/a><\/li>\n<li>U.S. Presidential Design Award \u2014 Arctic Data Interactive (CD-ROM, NASA\/NOAA\/USGS)<\/li>\n<li>Early TED speaker<\/li>\n<li>CNN Network Earth guest appearances<\/li>\n<li>Author of the LinkedIn Newsletter “Chasing Agency” \u2014 on AI, aging, human judgment, and what it means to remain human<\/li>\n<li>Op-ed on Katie Couric Media: <a href=\"https:\/\/katiecouric.com\/news\/opinion\/ai-governance-regulations-opinion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:var(--slate-dk); text-decoration:underline;\">“Why We Need an AI Bill of Rights Before It’s Too Late”<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Advance review submissions in progress: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, Booklist, Foreword<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"press-note\">\n [ As-featured-in press logos and article links to be added as national coverage is secured. Podcast bookings and launch-event listings to follow closer to the November 4 Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage publication date. ]\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- ================= FOR MEDIA, REVIEWERS & PODCASTERS ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"media-kit reveal\" id=\"media\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n <span class=\"eyebrow\" style=\"color:#E4A97E;\">For Media, Reviewers & Podcasters<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin-top:10px;\">Everything you need in one place<\/h2>\n<p class=\"lead\">Payson is available for interviews, excerpts, and speaking engagements around both books. The essentials \u2014 bio, angles, and contact \u2014 are below so you don’t have to build the pitch yourself.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mk-grid\">\n<div class=\"mk-card\">\n <span class=\"mk-eyebrow\">Press Kit<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Downloads<\/h3>\n<p>Hi-res front covers, author portrait, and a one-sheet PDF for each book, plus a bio at three lengths (25 \/ 50 \/ 100 words) ready to paste into a program or intro.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"mk-link\" href=\"#\">Download the press kit \u2192<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"mk-card\">\n <span class=\"mk-eyebrow\">Reviewers<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Request a review copy<\/h3>\n<p>Advance copies of <em>The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage<\/em> (pub. Nov 4, 2026) are available now for qualifying press and reviewers. <em>Before AI Decides<\/em> finished copies ship on request.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"mk-link\" href=\"#\">Request a review copy \u2192<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<div class=\"mk-card\">\n <span class=\"mk-eyebrow\">Podcasters<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Book an interview<\/h3>\n<p>Talking points to pitch internally:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What 25 years of caregiving taught a scientist about identity and letting go<\/li>\n<li>The “Director of AI” framework \u2014 staying the author of your decisions, not their audience<\/li>\n<li>Why the same author is writing about Alzheimer’s and artificial intelligence in the same year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <a class=\"mk-link\" href=\"mailto:carina@parallel33pr.com?subject=Podcast%20booking%20request%20\u2014%20Payson%20R.%20Stevens\">Pitch a booking \u2192<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mk-grid\" style=\"margin-top:28px; grid-template-columns:1fr;\">\n<div class=\"mk-card\">\n <!-- <span class=\"mk-eyebrow\">Hear Him Speak<\/span> --><\/p>\n<h3>Payson on his Book<\/h3>\n<div class=\"mk-video\">\n<div class=\"youtube-video\">\n <iframe\n src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7cjVj1ZyzyE\"\n title=\"YouTube video\"\n allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\"\n allowfullscreen><br \/>\n <\/iframe>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- ================= NEWSLETTER ================= --><\/p>\n<section class=\"newsletter reveal\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<h2>Chasing Agency<\/h2>\n<p>Payson’s newsletter on AI, aging, human judgment, and what it means to remain human. New essays as both books head toward launch.<\/p>\n<form class=\"nl-form\" id=\"nl-form\">\n <input type=\"email\" id=\"nl-email\" placeholder=\"you@email.com\" required><br \/>\n <button type=\"submit\">Subscribe<\/button><br \/>\n <\/form>\n<div class=\"nl-confirm\" id=\"nl-confirm\">Thank you \u2014 you’re on the list.<\/div>\n<p class=\"nl-note\">Placeholder form \u2014 connect to an email service (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.) before launch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<div class=\"foot-row\">\n<div class=\"wordmark\">Payson R. Stevens <span>\u00b7 Author<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"foot-links\">\n <a href=\"#sage\">Alzheimer\u2019s Sage<\/a><br \/>\n <a href=\"#ai-decides\">Before AI Decides<\/a><br \/>\n <!-- <a href=\"#about\">About<\/a> --><br \/>\n <a href=\"#media\">For Media<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"contact\">For interviews, excerpts, and speaking engagements: Carina Sammartino, Parallel33 PR \u2014 <a href=\"mailto:carina@parallel33pr.com\">carina@parallel33pr.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p><script>\n \/\/ ---------- View switching (Splash \/ Sage \/ AI Decides) ----------\n const VIEWS = { splash: 'view-splash', sage: 'sage', ai: 'ai-decides' };<\/p>\n<p> function showView(name, opts){\n opts = opts || {};\n const targetId = VIEWS[name] || VIEWS.splash;\n document.querySelectorAll('.view-panel').forEach(p=>p.classList.remove('active'));\n const target = document.getElementById(targetId);\n if(target) target.classList.add('active');\n if(!opts.skipHash){\n const hash = name === 'splash' ? '' : (name === 'ai' ? 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Stevens \u2014 Author of Before AI Decides & The Wisdom of the Alzheimer’s Sage Payson R. Stevens \u00b7 Author Alzheimer\u2019s Sage Before AI Decides For Media paysonrstevens.com \u2197 Payson’s New Books 2026 Two Books. One Author.One Question:What Makes Us Human? A caregiver’s memoir on Alzheimer’s, and a technologist’s field guide to AI \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10,"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/10"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/designingprojectmanagement.com\/prs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}