Love Stories of Later Life: A Narrative Approach to Understanding Romance [Hardcover]

Amanda Smith Barusch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 13, 2008

Even with baby boomers retiring and greater media and research attention being lavished on older people, most gerontologists have studiously avoided examining romance among the elderly. Love Stories of Later Life is an appealing and eye-opening remedy to this neglect, as leading gerontologist Amanda Smith Barusch presents original research into what love and romance mean in seniors' lives. The result is a glimpse into a world many people didn't know existed - that of romantic love in later life.
Unlike superficial guidebooks that purport to help seniors find a new mate, Love Stories of Later Life integrates theory and the latest research on love and the aging process. Drawing on a wealth of personal narratives collected during a landmark five-year study, the book presents the lived experiences of older adults from all walks of life. It addresses the impact of common age-related changes, both emotional and physical, on romantic relationships, and argues that love continues to sculpt our personalities and our lives, even in life's later decades. Each chapter includes practical tools for the serious student of love, including exercises designed to increase self-awareness and relationship-building as well as annotated lists of suggested reading that are at once comprehensive and accessible.
Barusch's fresh perspective, engaging voice, and in-depth qualitative research make Love Stories of Later Life an important contribution to the study of individual lives and the aging process. This book will guide gerontologists, social workers, and counselors as they in turn help their older clients navigate love's challenges.

Visit the author's website: Amanda Barusch

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In Love in Later Life, Amanda Barusch takes the reader on a tour of late life's romantic possibilities - from infatuation to loss, with stops along the way at ecstasy, betrayal, and other complications. Part romance novel, part scholarly work, the book explores love through the ages. In late life, as when we are younger, love changes everything."--Andrew Scharlach, Associate Dean and Kleiner Professor of Aging, School of Social Welfare, University of California-Berkeley

"Until recently (when the Baby Boomers came on the scene), scientists have neglected the topic of passionate love and sexual desire in older folks. In this delightful, personal book -- filled with up-to-date social psychological research -- Dr. Barusch provides a much needed remedy for that omission."--Elaine Hatfield, Professor, Dept. of Psychology, University of Hawaii

"This book dispels any notion that only young people enjoy romance. In a fun and engaging read, Barusch weaves cases with the most cutting-edge academic information on love in a thrilling tale about how love changes with age. The book is potentially transformative, as Barusch uncovers how in many respects the best is yet to come. Although the content appeals to a broad audience and includes experiential exercises to enhance readers' awareness about their own experiences, scholars and practitioners from all health professions should read this book."--Virginia Richardson, Professor, The Ohio State University College of Social Work

"While acknowledging life-course issues of difficulties and losses, and always the problems of trial and error in love, Barusch relates that, in later years, the opportunities are there for strong emotions. Rather than the usual texts on isolated, impoverished, detached, struggling older people, this book brings out the positive aspects of growing older and acknowledges the possibility of being a whole person at every age."--nsight

"In Love in Later Life, Amanda Barusch takes the reader on a tour of late life's romantic possibilities - from infatuation to loss, with stops along the way at ecstasy, betrayal, and other complications. Part romance novel, part scholarly work, the book explores love through the ages. In late life, as when we are younger, love changes everything."--Andrew Scharlach, Associate Dean and Kleiner Professor of Aging, School of Social Welfare, University of California-Berkeley

"Until recently (when the Baby Boomers came on the scene), scientists have neglected the topic of passionate love and sexual desire in older folks. In this delightful, personal book -- filled with up-to-date social psychological research -- Dr. Barusch provides a much needed remedy for that omission."--Elaine Hatfield, Professor, Dept. of Psychology, University of Hawaii

"This book dispels any notion that only young people enjoy romance. In a fun and engaging read, Barusch weaves cases with the most cutting-edge academic information on love in a thrilling tale about how love changes with age. The book is potentially transformative, as Barusch uncovers how in many respects the best is yet to come. Although the content appeals to a broad audience and includes experiential exercises to enhance readers' awareness about their own experiences, scholars and practitioners from all health professions should read this book."--Virginia Richardson, Professor, The Ohio State University College of Social Work

"A scholarly approach to a 'fuzzy' concept, the book is enlivened with rich and often touching stories of love past age 50. Love is seen though the broad lens of historical, cultural, social, psychological and even spiritual eyes. A 'must read' for educators and practitioners as well as students of life, this book is a major contribution to breaking the stereotypes of what it means to grow old and how life continues to be meaningful in the later years."--Connie Corley, Professor, School of Social Work and Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, California State University-Los Angeles

"While acknowledging life-course issues of difficulties and losses, and always the problems of trial and error in love, Barusch relates that, in later years, the opportunities are there for strong emotions. Rather than the usual texts on isolated, impoverished, detached, struggling older people, this book brings out the positive aspects of growing older and acknowledges the possibility of being a whole person at every age."--Insight

"[Barusch] writers for academic gerontologists who have an interest in the study of late relationships...[and] for elders who desire to gain insight into romantic and sexual relationships in later life. Academically, [Barusch offers] new and profound insights...the book is delightful, hopeful and inspiring. It is rare for an author to successfully address two such diverse audiences. I encourage both academic and public libraries to adopt this fine work."--Stephen M. Marson for Age and Ageing

About the Author

Amanda Smith Barusch, PhD, has been teaching and researching in the field of aging for over 25 years. Most of those were spent on the faculty of the College of Social Work at the University of Utah. She now serves as Professor and Head of Department of Social Work and Community Development at the University of Otago in New Zealand. She has received numerous academic awards, prizes and fellowships, and her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Administration on Aging, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195314042
• ISBN-13: 978-0195314045
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,159,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amanda Barusch was born in 1955 in Long Beach, California. She was educated at Reed College in Portland Oregon and U.C. Berkeley. An award-winning teacher, she has published on a wide range of topics from international policies to interpersonal relations. Her latest book, Love Stories of Later Life, was released in 2008 by Oxford University Press.

She divides her time between the University of Utah and the University of Otago, in New Zealand and enjoys long walks in the hills with husband and dogs. Her blog and works in progress are posted at www.amandabarusch.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Stories of Later Life, May 5, 2008

By 

B. Hale - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Stories of Later Life: A Narrative Approach to Understanding Romance (Hardcover)

This book is well worth buying, reading and keeping for further reference. It is a beautifully written, clearly expressed and accessible work on the positive aspects of growing older, recognising the possibilities for being a whole person at every age.
It is about love stories in later life, from seventies to well into the nineties, and is a well-researched work on how older people sustain continuing relationships or create new short or longer term relationships, both hetero-sexual or same sex, of love, romance, sex, infatuation. Amanda Barusch breaks through ageist stereotypes to reveal that emotions persist and maybe even increase as we get older, that sex is not only for the young, and that romance is there at all ages. She also helpfully provides academic insights into theorists such as Bowlby, Jung and Freud, and considers the concept of love throughout the centuries and cultures, beginning with ancient Greece, and ending with our own western industrialised societies.
This is a ground-breaking academic book, pushing past the myths of ageing, with theories supported by thorough research. Good for all social workers and others in gerontology, for adult children, and especially for those of us in our later years.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celebrates love beyond 50, February 8, 2010

By 

Maura (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Stories of Later Life: A Narrative Approach to Understanding Romance (Hardcover)

(The following review is posted on behalf of an acquaintance having trouble with her Amazon account)

Amanda Smith Barusch has written a book that celebrates the potential for love experiences in folks beyond 50. Now in my upper 70s and living my own new love story, I gleefully join the celebration! In this stunning piece of research, Ms. Barusch has redefined love and its ability to expand and reshape lives at any stage. She immediately convinces me that she is intrigued with people my age, and then proceeds to narrate con amore the joys and challenges, illusions and disillusionments of mature love. The language is uplifting; old stereotypes of aging are replaced with a bright new vocabulary that evokes hope and opportunity. "Love Stories of Later Life" is a melding of scholarship and lyricism, delightfully punctuated with wisdom ranging from Plato to Dr. Seuss and enlivened with photos of Ms. Barusch's subjects. Here is a work that has resonance for many audiences: I for one give it a standing ovation!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done!, June 7, 2008

By 

S. M Marson (Lumberton, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Stories of Later Life: A Narrative Approach to Understanding Romance (Hardcover)

For single people over the age of 65, LOVE STORIES OF LATER LIFE is the book to read. Although Barusch writes this book for gerontologists, her audience includes readers over the age of 65. At the end of each chapter, Barusch includes comments that could be found on the Oprah Winfrey program. Barusch does a sensitive job in guiding elders who are seeking intimate partners.

The author includes narrative comments and survey research results then provides an analysis in each chapter. Although my description seems to follow an academic pattern, her writing is quite readable and useful for non-academics who desire intimate relationships.