Another Country: The Emotional Terrain of Our Elders [ABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

~ Mary Pipher (Author, Reader)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The other "country" of the title is the land of old age, separated from the rest of us by language, custom, and capabilities. As Pipher (Reviving Ophelia, which tackled the terrain of teenage girls) writes, the oldAparticularly the "old old," those dealing not just with age but with infirmity, grief, and diminished capacitiesAare often emotionally separated from their children and grandchildren because of differences that the younger folks don't understandAand she endeavors to set that right. Using stories of some of her clients to illustrate problems faced by the old and their families, Pipher gives a deeper understanding of what the old are going through and how the transition to that other country, and then to the end of life, can be eased for all. Throughout, she stresses the need for community and companions, showing how sometimes the emotional or physical problems of the aged can be eased simply by having other people need and love them. As read by Joan Allen, whose soft yet expressive voice lends tenderness, feeling, and even a touch of humor to the author's words, this is an enriching work, one that takes a sad, depressing topic and makes it a source for inspiration and thought. Full of insight and compassion, this provides a vivid glimpse into the other country for those seeing their elders go there, as well as those people preparing for their own journey; highly recommended for all audio collections.ASally G. Waters, Stetson Coll. of Law Lib., St. Petersburg, FL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

If age is Another Country, then we must all learn to speak its language. As our parents and grandparents grow older, it's hard to find the words to talk about medicine, loneliness, love, forgetfulness, or selling the house. We need a language that bridges the gap between generations and takes into account that our elders can be just as reluctant to ask for or even accept our time and our efforts as we are eager to understand the wants and needs of people who lived before television, Freudian psychology, e-mail, and the first trip to the moon.

There are more older people in America today than ever before. They are our parents and grandparents, our aunts and uncles and in-laws. They are living longer, but in a culture that has come to worship youth. They grew up in real communities, whether rural or urban, where people looked out for one another, and where children and grandchildren lived nearby. Today, families have dispersed. Communities have broken down. Older people are isolated. Adults in two-career families struggle to divide their time among their kids, their jobs, and their aging parents. This is the rough terrain that Mary Pipher has chosen to explore.

Another Country is a field guide to this foreign landscape -- a help and a resource. Writing from her experience as a therapist and drawing from interviews with families and older people, Mary Pipher offers us scenarios to bridge the communication gap. And in these poignant and hopeful stories of real children, adults, and elders are the secrets to mutual understanding. With her inimitable combination of respect and realism, Pipher gets inside the minds, hearts, and bodies of men and women in their seventies, eighties and nineties. And we begin to understand that the landscape of age is truly that of Another Country.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audioworks; Abridged edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671044753
• ISBN-13: 978-0671044756
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,658,433 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story as well as a great resource., July 21, 1999

By A Customer

When I had my first baby I turned to Dr. Spock to learn about the things I might expect to experience. I didn't know I would need a book to help me be the best caregiver I could be for my grandparents.Another Country was so pertinent to my life I felt it was my diary written for me to read. I'm living so much of what is covered in the book, with my grandmother living with us. Ms Pipher writes about I am experiencing. It explains some things, answers questions, but also makes me ask some too. I'm so glad to have found this friend! Definitely a book for my shelves, to be revisited again I'm sure, just as Spock was.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ages 15 to 115 should read this book and will love it!, May 10, 1999

By A Customer

Understanding another generation and helping them isn't easy, but Pipher shows us all the way. All who plan to have another birthday, and even if someone you love probably won't...read this book! Humor, helpful tips, knowledge and appreciation of all ages of our society are contained in these wonderful pages. I couldn't put it down. Often laughed, often cried, and learned a lot!!! I am going back to Amazon now to order several more copies for gifts. Order this book, you will be glad you did.

1.0 out of 5 stars Another Country is a big diappointment, May 8, 2000

By	Ruth Ann Shriver "nanny" (Allison, Iowa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a member of the 50 something crowd I am entering unchartedwaters in dealing with aging parents. I was expecting a helpful guideand instead got someone who is lost herself! Everyone has a story and Mary's aren't unique or enlightening. It's still on the shelf, unfinished. What was the point?