A History of Old Age (Hardcover)

~ Pat Thane (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

As the last stage of a long life, old age has been a subject about which practically every mortal has thought, sometimes with dread, sometimes with acceptance, but always with the need somehow to come to terms with a challenging condition. In the book, seven contributors examine how the best thinkers and artists of each historical epoch in the West have treated old age. They examine the myths--like our belief that modern man lives longer than his ancestors did--and the images, both visual and verbal, that have been created to represent that which we shall all become. Full of surprising and fascinating facts about old age and the literature and art it has inspired, A History of Old Age provides a welcome and refreshing look at what the subject has meant to the Greeks and the Romans, medieval men and women, the Romantics, and the modern men and women of rootless, urban societies. Opulently and ingeniously illustrated with reproductions drawn from this astonishingly wide range of eras and media, it offers reassurance as it brings to light the strength and nobility so many writers and artists have found in the elderly. It is an uplifting companion for those who, like it or not, are beginning to understand the inevitability of their own aging process.

About the Author

Pat Thane is deputy director of the Institute of Historical Research, London; Tim Parkin is professor of classics, University of Canterbury; Shulamith Shahar is professor emeritus, Tel Aviv University; Marcia Pointon is professor emerita and former Chair, School of History and Architecture, University of Manchester; Thomas Cole is professor at the University of Texas; and Deborah Cherry is professor of the history of art at Sussex University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Getty Publications; 1 edition (November 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892368349
• ISBN-13: 978-0892368341
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #107,749 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #37 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Gerontology
  #74 in	Books > Parenting & Families > Aging Parents > Aging

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Grown-ups, June 7, 2006

By	Nadine Granoff "nadine" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Actually, this is edited by Pat Thane. It includes essays by like-minded, somewhat creative, social historians. This is more of a coffee-table book, with some scholarly tendencies. The images are high-resolution, well-chosen, and beautifully printed. the layout is fabulous. In terms of content, there's nothing spectacular or innovative here but the research and analysis is solid.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have book for your library, March 20, 2006

By	M. L. Brown (Madisonville, KY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book for my philosophy class--Philosophy and Old Age--and have not been disappointed. The art work is extraordinary and allows one to not only read about the historical views of aging but to also see old age depicted throughout history in the art work from the Greek and Roman worlds to the 20th century. I have to say this is one textbook I was assigned to buy that I have not regretted paying the price (and it was much less than a textbook, I might add!). It would be perfect on the coffee table and should be somewhere that others can pick it up and browse through it. No matter what age one is, this book will grab the reader from the beginning, will make one think about his or her own life, will enlighten with its well-researched info, and will stay with the reader long after the reading ends.