Grandparents: A New Look at the Supporting Generation (Paperback)

by Ursula Adler Falk (Author), Gerhard Falk (Author) "This book outlines the historical view of grandparents and the ways that view has changed during the last century..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, African American, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Psychotherapist Ursula Falk and sociologist Gerhard Falk's Grandparents: A New Look at the Supporting Generation offers a refreshing take on grandparents. The authors contend that in the past century, grandparents' roles have changed dramatically, due to the rise of big government, the advent of the postindustrial age, increased longevity and a decline in fertility, among other factors. Grandparents are now more active and are often forced to assume parental responsibilities, yet they must deal with occasionally negative and stereotypical depictions of themselves in the media. The Falks' book attempts to eliminate these labels and make family members aware of grandparents' own individuality.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
A timely topic does not always a good book make, and such is the unfortunate case of the Falks' consideration of the perceptions and potential roles of grandparents today (she's a psychotherapist, he a sociologist). In spite of having written several similar titles, both separately and together (Gerhard is the author of Stigma: How We Treat Outsiders; Ursula Adler wrote Ageism, the Aged and Aging in America), the discussions here (including grandparents in the context of history, current social change, and the media) are given too broad, often undocumented, less-than-original observations. In the authors' attempt to be culturally diverse they offer examples of grandparenting drawn from Filipino, African American, and Mexican cultures, among others scant, anecdotal evidence is presented in drawing conclusive statements. Moreover, the wooden style and awkward sentence structure throughout the work are distracting. This book cannot be recommended; more substantial alternatives include Daphne Joslin's Invisible Caregivers: Older Adults Raising Children in the Wake of HIV/AIDS, Geoff Dench's Grandmothers: The Changing Culture, and Lynne M. Casper's Continuity and Change in the American Family. Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573929662
• ISBN-13: 978-1573929660
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #459,584 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific for grandparents & kids of grandparents, January 1, 2003

By A Customer

This is an interestingly constructed book, in that it has both theory & examples in it. There are enough case studies, in fact, that you're sure to recognize some personality types.

I am not personally a grandparent, but am the child of grandparents, & a potential grandparent, of course. I actually bought it for my parents but, to tell the truth, read it first. They liked it too!

One other point is that the book is inexpensive, which perhaps shouldn't be a consideration, but it matters.