Another Country

"I read this when it first came out (before the days of Goodreads!). I've re-read it now as part of some work responsibilities. I remember liking it quite a bit back then. Now, twenty years later, as both of my parents are gone and my in-laws are facing many struggles of aging there were parts of it that had more richness for me now; and parts that were just hard to read because they struck too close to home. Still, overall, I do still like it quite a bit. <br/><br/>Twenty years ago, I'd likely have given it four stars. I did find myself wondering, however, whether certain chapters might not be written differently now that 20 years have passed since Pipher first published this book. When she wrote the book, she was in her early 50s and the young-old/old-old (her terms) she was writing about were in their mid-60s to 90s, with a few references to those older. The generational issues she addresses are from the perspective of someone in the Baby Boomer generation writing about people from the Builder generation. If the same book were written now, twenty years later, it would be from the perspective of a Buster or Millenial writing about people from the Boomer generation. I wonder how some of her pyschological portraits might be drawn differently? The book mostly addresses universal realities of aging, of course, but there are significant portions that relate directly to a generation's historical experience and group personality that I suspect would feel somewhat different if written today. (I also find myself, simply out of curiosity, wanting to ask her: "Now that you're twenty years older, do you still agree with everything you wrote then? Or has your own experience shifted some of your perspectives?")<br/><br/>That being said, there is still much of value in this book. Her style of all of her books is to string her theories and statements together with narrative case studies; to some, it may sometimes feel disjointed. Certainly, the last couple of chapters feel more case study than other, but there's reason for that. Still, I do find this book a good overview of issues related to aging; the case studies do help illustrate what she's talking about in the chapter; and the stories of young/old and old/old and their families did make me remember what I've experienced in similar situations and helped me think through how I would like to behave and think as I grow older as well.<br/><br/>I especially recommend this to adult children of even adult-er parents. It will help you see things through your parents' eyes as they begin to experience some of the realities of advanced life themselves."