Old man country : my search for meaning among the elders / Thomas R. Cole.
Material type:
TextPublisher: New York : Oxford University Press, [2020]Description: xi, 178 pages : illustration ; 25 cmISBN: - 9780190689988
| Item type | Current library | Collection | Shelving location | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Book | Phillipsburg Free Public Library | Adult Non-Fiction | Adult Non-Fiction | 305.2610973 COL | Available | 36748002470344 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
We aspire to live in a country where old men are celebrated as vital elders but not demeaned if they become ill and dependent. We aspire to maintain health as well as maintain dignity and fulfillment in frailty. Old Man Country helps readers see and imagine these possibilities for themselves. The book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom, as he encounters twelve distinguished American men over 80 - including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world's most famous heart surgeon. In these and other intimate conversations, the book explores and honors the particular way that each man faces four challenges of living a good old age: Am I still a man? Do I still matter? What is the meaning of my life? Am I loved? Readers will come to see how each man - even the most famous - faces universal challenges. Personal stories about work, love, sexuality, and hope mingle with stories about illness, loss and death. This book will strengthen each of us as we and our loved ones anticipate and navigate our way through the passages of old age.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
"We live in a time of change, an era where old men can maintain health but find dignity in frailty. Old Man Country helps readers see and imagine this change for themselves. The book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom, as he narrates encounters with twelve distinguished American men over 80 -- including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world's most famous heart surgeon. In these and other intimate conversations, the book explores and honors the particular way that each man faces the challenges of living a good old age"-- Provided by publisher.
Table of contents provided by Syndetics
- Acknowledgments (p. ix)
- Chapter 1 What My Fathers Couldn't Find (p. 1)
- Chapter 2 Setting Out on Life's Journey (p. 5)
- Part I Am I Still a Man?
- Chapter 3 George Vaillant and the Good Life of the American Man (p. 25)
- Chapter 4 Red Duke: The Cowboy Surgeon (p. 37)
- Chapter 5 Sherwin Nuland: The Old Man Who Was Young and Strong (p. 47)
- Interlude: A Family Letter (p. 55)
- Part II Do I Still Matter?
- Chapter 6 The Moral World of Paul Volcker (p. 61)
- Chapter 7 Denton Cooley and the Legacy of 100,000 Hearts (p. 71)
- Chapter 8 John Harper Gets by with a Little Help from His Friends (p. 79)
- Interlude: The Fall of Daedalus (p. 89)
- Part III What Is the Meaning of My Life?
- Chapter 9 Hugh Downs: Television Broadcaster as Modern-Day Cicero (p. 95)
- Chapter 10 Sam Karff and the Power of Stories (p. 105)
- Chapter 11 James Forbes: Old Man by the Riverside (p. 115)
- Interlude: Love Calls You by Your Name (p. 125)
- Part IV Am I Still Loved?
- Chapter 12 Dan Callahan: Love in the (Old) Age of Ethics (p. 131)
- Chapter 13 The Story of Walter Wink: Nonviolent Resistance and Dementia (p. 141)
- Chapter 14 Ram Dass and Me (p. 149)
- Interlude: Who Do You Think You Are? (p. 159)
- Chapter 15 Gleanings for the Path Ahead (p. 165)
- Sources and Further Reading (p. 171)
- Index (p. 175)