Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble

Description

In his landmark provocative style, Stephen Jenkinson makes the case that we
must birth a new generation of elders, one poised and willing to be true
stewards of the planet and its species. Come of Age does not offer tips on how
to be a better senior citizen or how to be kinder to our elders. Rather, with
lyrical prose and incisive insight, Stephen Jenkinson explores the great
paradox of elderhood in North America: how we are awash in the aged and yet
somehow lacking in wisdom; how we relegate senior citizens to the corner of
the house while simultaneously heralding them as sage elders simply by virtue
of their age. Our own unreconciled relationship with what it means to be an
elder has yielded a culture nearly bereft of them. Meanwhile, the planet
boils, and the younger generation boils with anger over being left an
environment and sociopolitical landscape deeply scarred and broken. Taking on
the sacred cow of the family, Jenkinson argues that elderhood is a function
rather than an identity—it is not a position earned simply by the number of
years on the planet or the title “parent” or “grandparent.” As with his
seminal book Die Wise, Jenkinson interweaves rich personal stories with
iconoclastic observations that will leave readers radically rethinking their
concept of what it takes to be an elder and the risks of doing otherwise. Part
critique, part call to action, Come of Age is a love song inviting
us—imploring us—to elderhood in this time of trouble. That time is now. We’re
an hour before dawn, and first light will show the carnage, or the courage, we
bequeath to the generations to come. Read more

Features:

Product Details:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ North Atlantic Books (July 3, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1623172098
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 91
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.01 x 1.23 x 9.06 inches
• Best Sellers Rank: #432,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #130 in Gerontology Social Sciences #1,421 in Cultural Anthropology (Books) #2,640 in Mental & Spiritual Healing
• #130 in Gerontology Social Sciences
• #1,421 in Cultural Anthropology (Books)