Literature and Gerontology: A Research Guide

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Comprehensive overview of literary works that illuminate the experiences of aging. Bibliographical essays analyze the ideas or themes relating to over 70 topics. Lengthy critical annotations accompany the more than 350 literary works, across various genres, on the different topics. An introduction, how to use the work section, careful cross-referencing, and author and subject indexes make this a useful research tool for gerontologists, health-care professionals, and general readers concerned with aging. Selective, annotated bibliography aimed at providing gerontologists, health care professionals, and general readers interested in the aging process, a useful tool for identifying and utilizing literary works that provide insight into various topics in gerontology. Part One contains bibliographical essays on more than 70 topics in gerontology. Each essay analyzes the ideas or themes that a number of literary works provide on a specific topic. The essays illustrate the relevance of literary works to gerontology study, introducing readers to a variety of works whose characters, plots, themes, or images bear on current topics in gerontology. Part Two includes detailed critical annotations of more than 350 literary works, including anthologies, autobiographies, novels, plays, poems, and stories. Annotations are detailed and draw out specific issues related to characterization, plot, conflicts, themes, imagery, and metaphors. This comprehensive overview includes an introduction, a chapter about how to use the guide, and author and subject indexes.

Reviews

.,."offers 44 meticulously written essays covering 77 topics of concern in gerontology (e.g. ageism, elder abuse). This book is directed at gerontologists who care to add another dimension to the scientific understanding of aging, but it can be successfully used by anyone interested in the portrayal of the elderly in literature. Three indexes and the general arrangement of the volume provide easy access to topics."-Choice
...offers 44 meticulously written essays covering 77 topics of concern in gerontology (e.g. ageism, elder abuse). This book is directed at gerontologists who care to add another dimension to the scientific understanding of aging, but it can be successfully used by anyone interested in the portrayal of the elderly in literature. Three indexes and the general arrangement of the volume provide easy access to topics.-Choice
the book is organized, easy to use, and contains a number of indexes. this work would be invaluable for the gerontologist wanting to intergrate literary works into a course for the English professor wanting to intergrate gerontological concepts.-ARBA
The selections are extremely well chosen, reflecting the wide reading and the good taste of professors Yahnke and Eastman. Espically valuable is the section that inventories the major literary anthologies the have apperared in the past 15 years, since these are what most classroom teachers will want to use.-Journal of Gerontological Social Work
"the book is organized, easy to use, and contains a number of indexes. this work would be invaluable for the gerontologist wanting to intergrate literary works into a course for the English professor wanting to intergrate gerontological concepts."-ARBA
"The selections are extremely well chosen, reflecting the wide reading and the good taste of professors Yahnke and Eastman. Espically valuable is the section that inventories the major literary anthologies the have apperared in the past 15 years, since these are what most classroom teachers will want to use."-Journal of Gerontological Social Work
..."offers 44 meticulously written essays covering 77 topics of concern in gerontology (e.g. ageism, elder abuse). This book is directed at gerontologists who care to add another dimension to the scientific understanding of aging, but it can be successfully used by anyone interested in the portrayal of the elderly in literature. Three indexes and the general arrangement of the volume provide easy access to topics."-Choice

Author Bio

ROBERT E. YAHNKE, Professor in the General College at the University of Minnesota, has taught courses in film study, composition, literature, and the humanities to entry-level students since 1976. He also teaches graduate-level courses in literature and aging to students in the Department of Family Social Science in the College of Human Ecology. He has presented numerous workshops on the use of educational media in gerontology instruction, and he has presented papers on literature and aging at national meetings of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education and the Gerontological Society of America. He is the editor of A Time of Humanities (1976) and author of The Great Circle of Life: A Resource Guide to Films and Videos on Aging (1988) and Aging in Literature: A Reader's Guide, with Richard M. Eastman (1990). RICHARD M. EASTMAN, Professor Emeritus at North Central College, served variously during his years there as chair of English, chair of General Studies, dean of the faculty, and vice-president for academic affairs./e A writer and music composer, he has also written Style: Writing and Reading as the Discovery of Outlook (1984) and a Guide to the Novel (1965), together with various articles about aging and literature.