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Title details for Composing a Further Life by Mary Catherine Bateson - Available

Composing a Further Life

The Age of Active Wisdom

by Mary Catherine Bateson
Sevanne Kassarjian
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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Mary Catherine Bateson sees aging today as an "improvisational art form calling for imagination and willingness to learn," and in this ardent, affirming study, she relates the experiences of men and women—herself included—who, upon entering this second adulthood, have found new meaning and new ways to contribute, composing their lives in new patterns.


Among the people Bateson engages in open-ended, in-depth conversations are a retired Maine boatyard worker who has become a silversmith and maker of fine jewelry; an African American woman who explores the importance of grandmothering; two gay men finding contentment in mutual caring; the retired dean of a cathedral in New York City who exemplifies how a multiplicity of interests and connections lead to deeper unity; and Jane Fonda, who shares her ways of dealing with change and spiritual growth.


Here is a book that presents each of us—at any age—with an exhilarating challenge to think about and approach our later lives with the full force of imagination, curiosity, and enthusiasm. At the same time, it speaks to us as members of a larger society concerned about the world that our children and grandchildren, born and not yet born, will inherit. "We live longer," she says, "but we think shorter." As adults find themselves entering Adulthood II, making the choices that will affirm and complete the meaning of the lives they have lived, they can play a key role, contributing their perspectives and their experience of adapting to change. In our day, wisdom is no longer associated with withdrawal and passivity but with engagement with others and the contribution that Bateson calls "active wisdom."

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 14, 2010

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781400198849
      • File size: 298730 KB
      • Duration: 10:22:21

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Bateson's book, a sequel to her classic COMPOSING A LIFE, encourages elders to reflect on their lives and dreams and then move ahead with anticipation and joy for a later life full of learning and new experiences. With imagination and creativity, many people can create this phase of life--dubbed Adulthood II--as the natural next phase of their past experiences or as the beginning of something quite different. The book is drawn from Bateson's life and from the experiences of six individuals she selected for their varied background and interests. Sevanne Kassarjian, Bateson's daughter and a professional actor, is an earnest and engaged narrator. In the interview sections of the book, she creates voices that reflect the personalities and passions of the speakers. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 26, 2010
      Picking up where she left off in Composing a Life (1991), anthropologist Bateson interviews six older individuals, from a retired Maine boatyard worker to Jane Fonda, who have accomplished most of their life goals but actively seek new and satisfying ways to live robust lives. Adulthood II, as Bateson call this period, is characterized by the wisdom culled from long lives and rich experience combined with freedom from the day-to-day responsibilities of work and raising children. Life in this stage is an "improvisational art form calling for imagination and the willingness to learn." Bateson follows Hank Lawson, a former boatyard metalworker, and his wife, Jane, from Maine to their retirement in Tucson, Ariz. There Hank turned his knowledge of tools and metal to making jewelry from precious metals and semiprecious stones. Liberated by the move from the ocean to the mountains, the Lawsons are flourishing, continually learning new things and refashioning their lives in a new place. Because Bateson lets various people retell their own stories of grappling with the challenges and the freedom of Adulthood II, her book is a deep meditation on the value of longevity and an inspiring testimony to the power and possibilities that come with growing older.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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