James Chappel's work is a very well-researched history of aging; however, the work has an academic quality to it that sometimes stylistically gets in the way of the content. The first few chapters feel dissertation-like, but as it progresses, it starts to provide more and more quality information about the progression of aging, including the political implications surrounding it. I do wish there was a bit more in the way of debate and analysis; being that the book is a straight-forward history, at least from this reviewer's perspective, it makes the work sterile and flat. In other words, it just needed more.

DOUG

When we get old, we retire, live on Social Security and whatever other retirement funds we have saved up, live in some kind of assisted facility at some point, and eventually die.Oh, and you shouldn’t be too mean to your children, because they choose your nursing home. These things just seem to be the way it goes. Yet, as James Chappel well documents in Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age, the way Americans have experienced aging over the past century was deliberately chosen as part of government policy regarding the goal of the “nuclear family.” Its limitations and challenges were also deliberate choices at different times for different reasons.

Before the 1930s, people who were able to experience aging did so as they always had: at best, incorporated within the living situation of their children and providing valued support in that context, and at worst, destitute and impoverished with unstable living conditions.

As the author tells the story, the crises of the 1930s presented an opportunity. There had been many groups agitating for government programs to assist those of older age. Some of them involved an early concept of a universal basic income for older people. Some wanted to make sure everyone was provided for in older age. But that’s not how it went down. Instead, Social Security was put into place…as a way to benefit younger people. The idea was to provide benefits to workers so they would have something to live on in their older age and therefore not be a financial burden to younger and middle aged Americans who could thus continue to focus on building and developing their own families.And so plenty of people were originally excluded from Social Security. Nevertheless, for most of the middle of the 20th century, there was a lot of effort put into exalting the idea of the senior citizen: older Americans who could maintain their independence and who could enjoy their lives. Over time more would get access to Social Security. Pensions were all the rage. Medicare was passed, providing even greater benefit for older Americans, and for everyone, not just a few.

The “revolution” had worked: older Americans were maintaining their independence, truly facilitating the development of the “nuclear family” as we have now normalized it. The future seemed bright.

And then, as in all things, came the 1970s. And for this story, in particular, Reagan and the 1980s and a complete mood and vibe shift.

Where once there had been optimism about providing for older Americans, the economic challenges of the 1970s put an end to all that. The author well exemplified the transition in terms of AARP and the hit television show The Golden Girls: the goal now was facilitating independence and self-determination, and that would involve less government commitment. As a result, while older people still enjoyed far better living standards and security than those who lived before the 1930s enjoyed, they now lived in a world of more comparable scarcity than abundance. “Retirement” became more of a mirage for many, and many returned or stayed in the workforce.

And, above all, the problems of long-term care and provision for the 75+ crowd were left entirely unaddressed. Without a lot of government resource and benefit, the burden of providing for such older people in more dependent conditions fell upon family members, particularly women. The situation in 2024, in this regard, sounds pretty much the same as it did in 1984. No one wants to go into the nursing home; those who do end up there generally are there because the family caregiver(s) have been exhausted. Family caregiver(s) end up sacrificing a lot of time, energy, and their own quality of life to thus provide for people in advanced age in a way which has no historical parallel, since never before have so many people lived into the period of advanced age and have thus required so much more additional help. Home healthcare has not been financially prioritized sufficiently by anyone, and so there is a large mismatch between the kind of people who can provide that kind of care and the financial reward which is given for that care. And the government continues to claim it cannot provide assistance in these matters, yet all too often, the oldest Americans end up on Medicaid after exhausting their life savings (and often whatever benefits they would provide for their children). In this way the government still spends a lot of money, and younger people are exhausted physically and financially as well.

This book has much more to say about the culture and experience of aging. It’s highly recommended to understand much more about the experience of aging in America, and can help us understand how all which is experienced has been engineered that way. The goal has been to encourage and facilitate older people to age well and enjoy life in health. The goal was not to provide benefits to everyone, nor were the frail or medically compromised older people ever really primarily in view.

And so aging in America now involves the best and worst of all worlds. Yes, you would much rather be older in America over the past 60 years or so than at any other point in human history. But it has been engineered to create gaps between generations, to prop up an ahistorical “nuclear family” framework which has proven completely unsustainable, and now cannot well deliver on its primary promises. Aging in America is great if you have some wealth at the start and you have good health and then a rapid end. If you don’t have that much wealth, your health isn’t the greatest, and/or you experience a protracted period requiring intensive long-term care, it’s not that great at all.

And it’s all really on all of us. Societies should always be judged by how they view and treat the least among them. And we could be doing a lot better for many among our older population.

My thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for an ARC of this title.

James Chappel has produced a very readable overview about the changes and continuities, the steps forward, and at times backward, of the history of aging in America. A Duke University historian and a fellow at the Duke Aging Centre, the author has put together an accessible scholarly study enriched by multiple sources of historical evidence. Its very accessibility to the non-expert is perhaps its best feature.

As the population ages, in North America and in Europe, what to do about the elderly is a question that needs serious consideration now. For much of history they were the concern of their families and kin; but life expectancy was short enough that few would be living with familial caregivers at an age when Alzheimer’s and other chronic, and degenerative, diseases could be a concern for long. The last tier of Baby Boomers is getting close to seventy. Just as they come into their own increasingly dependent life stage, they are facing the challenges of parents in their nineties. If longevity has always seemed to be a meaningful objective, we are coming to realize that, in and of itself—without good mental and physical health, state and community support, just living nearly a century may not be the best of all possible fates. Especially not for those who can’t access the higher tiers of medical and caregiving professionals, from home or in residential facilities.

The greatest achievement of Chapel’s work is to open readers’ eyes to the many ways in which the twentieth century has greatly improved the lives of aging Americans, especially since the Second World War. Affluence and state investment in social welfare are the better part of the reasons why. The twenty-first century, then, should be able to do much to build on these earlier foundations.

But has it? There is isn’t a readily apparent balance sheet, as Chappel acknowledges. Growing mistrust in state agencies, and less willingness to support their interventions, have tarnished public constructions of ‘the golden years’, both with reference to individual old age and to the larger functioning of citizen rights. This is an eye opening book that martials the historical evidence with a critical eye to how far society has distanced itself both past practices and future healthful possibilities for aging citizens.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age by James Chappel is a compelling exploration of the evolution of old age in America. Chappel, a historian, delves into how old age has been perceived and managed over the past century, highlighting the socio-political and economic factors that have shaped these perceptions.

The book begins by tracing the early 20th century, when old age was not yet a distinct stage of life. People worked until they could no longer physically continue, often facing dire financial and social conditions. Chappel meticulously documents the transformation that began post-World War II, when government policies and employer pensions allowed many Americans to retire with dignity and security. This period marked the birth of the “Golden Years,” a time when old age was redefined as a period of rest and leisure.

Chappel’s narrative is rich with historical anecdotes and cultural references, from utopian novels to popular TV shows like The Golden Girls. He effectively illustrates how these cultural artifacts both reflected and influenced societal attitudes towards aging. The book also addresses the stark contrasts in the experiences of old age, noting how economic disparities have led to vastly different outcomes for different segments of the population.

Golden Years is its examines the present-day challenges facing older Americans. Chappel discusses the erosion of the post-war retirement model, with many older adults now returning to the workforce due to inadequate savings and rising healthcare costs. He paints a vivid picture of the precariousness that many face, juxtaposed with the unprecedented opportunities for those who have managed to secure financial stability.

Chappel’s writing is accessible and scholarly, making complex historical and economic concepts understandable for a broad audience. His analysis is thorough and thought-provoking, urging readers to consider how current policies and cultural attitudes might evolve to better support an aging population.

Golden Years is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of aging in America and the socio-economic forces that continue to shape it. Chappel’s work is a poignant reminder of the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead, offering valuable insights into how we might create a more equitable and secure future for all older adults.

James Chappel, Golden Years How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age, Basic Books, November 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

James Chappel’s Golden Years How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age is a detailed account of the way in which old age has been perceived in America, the varied approaches that have been taken by organisations and governments, and the ideology underpinning such approaches. He illuminates the way in which race, and class have impacted programs aimed at caring for elderly people, leading to the neglect of some, and divisions between groups of elderly people depending on their race and class. Chappel also points to the various ways in which aged people have been described, and the changes in the years of age that belong to such descriptions. Some groups have constantly been neglected, and Chapel gives such neglect important attention.

This is a book replete with detail, commentary and suggestions for improvement in the way that old age might be considered and dealt with through government programs. The attention he gives to the organisations that have grown up around old age is not only informative, but an important part of social commentary on the way in which Americans have formed their ideas and response to old age. With an aging population, and a smaller group of taxpayers as is the case in many developed countries, the way in which old age is considered has increasing importance for government expenditure. A history of programs, attitudes and responses is pertinent.

The book is in three parts: The Aged (1900-1940); Senior Citizens (1940-1975) and Older People (1975-2000). Each is the tile given to older people, as society, activists and governments modified their focus on exactly whom they wanted to support financially and defend through policy making. The second section includes recognition of Black aging; the impact of retirement and retirement age; and ends with a less optimistic approach to aging than had been apparent until the mid-1970s. Concerns with ageism are dealt with in the third section, bringing into the account the depiction of aged people in films, television programs and greeting cards. This move from seeing the aged as fragile and needy is one that raises complex ideas. Chapel addresses these in detail that draws upon the development of organisations to benefit those over fifty-five through support for anti-discrimination policies rather than social welfare. Self-care, successful aging, security measures and risk older workers and older retirement ages, the role of family, volunteering time, of which the aged have in abundance, are discussed in the last chapter.

Action to bolster anti-discriminatory practice to produce positive images of aging, while also recognising the damaging features of aging are encapsulated in popular culture, and Chapel uses this material in a way that supports his detailed analysis and information. With these familiar and accessible illustrations of aging, reference to the political fortunes of individuals and political parties with their impact on aging, and the historical account of responses to aging James Chapel has produced a book that is dense with information, but eminently readable.

This is an exceptionally thorough and insightful analysis of old age and the evolving perception of it over the years. I haven't encountered such a well-crafted narrative that comprehensively covers the experience of old age in America from every angle.

The author presents the elements in chronological order, delineating the pros and cons of each. There is no bias towards any particular viewpoint; instead, the author clearly explains all the narratives that have shaped the American healthcare system for the elderly. The discussion begins in the 1920s when people first recognized the necessity of a dedicated system to benefit older adults. The progression eventually led to various disagreements between the elderly and the American government. The author skillfully draws an impartial narrative, impounding all the challenges and solutions that emerged as the movement gained momentum.

James Chappel employs simple yet intricate language to help readers understand the situation of the elderly in America. The grammar and sentence structure are flawless, and metaphors are used effectively to clarify the narrative. I am eager to read more works by this author. For anyone interested in understanding the American old age narrative and unsure where to begin, this is the ideal read.

This book is a very thorough historical examination of what it means to be "old" in America, from the early 1900s to present day. "Senior citizen" used to be a synonym for a death sentence, but that group's resilience has improved. thanks to committed politicians and activists, advances in health care and longevity resources, even silly TV shows such as "The Golden Girls." From the passage of the Social Security Act in 1935 to Medicare and Medicaid; to pensions, 401k plans and IRAs, turning 65 is no longer a stigma.

As someone who is about to turn 65, I obviously do not think of myself as old, a notable departure from my early years, when 65 meant "ancient." My husband and I live in an active adult community, play pickleball every day, run with our rescue pointer mix, enjoy clubs and activities with our friends, neighbors and families. I ran my first half-marathon at age 59, and I definitely am in better shape now than I was in my 20s. Life is what you make it.

The author has done meticulous research -- he is an associate professor of history at Duke University and a senior fellow at the Duke Aging Center -- so he was well-qualified to write this book. I took off one star, because parts do read like a history textbook, but I love history, and I learned a lot.

I do believe that the author has a more optimistic outlook for the aging population's future. He notes that sometime in the next decade, the number of Americans who are over 65 will be greater than those under 18. So addressing the needs of this group must be taken seriously. Pandemics, climate change, foreign conflicts, the abysmal state of nursing home care and employee compensation for those workers, the outrageous cost of health care and prescription drugs, worries about the solvency of Social Security, etc., are not going to be easily fixed, especially in the toxic political environment we currently live in. I certainly hope I am wrong in this viewpoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books/Hachette for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

I really didn't know what to expect from this book. However, I was delighted to read about the history behind retirement. How Americans define old age.
I loved that the author spent the time to dive into how retirement and NOT relying on children happened. The clubs and organizations that led to the social security being passed.

The author brings up how the elderly has changed in the 100 years since the passing of the social security act. I loved the different words used for the aging.

Overall, I think that the author did a fabulous job describing why things came to be, how things are now, how the future might be different.

I especially loved the Golden Girls references and his way of incorporating storytelling into telling the tale of old age.