A new book seeks to understand what old age is for, but is this the right question?

By Barbara Caine, Professor Emerita of History, University of Sydney

The “memoir boom” of the past few decades has brought an extraordinary expansion in the kinds of work written in the first person. Some offer new approaches, focusing on aspects or phases of the author’s life or feelings.

Alongside these, a kind of hybrid form has developed in which authors, while not seeking to produce a memoir, include extensive discussion of their personal experience and reflections to illustrate different themes and issues.

Bloomer – Carol Lefevre (Affirm Press)

Bloomer is a hybrid work of this latter kind. The author…

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