Review by Elvis Best -- Our Autumn Years by Arthur Hartz
Posted: 13 Jul 2020, 10:06
[Following is a volunteer review of "Our Autumn Years" by Arthur Hartz.]
What comes to mind when you think about the elderly?
Our Autumn Years, written by Arthur Hartz, is the author’s attempt to change how the world looks down upon the elderly. Arthur writes, “The elderly are more interesting than the pitiable and annoying cardboard representations of decline that they are often imagined to be.”
In the book, the author uses cartoons and commentary to illustrate that the elderly are just as interesting as everyone else. He argues that the elderly deserve attention and respect, not pity. And by putting them in a different light through his book, he hopes to showcase, with sensitivity and humor, the exciting inner life of the elderly.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Our Autumn Years, as it changed my perspective of older citizens. If I am to be honest, I must admit that whenever I think of the elderly I only imagine a sad, lonely existence. But I forget that I, too, will one day grow old. However, after reading Our Autumn Years, I realized that all hope is not lost and that growing old also has its perks.
The one thing I liked most about the book was the inclusion of humor throughout, as it made for very enjoyable reading. Some parts had me laughing very hard, and I appreciated the author’s effort in presenting some serious issues in the form of humor. Take the following quote, for example: “I used to think ‘creaky bones’ was a metaphor."
I also enjoyed the exquisite illustrations, as they brought the author’s words to life. Furthermore, I found some of the words in the book to be profound and insightful. Take the following quote, for example: “For our first 60 years we improve our lives by adding activities - after that, by shedding them.”
Even though some parts were sad, the entire mood of the book was an uplifting one. It preached that there was hope — even joy — in living well, growing old, and dying. Consequently, I would recommend that everyone read this book, as we can all learn something from it. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to kids because some illustrations were slightly inappropriate for anyone younger than 16.
Indeed, there was nothing to dislike about Our Autumn Years, and so I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Also, I believe it was exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in it. Lastly, I found no vulgar words, but a few illustrations were erotic in nature.
******
Our Autumn Years
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
What comes to mind when you think about the elderly?
Our Autumn Years, written by Arthur Hartz, is the author’s attempt to change how the world looks down upon the elderly. Arthur writes, “The elderly are more interesting than the pitiable and annoying cardboard representations of decline that they are often imagined to be.”
In the book, the author uses cartoons and commentary to illustrate that the elderly are just as interesting as everyone else. He argues that the elderly deserve attention and respect, not pity. And by putting them in a different light through his book, he hopes to showcase, with sensitivity and humor, the exciting inner life of the elderly.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Our Autumn Years, as it changed my perspective of older citizens. If I am to be honest, I must admit that whenever I think of the elderly I only imagine a sad, lonely existence. But I forget that I, too, will one day grow old. However, after reading Our Autumn Years, I realized that all hope is not lost and that growing old also has its perks.
The one thing I liked most about the book was the inclusion of humor throughout, as it made for very enjoyable reading. Some parts had me laughing very hard, and I appreciated the author’s effort in presenting some serious issues in the form of humor. Take the following quote, for example: “I used to think ‘creaky bones’ was a metaphor."
I also enjoyed the exquisite illustrations, as they brought the author’s words to life. Furthermore, I found some of the words in the book to be profound and insightful. Take the following quote, for example: “For our first 60 years we improve our lives by adding activities - after that, by shedding them.”
Even though some parts were sad, the entire mood of the book was an uplifting one. It preached that there was hope — even joy — in living well, growing old, and dying. Consequently, I would recommend that everyone read this book, as we can all learn something from it. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to kids because some illustrations were slightly inappropriate for anyone younger than 16.
Indeed, there was nothing to dislike about Our Autumn Years, and so I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Also, I believe it was exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in it. Lastly, I found no vulgar words, but a few illustrations were erotic in nature.
******
Our Autumn Years
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon