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Oldenland
- Author
- Roger Clough
- Narrator
- Roger Clough
- Publisher
- John Murray Press
- Publish Date
- 24 April 2025
- Run Time
- 8 hours 29 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
'In front of me is an adventure with old age as my companion, my shadow and confederate, maybe my friend.'
Old age is a country, and we need to learn to walk through it. And that's just what Roger Clough, former Professor of Social Care, lifelong hill walker, and current resident of 'Oldenland' spends his time doing. Where he used to study the terrain of ageing like a scientist, now he understands it as a farmer might, walking its contours every day from his retirement village in the Peak District, while still negotiating the physical peaks and troughs of the area.
Whilst there are a lot of books that cover the topic of 'how to have a good death', there is little that offers us advice on the time period that comes before that. How do we learn to actually be old? How do we spend our later years in a meaningful way that makes sense of who we've been and who we are now? Not in blithely positive denial in the face of our physical and cognitive decline, or overtaken with regret of a life that's running down the clock, but empowered to not lose who we are; to say 'I am still me'. And, if we have not yet arrived at its borders, how can we better understand those who live there, and better prepare ourselves for a future when we will become citizens too?
Written over 25 years and innumerable journeys, Oldenland is a unique and moving companion to the experiences of old age, and how to make it count.
'Profound and reflective . . . a truly valuable addition to the conversation about ageing in our greying society' Country Squire
'Courageous, beautiful and very moving' Jamie Jauncey, author of Don Roberto
Critics Review
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[Clough has] discovered the secret to thriving in old age . . . Explains how we can come to terms with the peaks and troughs of old age, without losing sight of who we are
Telegraph
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Profound and reflective . . . The book stands out for its nuanced perspective on ageing - not as a period to be feared or merely endured, but as a phase to be understood, embraced, and lived meaningfully . . . a heartfelt, insightful companion for anyone currently contemplating the phenomenon of ageing - whether personally, or in support of others. It offers a compassionate, practical outlook on how to age with dignity and purpose - a truly valuable addition to the conversation about ageing in our greying society.
Country Squire
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The book is very thoughtful and addresses many difficult issues with the wisdom of academic and personal experience... Oldenland provides us with much to think about but also leaves us realising that adjusting to old age is continuous, ever-changing, and unfinished until its end. It's a rewarding but fragile stage of life
Tom Dening, Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Nottingham Trent University
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Courageous, beautiful and very moving
Jamie Jauncey, author of DON ROBERTO
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Roger Clough
- Narrator
- Roger Clough
- Duration
- 8 hours 29 minutes
- Release Date
- 24 April 2025
- ISBN
- 9781399822701
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- John Murray Press
- Genre
- Memoirs, Care of the elderly, Coping with / advice about ageing
Synopsis
'Discover the secret to thriving in old age' Telegraph'In front of me is an adventure with old age as my companion, my shadow and confederate, maybe my friend.'Old age is a country, and we need to learn to walk through it. And that's just what Roger Clough, former Professor of Social Care, lifelong hill walker, and current resident of 'Oldenland' spends his time doing. Where he used to study the terrain of ageing like a scientist, now he understands it as a farmer might, walking its contours every day from his retirement village in the Peak District, while still negotiating the physical peaks and troughs of the area. Whilst there are a lot of books that cover the topic of 'how to have a good death', there is little that offers us advice on the time period that comes before that. How do we learn to actually be old? How do we spend our later years in a meaningful way that makes sense of who we've been and who we are now? Not in blithely positive denial in the face of our physical and cognitive decline, or overtaken with regret of a life that's running down the clock, but empowered to not lose who we are; to say 'I am still me'. And, if we have not yet arrived at its borders, how can we better understand those who live there, and better prepare ourselves for a future when we will become citizens too?Written over 25 years and innumerable journeys, Oldenland is a unique and moving companion to the experiences of old age, and how to make it count.'Profound and reflective . . . a truly valuable addition to the conversation about ageing in our greying society' Country Squire'Courageous, beautiful and very moving' Jamie Jauncey, author of Don Roberto
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