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Aging With Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives
In 1986 Dr. David Snowdon, one of the world’s leading experts on Alzheimer’s disease, embarked on a revolutionary scientific study that would forever change the way we view aging—and ultimately living. Dubbed the “Nun Study” because it involves a unique population of 678 Catholic sisters, this remarkable long-term research project has made headlines worldwide with its prov...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
November 19th 2008
by Bantam
(first published 2001)
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I can't remember when I read this book...
I found it a fascinating telling about a scientific study. The woman in this study are gracious and thoughtful about the work, the PI of the study is thoughtful and respectful.
One of my elderly aunts is a nun, and this book also provided me greater insight into her life. She said she knows many of the sisters enrolled in this work.
I found it a fascinating telling about a scientific study. The woman in this study are gracious and thoughtful about the work, the PI of the study is thoughtful and respectful.
One of my elderly aunts is a nun, and this book also provided me greater insight into her life. She said she knows many of the sisters enrolled in this work.
The Nun Study recently returned to the U of M and I was interested to learn more about this epidemiological study which has enrolled hundreds of nuns from a particular order, and has led to numerous studies and findings about aging, Alzheimer's, the role of diet and exercise in aging, etc. It's a fascinating story of how the study was launched and has evolved over time. This isn't a particularly well-written book, and the author comes across as narcissistic at times, but I so enjoyed getting to ...more
I found this book to be far more interesting than I had projected, learning much about Alzheimer's Disease in it's pages and about healthy lifestyle. I also learned about the life of a nun, which was completely foreign to me as a person who grew up without much knowledge of Catholicism or the beliefs of Christianity. David Snowdon wrote in a reader friendly manner that held my interest. I am glad that I read this book, it opened my eyes to a lot more than the intended comprehension of Alzheim...more
Though the information about Alzheimer's research was interesting, I was mostly drawn in by the character descriptions of the various women who ended up in this order. How they handle the different personalities in their community with respect, love, and faith. I hope to be as fortunate as them to have an inkling of that kind of community when I'm ninety years old, but to do that, I realize I must start growing it now.
I found the book compelling and inspiring. If you still have room o...more
I found the book compelling and inspiring. If you still have room o...more
I read this book quite awhile ago and neglected to write up a review at the time, so it's not as fresh in my mind as it was when I first read it. Amusing, since the main topic is memory. I found the book to be quite fascinating, sweet and touching at times and sad at others. The author summarizes a study done on a group of nuns who had written short personal history essays as young women entering the convent and decades later as elderly women agreed to be studied for effects on aging. Because th...more
Old age does not have to mean a slide into illness and disability. A study of Catholic nuns, ranging in age from 74 - 106, shows that serving others may help us to live longer. Building linguistic ability in childhood may protect against Alzheimer's, ordinary foods promote longevity and healthy brain functions, preventing strokes and depression is key to avoiding Alzheimer's, the role heredity plays and whiy it is never too late to start an exercise program are brought to play in this book.
For anyone interested in Alzheimer's research, this is a fascinating book. The author stumbled upon an amazing test group for research in a group of nuns who lived virtually their entire lives with similar controls and detailed documentation. While slow for a novel lover, this does not contain contrived facts and action sequences, this book introduces facts about Alzheimer's disease in a way that is understandable, yet basically scientific. I learned many things and marvelled at the path travell...more
Book for my Neighborhood Book Club, which is predominantly retired older women. I think I'm a little young to really be enthralled with the book-- all the other women are seeming to really enjoy it. Plus, I thought the things learned on how to age well were kind of common sense-- eat well, exercise, don't smoke, etc. Not earth shattering.
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This book is very informative about the latest knowledge on dementia and growing old. It is a study of Nuns as a control group. The biggest carryaway that I received is this: the brain is an amazing thing we do not fully understand,so live life to your fullest while you can. Hopefully all this science will help find a cure for dementia!
Read this book for LIS 2970. I expected it to be a dry account of a scientific study about dementia, but found it to be a rather fascinating account of how the nuns once again became educators, teaching the researchers what it means to age well.
Snowdon takes some scientific research and writes for the non-experts. He studied a group of nuns who all joined the convent very young, and teaches about the things that keep the brain young. By the end, you feel like you actually know the sisters.
An interesting description of a long term epidemic and scientific study of >600 nuns. The participants have agreed to take yearly tests and to donate their brain up death. One chapter was somewhat technical but overall it is quite accessible for the non-scientist.
Brilliant. Over ten years, Snowdon researched aged nuns and made some interesting discoveries about depression and Alzheimers. My mother used this book, I believe, for the class she taught on positive psychology.
Aging with Grace offers a look at an early long-term study of Alzheimer's.
My full review can be seen at my blog.
My full review can be seen at my blog.
This book was a fabulous insight into the world of Alzheimer's patients and aging. I learned a lot that I am implementing in helping my Dad with this diagnosis, and helping my Mom as his caregiver.
This is a really interesting book about how our brains are affected by Alzeheimers. And although it is about a study, the lives of the nuns are still respected.
This was a fascinating and charming book documenting the research of an alzheimer study done on a group of nuns. Beautiful! I learned so much about aging.
Wonderful and easy to read prose that held my interest throughout the book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has concerns about mental health (dementia/Alzheimers).
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has concerns about mental health (dementia/Alzheimers).
It was great to read about the possibility of having tangles and plaque and showing signs of Alzheimer's. I agree with Snowdon that living in a community definitely has an effect on their health. No retirement for me.
This book taught me that it is never too late to improve myself and that to keep my brain in good health, I need to exercise it regularly.
Learned a lot about how Alzheimer's affects the brain and some of the latest understanding on how to prevent it.
If your curious about aging/alzheimers research this is a really well written description of a phenomenal study.
This was a really good book about Alzheimer's and the study of why some people get it and others do not.
Very interesting non-fiction study and results about memory. I really enjoyed it.
David Snowden worked with Catholic nuns for years. All nuns in this cloister donated their brains to science and their brains were autopsied after their death. Many of the nuns were teachers in various grades of school. Alzheimers clearly showed up in many of the nuns' brains. Some of these were of the teachers who taught. The amazing thing is that many nuns who showed Alzheimers showed no symptoms whatsoever and taught until the end of their days. This book reads like a short novel and is inspi...more
Entertaining yet informative. How to live life to the fullest!
My goodness, I grew attached to these ladies.
Are you worried? Good food for thought.
Fascinating study of Alzheimer's dementia.
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David Snowdon started writing in 1983 and has written 12 thrillers and many short stories over the years. His first published work, Too Young To Die was published in August 2006 and his second novel, The Mind of a Genius was published in November 2007. The Mind of a Genius won an award for the best Mystery and Adventure novel in 2008. A Crime To Be Rich was published in May 2010 and became an inst...more
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