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A Long Time Coming
A powerful collection of essays exploring what it means to grow old in our youth-obsessed world
To live a long life should be a joy; to be old should not be a burden.
With improved health care and higher standards of living, each generation is living longer than the last. Governments see our ageing population as an imminent disaster, and old age as a medical problem. We are encouraged to remain active, stay healthy, and work longer -- in short, to refuse becoming old. But if living longer is really about staying young, do we risk turning a blind eye to issues facing the elderly?
Weaving interviews with research and memoir, Joosten undertakes a timely and clear-sighted investigation into the housing crisis as it affects older people, the politics of nursing-home care, the difficulties of dementia, support services for Indigenous Australians, and how the burden of caring for others can fall disproportionately on women.
Moving, passionate, and urgent, A Long Time Coming is a call for empathy in a society that valorises youth and self-reliance -- a profound reminder that everyone has the right to be old.
To live a long life should be a joy; to be old should not be a burden.
With improved health care and higher standards of living, each generation is living longer than the last. Governments see our ageing population as an imminent disaster, and old age as a medical problem. We are encouraged to remain active, stay healthy, and work longer -- in short, to refuse becoming old. But if living longer is really about staying young, do we risk turning a blind eye to issues facing the elderly?
Weaving interviews with research and memoir, Joosten undertakes a timely and clear-sighted investigation into the housing crisis as it affects older people, the politics of nursing-home care, the difficulties of dementia, support services for Indigenous Australians, and how the burden of caring for others can fall disproportionately on women.
Moving, passionate, and urgent, A Long Time Coming is a call for empathy in a society that valorises youth and self-reliance -- a profound reminder that everyone has the right to be old.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 30, 2016
2 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Joosten
12 books62 followersMelanie Joosten is a writer who lives in Melbourne. Her first novel, Berlin Syndrome (2011) saw her named as a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist and awarded the Kathleen Mitchell Award for Young Writers. Berlin Syndrome is currently being turned into a film with a screenplay by Shaun Grant, to be directed by Cate Shortland.
Melanie holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours), a Master of Arts (Editing) and a Master of Social Work. She has had work published in Best Australian Stories 2014, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings and Sleepers Almanac. She is a recipient of grants from the Australia Council and Arts Victoria and residencies from Writing Australia and Varuna.
Melanie holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours), a Master of Arts (Editing) and a Master of Social Work. She has had work published in Best Australian Stories 2014, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings and Sleepers Almanac. She is a recipient of grants from the Australia Council and Arts Victoria and residencies from Writing Australia and Varuna.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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May 25, 2018Joosten smashes through our over-sentimentalised ways of talking about old age.
Maria Tumarkin
Thoughtful and honest, this book is a reminder to cherish our elders.
Dr Ranjana Siristava, Author of Tell Me the Truth
[A] fine collection … shows deep commitment and quite profound levels of insight and compassion.
Weekend Australian
Heartening … [Joosten has] a novelist's feel for the texture of life.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
[V]ivid and surprising ... This eloquent collection advocates for the elderly.
Sydney Review of Books
A powerful collection of essays exploring what it means to grow old.
Australian Ageing Agenda
Well written, brimming with empathy ... a thoughtful work by a writer whose social work commitment arose from “a feeling of obligation towards those who do not have the opportunities I have had” ... This book pulls no punches, making it another valuable contribution to the debate we need to have.
GP Speak
Joosten makes a plea for heightened empathy towards older people, but she goes on to make it clear that empathy without action — without changed perceptions, changed behaviour — is insufficient. As such, A Long Time Coming is a challenging as well as eminently readable book.
Patrick Allington, Australian Book Review
[E]motionally wrenching, undeniably powerful piece ... A Long Time Coming is a work that deserves high praise for the persuasive way in which Joosten crafts her arguments toward greater understanding and compassion for older Australians. It’s an exceptional piece of writing, one that will provoke discussion, challenge opinions and, hopefully, inspire change.
Right Now
Maria Tumarkin
Thoughtful and honest, this book is a reminder to cherish our elders.
Dr Ranjana Siristava, Author of Tell Me the Truth
[A] fine collection … shows deep commitment and quite profound levels of insight and compassion.
Weekend Australian
Heartening … [Joosten has] a novelist's feel for the texture of life.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
[V]ivid and surprising ... This eloquent collection advocates for the elderly.
Sydney Review of Books
A powerful collection of essays exploring what it means to grow old.
Australian Ageing Agenda
Well written, brimming with empathy ... a thoughtful work by a writer whose social work commitment arose from “a feeling of obligation towards those who do not have the opportunities I have had” ... This book pulls no punches, making it another valuable contribution to the debate we need to have.
GP Speak
Joosten makes a plea for heightened empathy towards older people, but she goes on to make it clear that empathy without action — without changed perceptions, changed behaviour — is insufficient. As such, A Long Time Coming is a challenging as well as eminently readable book.
Patrick Allington, Australian Book Review
[E]motionally wrenching, undeniably powerful piece ... A Long Time Coming is a work that deserves high praise for the persuasive way in which Joosten crafts her arguments toward greater understanding and compassion for older Australians. It’s an exceptional piece of writing, one that will provoke discussion, challenge opinions and, hopefully, inspire change.
Right Now
November 23, 2016
3.5
After the first few essays I had this down as one of the books of the year, but things faded a bit over the second half until the lovely final essay. It felt a bit like Joosten had 3 or 4 really excellent essays and had to squeeze a few more in to make this a whole book - the essay covering fiction and dementia for example seemed pretty underdone. Still - there are wonderfully powerful moments in this book, tackling a topic that is so often ignored - I really would recommend reading it for those moments.
After the first few essays I had this down as one of the books of the year, but things faded a bit over the second half until the lovely final essay. It felt a bit like Joosten had 3 or 4 really excellent essays and had to squeeze a few more in to make this a whole book - the essay covering fiction and dementia for example seemed pretty underdone. Still - there are wonderfully powerful moments in this book, tackling a topic that is so often ignored - I really would recommend reading it for those moments.
January 21, 2018
And a half stars.
July 8, 2016
A series of essays on aging in Australia this book is in part memoir, in part the individual stories of aging Australians as told to the author and in part analysis of the issues faced as Australia cares for an increasing number of aged. It is a moving and powerful cry for better housing and care for the aged in a society where youth is idolised and the old have become invisible.
June 11, 2016
I found this very disappointing. it seemed to be more about the author than her interviewees. I expected more of their views rather than lots of facts & figures.
April 14, 2017
I really wanted to like this book of essays. The topic is important and the book is clearly well researched, but the result is patchy with a mix of interesting, thought-provoking essays and others that just seem pedestrian and don't really draw out the potential of the subject matter.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews