The Twilight Years - Sawako Ariyoshi

[Kristel]

Read 2010
Excellent,the author addresses the issue of aging in a modern society. The main character is a working wife and mother of one. Culturally, the reader learns about family structure, shopping, meal preparation etc and also family relationships, death, wakes and funerals and nursing homes. I enjoy books about aging and I enjoyed reading this book about aging in Japan.

[Diane]

Rating: 4 stars


A woman must take care of her aging father-in-law after his wife dies. Although this book was written in the early 70's, it highlights a common situation seen in society today: the working adult who serves as caretaker to both children and parents.

I always considered Japan to be one of the stronger countries in terms of filial piety and reverence to elder family members. This book offers what I felt to be a very different view (for most of the book, anyway).