A Scholarly Thwack

Robert Butler, M.D., wrote “Why Survive? Being Old in America,” which won a Pulitzer in 1976.

If that title sounds a little discouraging at first, take heart: He’s there to put up a fight.

Butler makes it clear, early on, that age is not the problem. The tragedy is, we’ve shaped a society which is extremely harsh to live in when we’re old. And he backs that up with scholarly facts galore.

The entire book is impressive—but I might have favorite part.

It’s that blurb on the back that calls it, A solid, stinging thwack on the public arse.

Photo: National Institutes of Health