Unmasking age

" Let me start by saying I'd urge absolutely everyone who has a professional concern for ageing to read this book." Hilary Burrage, New Start magazine "Bytheway succeeds in challenging our preconceptions...For this reason, the book can assist social researchers, at any stage of their career, to design and implement innovative projects related to age and ageing." Ageing & Society "Bill's book is to be recommended - and not just for oldies - (whatever they are)." Dorothy Sheridan MBE, University of Sussex " 'Unmasking Age' is a tour de force. It is a real page turner in the sense that it is so illuminating and intellectually accessible. I have ordered copies for the library and will certainly use it as a course textbook next year." Marvin Formosa, University of Malta "This book provides an excellent overview for anyone looking for an introduction to age studies, or an interesting re-examination and drawing together of past research for those already familiar with the work of Bytheway." British Politics and Policy at LSE Blog "He offers numerous details and examples of his work that uses rich data from diaries, fiction, demography and market research to provide a nuanced and accessible review of how his interaction with the subject have evolved over time." CHOICE "This book's breadth reflects the richness of a senior social gerontologist's research, productively combining quantitatively-based accounts with diaries and fiction." Jenny Hockey, University of Sheffield "The lived experience of ageing is the centerpiece of this valuable book. Extracts from interviews, diaries, letters, and novels provide for richly textured discussions of the many meanings of age, becoming older, and being old. Fine reading, indeed." Jay Gubrium, University of Missouri, USA

Bill Bytheway was trained as a statistician and has worked in social research for over 40 years. He is a founding member of the British Society of Gerontology and edited the journal, Ageing & Society, between 1997 and 2001. He is a member of the Academy of the Social Sciences and is a visiting Research Fellow with the Open University.

Contents: Introducing age; A nuisance variable?; Chronological age is significant; How old are you?; Age in time; Representations of age; Growing older and older; The later life perspective; Getting real.