Pulitzer Prize General Non Fiction Winner
Why Survive? Being Old in America
by Robert N. Butler
Summary
A pioneering examination of the conditions of older Americans, surveying the medical neglect, economic insecurity, social isolation, and cultural contempt that shape later life in the United States. Butler combines clinical experience, policy analysis, and personal testimony to indict a society that systematically devalues its elderly. The book helped place geriatrics, long-term care, and age discrimination on the national agenda.
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Historical Context & Significance
Butler was a gerontologist who coined the term "ageism." His win brought national attention to the needs of a rapidly aging American population.