Originally published in 1978. Drawing on a wide range of sources from social, intellectual, and political history, Old Age in the New Land analyzes the changing fates and fortunes of America's elderly in the course of its history. By providing a historical perspective on society's conceptions of aging—and its effects on human lives—Achenbaum's work offers valuable insights for historians, sociologists, gerontologists, and others interested in the "graying" of America.
W. Andrew Achenbaum is a scholar-in-residence at the Institute for Spirituality and Health of the Texas Medical Center. Before his retirement from the University of Houston in 2017, he was a professor of social work and history and the Gerson and Sabina David Professor of Global Aging there.