Reviews
"Ballenger has written a persuasive account of a complicated subject, confronting the problem of dementia compassionately but unflinchingly... His writing is clear, graceful, and unburdened by jargon. This book deserves to be widely read by both historians and people dealing directly with dementia, including health care providers and family members." -- Lisa Boult, Bulletin of the History of Medicine, "Ballenger has done the field a great service in tracing the historical roots of this problem." -- Benjamin T. Mast, PsycCRITIQUES, "Give[s] the reader a vibrant and provocative account of how to think about Alzheimer's disease in anything but settled or conventional terms." -- Martha Holstein, Healthcare and Aging Newsletter, Both science and history blend in a survey of aging and dementia, making for a broad discussion not just of changing American attitudes and culture, but changing health system responses., "A powerful, lucid account... Ballenger can be congratulated for a truly fascinating exploration of aging and senility. This book will appeal to physicians and historians, and the author (or the publishers) should consider marketing it to a broader public audience." -- Stephen Casper, Medical History, "A substantial contribution to our knowledge... We are grateful to Ballenger for making a contribution to creating such wisdom and helping advance our culture's moral imagination." -- Danny George and Peter Whitehouss, Medical Humanities Review, "Both science and history blend in a survey of aging and dementia, making for a broad discussion not just of changing American attitudes and culture, but changing health system responses." -- California Bookwatch, A powerful, lucid account... Ballenger can be congratulated for a truly fascinating exploration of aging and senility. This book will appeal to physicians and historians, and the author (or the publishers) should consider marketing it to a broader public audience., Ballenger aims not only to provide a cultural history of the disease but also to make ethical and epistemological claims about whether a human being with advanced Alzheimer's disease is still a person. These ambitions impose unusually high scholarly standards. Ballenger is up to the task., "A lucid and thoughtful history and a timely contribution... will appeal to readers from all professional backgrounds." -- Stephen Katz, Ageing and Society, A substantial contribution to our knowledge... We are grateful to Ballenger for making a contribution to creating such wisdom and helping advance our culture's moral imagination., "Ballenger aims not only to provide a cultural history of the disease but also to make ethical and epistemological claims about whether a human being with advanced Alzheimer's disease is still a person. These ambitions impose unusually high scholarly standards. Ballenger is up to the task." -- Thomas R. Cole, American Historical Review, ""Ballenger has written a persuasive account of a complicated subject, confronting the problem of dementia compassionately but unflinchingly... His writing is clear, graceful, and unburdened by jargon. This book deserves to be widely read by both historians and people dealing directly with dementia, including health care providers and family members."", Ballenger has written a persuasive account of a complicated subject, confronting the problem of dementia compassionately but unflinchingly... His writing is clear, graceful, and unburdened by jargon. This book deserves to be widely read by both historians and people dealing directly with dementia, including health care providers and family members., Give[s] the reader a vibrant and provocative account of how to think about Alzheimer's disease in anything but settled or conventional terms., A lucid and thoughtful history and a timely contribution... will appeal to readers from all professional backgrounds.