Life and literature
We all know that we are living a lot longer than we used to - and our ageing society poses all kinds of challenges for government and employers.
In this context, it has been alarming to hear what Martin Amis has to say about the elderly. You'll recall that his 1980s novel, Money, painted such a prescient picture of the excesses of capitalism. He now thinks that we have civil unrest to look forward to, as the younger generation realise the elderly are starting to make costly demands on public services, and talks about a "silver Tsunami". Can this bleak picture have any truth in it? I hope he is utterly wrong.
So, even if it's just for today, put all those stories about elderly people becoming a burden on society to one side, and stand up and cheer for Diana Athill. At the age of 91, she has just won a literary prize - in the , for her memoir of old age, .
In a series of interlinked essays, she talks about (amongst other things) atheism, gardening, caring, getting old and death - still such taboo subjects.
I am looking forward to reading it and learning from it. From everything I have read about her glittering career as an editor to the likes of Norman Mailer and John Updike, I am certain that the book is sublimely written and full of her wonderful spirit.
I'm 
Comment number 1.
At 6th Jan 2009, cping500 wrote:congratulations to Anna Anthill on her winning a prestigeous award. But if Matin Amis allows us the next generation of the elders may have more vigourous occupations to memorialise than her gentle meditations. As for Mr Amis he should reread that great satire on econmomic rationalisation, Aldus Huxly's "Brave New World" where the young and not so young were relieved of child rearing, and also the burden of the old. The later were humanely dispatched at 60 while the living enjoyed a life a life long high on soma (weed as they now call it.)
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)