Reminiscence, life story, human narrative and life story work forms a coherent component of scholarship and practice in western societies. Story after all is the basis by which we form our identity and become enculturated for our lives in our families and the wider society. Our stories are important right across our lifespans, not only at one particular time of life, e.g. later life, as is often assumed. Scholarship in the study and practice of this field is wide and varied. This book, edited by Faith Gibson, is a remarkable collection of chapters covering the history, practice and research of this relatively new discipline. As a high proportion of the authors acknowledge, the beginnings of scholarship and interest in the field began in earnest during the 1960s with Robert Butler, a psycho-geriatrician. The growth in the field has been enormous over the intervening decades, having its genesis in gerontology and now, as this book clearly demonstrates, the field has application and is valued across the lifespan. Furthermore, it is a vitally important area for multi-disciplinary study and clinical practice. This book fills an important gap in the literature on the topic.
Faith Gibson is well equipped to undertake this vast endeavour of bringing together this representative collection of chapters on the topic through her life work in this field, and especially her work on reminiscence and people who have dementia. She has produced an excellent edited book on the state of the art in this broad topic. Gibson has brought pioneers of this field together with newer and upcoming authors. There is a freshness and sense of excitement about this book.
The book encompasses the latest work and critique of research, practice, cultures, and lifestage development and reminiscence. Gibson has set the material into four major parts: recent and contemporary research; age and cultural variations and applications; implications of reminiscence, life review and life story work for health and wellbeing; and technology in reminiscence practice, training and development. This works well across the book, although there is necessarily some crossover between the parts and it could be argued that there was more than one way of categorising the chapters. However, the reviewer considers Gibson has established the chapters in a meaningful manner for ease of accessing relevant materials for the reader.
The opening chapter of reminiscence research clearly establishes the case for the interest in this field, according to Pierce, while acknowledging that reminiscence may not be universal, he notes: ‘reminiscence and life review is at its core an international and omnicultural field, with active research programs present in many countries’ (p. 45).
Practice matters including the development of training programmes, case studies, examples from clinical practice and the current attempts towards translating research into clinical practice are woven in many of the 21 chapters of the book.
There is a wealth of cultural and clinical settings portrayed. One chapter follows the move from storytelling as a natural daily happening in small communities in traditional Taiwan to modern fast-moving society and the implications of these changes (Fivush, p. 126).
Aspects of remembering in particular circumstances are examined by Morz and Bluck's chapter (p. 162 and following), which looks at final memories about a loved one who has died and their significance in the grieving process. The function of memories in constructing and reconstructing meaning and personal growth for those bereaved is addressed.
Meaning is a concept that weaves through numbers of chapters, as it is explored from various perspectives. The concept of self is another relevant perspective examined in this field, and in practice – including disabilities among older people.
In a number of chapters it is evident that there is tension between the developing models and theory building in this developing discipline. Different processes are followed that in fact bring richness to the scholarship. It is natural that different disciplines bring their own socialisation to the field and it is obvious that there is potential for further development of multi-disciplinary research and practice. There is interaction and play between foci from the different disciplines, some favouring a more cognitive and structured approach to reminiscence, while others are tending more towards life review, where purpose and meaning become more central.
A more recent development in the field is the application of technology, and this is especially evident in programs that engage with people who have dementia. Evaluation of apps and programs is a continuing process of research and trials and refinements.
In her afterword, Gibson wisely quotes Pear's (Reference Pear1922) work: ‘The mind never photographs but rather paints pictures.’ This is certainly evident in this important collection of chapters.
This book will be the ‘go-to’ book for researchers and clinicians in a range of professional capacities, from gerontology, academics and practitioners working across the lifespan, as well as students and care providers.
