Storied Complexities of Later Life

This volume offers a timely and authoritative overview of narrative gerontology, a dynamic interdisciplinary field that examines aging through the stories by which lives are understood, lived, and remembered. Bringing together leading scholars and emerging voices, the collection takes stock of developments in theory, research, and practice since the publication of earlier foundational works, while pointing toward new directions for the field.

Grounded in the concept of biographical aging, the chapters move beyond predominantly biomedical accounts of later life to explore subjective experience, identity, meaning-making, and self-continuity across the life course. Contributors draw on narrative psychology, sociology, philosophy, and the arts and humanities to address diverse forms of narrative-from life stories and small stories to poetry, drama, and autobiographical writing-and to consider their ethical, cultural, and practical implications.

The volume is organized around three core domains: theoretical horizons, empirical research inquiries, and narrative engagements in practice. Topics include hope and spirituality, suffering and care, resilience and agency, dementia, disability, intergenerational narratives, and experiences of trauma. Several chapters demonstrate how narrative approaches can be used in applied settings to support coping, well-being, and identity in later life.

Concluding reflections by prominent narrative scholars extend the dialogue between narrative theory and lived experience, underscoring the continued relevance of narrative perspectives for understanding aging. Together, the contributions position narrative gerontology as an essential framework for advancing scholarship on later life within gerontology and beyond.