"Gray Matters invites readers to reexamine what they think they know about growing old. Offering succinct close readings of richly diverse cultural texts, Lem’s book presents literature as a resource for dealing with the practical and existential concerns of aging. With its interdisciplinary grounding in age studies theory and sociological data, Gray Matters is itself a valuable resource for readers ready to reorient their view of later life."

Erin Lamb, co-editor of Research Methods in Health Humanities

"Lem draws examples from literature, film, television, and a survey of older people to support a wide-ranging and accessible examination of contemporary culture. Especially helpful to those who are new to the field, this book is a welcome addition to age-studies scholarship."

Valerie Lipscomb, author of Performing Age in Modern Drama

«“Creative, wide-ranging and well-written, Gray Matters offers a many-sided, complex understanding of late-life. It demonstrates that this period of our lives interweaves our past and present, takes grit, and offers opportunities for positive experiences. For some, learning becomes more enjoyable, as the phrase ‘senior college’ indicates. Gray Matters also skillfully shows that aging occurs in a social context, a fact often overlooked when the process is understood as solely an individual matter.”»

Margaret Cruikshank, from the foreword

"A savvy analysis of films, books, and studies undermining Philip Roth’s contention that 'Old age is not a battle. It is a massacre.'"

Susan Gubar, author of Late-Life Love: A Memoir

"The Literature of Elder Care is Often About Shifting Power Dynamics: Ellyn Lem on Works by Shakespeare, Lauren Fox, and Others"
https://lithub.com/the-literature-of-elder-care-is-often-about-shifting-power-dynamics/

Literary Hub

"Drawing on literature, movies and TV as well as her survey research with 200 seniors, Lem explores the diversity of experiences of older people and pushes back against negative stereotypes about aging. Sexuality, housing, memory loss, adult children and death are among the topics."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Often, the elderly handle the pandemic very well. Here’s why," by Ellyn A. Lem
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/elderly-coping-pandemic-despite-isolation/2020/09/18/f397dea8-f763-11ea-89e3-4b9efa36dc64_story.html#comments-wrapper

Washington Post

"This illuminating book will be appreciated by anyone who is growing old, or who is committed to social changes that ensure a pleasant and productive old age for all. Recommended."

Choice

"What the New Movie 'Old' Gets Right About Aging," by Ellyn Lem

Next Avenue

"Gray Matters increases readers’ knowledge about contemporary literature, media, and research focused on lived experiences of older adults. The content and insights can be introduced into gerontology courses and social work practice, human behavior, policy, and research courses, as well as informing direct practice with critical perspectives."

Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work