In 1986, a young epidemiologist embarked on a remarkable journey into the mind of aging and the causes of Alzheimer’s. Unlike so much of today’s scientific research with blind studies and anonymity, David Snowdon’s subjects have a face; they are the faces of hundreds of nuns from the congregation the School Sisters of Notre Dame, women who devoted their lives to helping others by spreading knowledge and ideas (while they have faces, Snowdon carefully protects their identity by use aliases). These women selflessly agreed to participate in his study, subjecting themselves to an annual battery of tests and agreeing to donate their brains to the study of Alzheimer’s disease.
In his book, Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives, Snowdon shares not only the results of his studies but also the lives of the remarkable women who participated in his study. He shares their lives not as specimens of scientific interest but as a man who has learned to love and respect all that the nun’s lives represent.
Anecdotal Evidence
The Nun Study is a well-organized and carefully researched study according the rigorous requirements of the field of scientific research. However, a book based strictly on scientific data would leave the reader bored and yawning. Snowdon recognizes the importance of personal connection and fills the 219 pages of the book with personal stories and anecdotes that give a face to those who have Alzheimer’s and to those who fail to get it; and how their lives and what we learn from their lives can affect our lives.
What is most enchanting about the anecdotal evidence is not only that we get to know different nuns but that we get to see the tender and generous heart of the man who conducted the study.
Fascinating Material
Snowdon presents not only the anecdotal evidence but also the scientific data in easy to understand language. The book reads quickly and is very enjoyable. One finishes the book with a profound respect for the human brain and a desire to incorporate what Snowdon has learned about protecting yourself from Alzheimer’s disease into your daily life.
At the end of the book, the reader also finds herself fascinated by the lives of the women who gave so much to the world and full of respect for a man who worked with the nuns in such a compassionate, respectful, and loving way.
Aging With Grace is a Must Read
Do not let the fact that the subject matter is Alzheimer’s and aging dishearten you and convince you not to read the book. One does not leave the book depressed or upset. How can one be disenchanted when the sisters and the author themselves are so enthusiastic and hopeful?
Aging with Grace will not only give you tips for living a better life but will also give you hope for the potential for reaching a fulfilling and useful old age.
Snowden Ph.D. David. Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Live. Bantam Books, 2001. ISBN 0-553-80163-5
