GREAT MYTHS OF AGING 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Joan T Erber | --- | --- | --- | 9781118521472 | --- | --- Successful Aging by Daniel J. Levitin: | : Books

In fact, learning and processing new information or taking up a new hobby can help keep the mind sharp and provide something interesting to enjoy throughout the day. You can, and should, learn new skills as you age. Many people fear getting older because of these misconceptions, but the aging process should not be considered something to be afraid of, but rather, something to explore. If you stay active and engaged, your later years of life can be some of the best in your life! My journey into the world of senior living began when I started working for United Methodist Homes in Starting as an Activities Director at one of our-winning assisted and independent living communities and then transitioning to Marketing and Promotions Manager for UMH, I now work as the Manager of Mission Development, fostering the Mission and Values of our organization. Wondering what makes our communities such special places to live and work? Connect with me and find out! Categories Follow Us Subscribe. While the Soviet and American longevity race has lost its steam with the end of the cold war, extreme longevity claims from the former USSR still regularly appear in the press. Perhaps this was a case of one-upsmanship since the claim appeared shortly after the Uzbekistan claim that Tuti Yusupova was Most noteworthy about the Dosova claim is the fact that 8 years passed since she would have surpassed the long-held, accepted record of years, and yet we only hear of the claim in Not surprisingly, there is no birth certificate supporting the claim; only a passport, a later-life census record, and an identification card, all of which could have been based upon one or the other. There are several other reasons why this claim is entirely unacceptable, including 1 the region from which the claim originates is well known for invalid claims with its poor recordkeeping, low rates of literacy, and a tradition of age inflation; 2 the claimed age is far beyond the accepted record holder and 16 years beyond the current oldest person in the world; 3 the ages of her children indicate that this claim is exaggerated, otherwise she would have given birth in her 60s [ 64 ]. Extreme age claims from Cuba, often in the — age range, have continued this tradition. The club relies upon a church register, indicating a birthdate of February 2, , as proof. For such an extreme and potentially sensational claim though, multiple forms of corroborating proof are necessary see text box above, providing principles of age validation [ 66 ]. This myth asserts that certain philosophies or religious practices allow a person to live to extreme old age. These types of myths are most common in the Far East. For example, some Daoists have claimed to live to over years. In China, Li-Ching-Yuen was noted to be years old when he died in [ 67 ]. Not only was his age claim fantastical, and the number chosen as a multiple of eight considered good luck in China , but the rationale was that he lived so long due to his following a certain practice or way of life. This type of myth is also found in Buddhism. In the case of the spiritual practice myth, extreme age is associated with the supernatural and is often achieved through some activity. Claims of this nature continue today. A relative living to an extreme age can be a source of significant pride for a family, and this is one of the most commonly encountered causes of inaccurate claims that we encounter. Many families relay stories of family members from many generations ago who lived to very old age. Often these ages are inflated, and there is no documented evidence for the claim. The farther back in time one goes, the easier it is to insert such a family member into the family tree. Sometimes one myth is used to prop up another. For example, Mattie Owens was claimed to be years old in [ 69 ], and her son was said to be An investigation by R. Young determined that Mattie was in fact years old, and her son was just 80 years old [ 70 ]. These myths are quite common, even in the developed world. Macy Bare of North Carolina, said to be , turned out to be [ 70 ]. In , unequivocal census research revealed that William Coates of Maryland was 92, not [ 30 , 71 ]. The myth of persistent and extreme familial longevity is one of the more common typologies of age misreporting that we encounter, including countries such as the USA Though in the USA, it is relatively easy to find records, for example, from the U. In reality, we do not even have sufficient proof that Ana Henriquez is , since the document was issued in Note that the age claims go higher the further back in the past the family tree goes. They might do so completely convinced of their age, though they are mistaken because they have either been told by others what their revised age is, or because of cognitive frailty, they have forgotten about an intentional or erroneous change in their birth date from a long time ago. For example, Mariam Amash was surrounded by her family during all the media attention paid to her while recently claiming to be years old Figure 5. Also, the age of her youngest son, Mohamed, 54 years old, would indicate that she gave birth at the age of 66, which particularly before the advent of modern fertility treatments, would be unheard of. Motivations regarding military status can lead to age misreporting. In some cases, this is to make a child old enough to serve, in others to avoid war service. Various people in the s and s falsely claimed to be Confederate veterans, and thus born in the mids invoking a myth of Southern longevity. Not one of the claimed Confederate ages turned out to be correct, and most were not even veterans [ 74 ]. He apparently inflated his age only in , when a Confederate pension was offered during the Depression in Texas. At the time, Confederate promoters also claimed him as a heritage symbol [ 74 ]. Also of note, the last Union veteran, Albert Woolson, claimed to be years old but research has shown that he was just according to the census [ 74 ]. The oldest Union veteran, James Hard, claimed to be years old in but investigation showed him to be [ 74 ]. Fictionalized accounts of extreme age and war service continue to the present day. Merlyn Krueger recently claimed to be born in as well as a World War I veteran, but research by R. Young has shown him to be born in In some cases, the age is off by just a few years: Frank Buckles, the last surviving U. In addition to the late-life military age myths, some men overstated their age earlier in an effort to avoid military service: claiming to be too old to be in the draft. If a man was 40 but claimed to be 50 in World War II, he could avoid military service, but would have to maintain the claim afterwards. The claim that Pawel Parniak was when he died in was just such an example. Research by R. Young showed that his mother was born in just a year generation gap and that Mr. It is far more likely that Mr. Parniak was closer to , having added about five years to his age in an attempt to avoid military service it should be noted that he was also a World War I veteran , and his mother more likely gave birth to him at age 19 than Administrative errors are an important source of inaccurate age claims, especially in more developed countries. For example, Damiana Sette in Sardinia was falsely noted to have died at the age of years. In fact, she died at years. The error was made several decades earlier in the transcription of administrative data. The reasons for such false cases include persons who emigrated abroad without reporting their birth date and accidentally unreported deaths as opposed to purposefully unreported deaths, as in category 11, below that result in administrative survivors. Errors in the recorded birth date generally a foreign-born person with inappropriate documentation for date of birth are an important cause. For example, Kamato Hongo of Japan was under the impression that she was years old in , thus making her the oldest person in the world at the time. This suggests that original documentation is more reliable than copies of documentation. Whenever original documents can be secured, they are preferable to copies. Pension fraud claims have proven to be a major contributor to extreme age claims. In some cases, relatives with a similar name have continued to fraudulently collect a pension. For example, Pearl Hackney claimed to be years old but was later noted to be In this case, she assumed the identity of an aunt with the same name this claim was investigated by the GRG, Jeff Knight. Others likely claimed an older age during middle age for the likely purpose of prematurely collecting social security. Eddlee Bankhead of Pennsylvania changed his age from 57 to 73 when he applied for social security in , adding 16 years to his age. D Young. One man, supposed to be , had been dead for more than a decade as the family collected money and gifts [ 76 ]. In , a similar scandal erupted as Japanese officials launched an investigation into at least suspected cases of fraudulent pension claims involving people claimed to be very old but who likely died many years ago, including a person who would have been years old if still living [ 77 ]. A similar form of pension fraud recently took place in Greece, where of supposed living centenarians were found to have died in the previous seven years [ 78 ]. Extraordinary claims of extreme longevity regularly surface in the media without circumspection. These claims are often times not benign, however, given underlying motivations. In our experience, the vast majority of claims over the age of and nearly all of those over years are false, and therefore such claims must be regarded with great care and scrutiny. The reporting of invalid ages as real can also cast a sensationalist shadow on the academic and responsible research of true supercentenarians. Extreme age claims do not deserve the benefit of the doubt, and without substantiating proof, like the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot, they should be regarded as false. Improvement in the quality of basic demographic data and the care with which it is managed may yield more reliable information as time moves forward, which will greatly enhance the ability to prove and disprove extreme age claims. But given human nature, however, and a number of the modern and historic sources of age misreporting that we list above, age validation will continue to need to be an integral part of valid exceptional longevity research. Even areas thought to have complete birth registration have seen problems with immigrant cases, unreported deaths, pension fraud, and the like. The older the alleged age of a longevity claim, the more in-depth must be the validation procedure. Furthermore, as long as outrageous claims continue to be reported in the press without even a note of skepticism, they lend support to futurists and quacks who make claims that the average person today has the opportunity to achieve these purported ages. It is our hope that a more general knowledge of the typical circumstances under which age misreporting occurs may be helpful in decreasing irresponsible coverage of such claims and underscores the importance of skepticism and taking the substantial effort to proving or disproving a claim of extreme longevity. Young et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. We will be providing unlimited waivers of publication charges for accepted research articles as well as case reports and case series related to COVID Review articles are excluded from this waiver policy. Sign up here as a reviewer to help fast-track new submissions. Journal overview. Special Issues. Academic Editor: Donald Craig Willcox. Received 13 Apr Revised 10 Sep Accepted 28 Dec Published 15 Mar Abstract Purpose. Introduction People have long been fascinated with claims to extreme longevity. The number of these purported supercentenarians was compared with an age-validated list of supercentenarians, also who died during the same time period, generated by the Gerontology Research Group, to obtain the validation rate. The rate for the age range was lower than might otherwise be expected because persons who died at age e. Table 1. Social Security Death Index-generated frequencies of alleged supercentenarians whose deaths were reported between and and validation rate. Figure 1. Moloko Temo of South Africa at what was announced as her th birthday. Figure 2. Figure 3. The fact that a stamp was produced commemorating this man indicates the role of national pride in claims such as these Permission, Azerbaijan International. Figure 4. She died a month later. Figure 5. She then goes for a walk and then spends most of her day with the family. There are no conflicts of interest. While the content of these blogs identify activities that support optimal aging, it is important to defer to the most current public health recommendations such as social distancing and frequent hand washing. Some of the activities suggested within these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with current social distancing recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website. Help us to continue to provide direct and easy access to evidence-based information on health and social conditions to help you stay healthy, active and engaged as you grow older. Donate Today. We just need your email, then we'll add you to the list! Cancel Subscribe. Toggle navigation McMaster University info mcmasteroptimalaging. Feb 22, - McMaster University -. Older adults should limit physical activity: This myth still persists among some older and younger people, and in some cultures. Get the latest content first. 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The work of two leading research groups in Quebec, the short and accessible chapters of this vitally important book contribute to a better understanding of the social challenges, as well as the advantages, of an aging society. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including seniors and readers interested in aging; students, teachers, and researchers; public policy makers; and politicians. She is a co-editor of Vieillir au pluriel: Perspectives sociales — the first reference book in French on social gerontology. She has many years of experience working in the intervention and prevention of violence against women and in mental health. He is well known for his work on social policy, public administration, and retirement. She is renowned for her work in environmental justice, poverty, socio-spatial aspects of aging, and urban social policies. Toggle navigation Books. Reviews Editors Contents A thoughtful collection calling attention to what is said and unsaid about older people, the places they live, and the roles they occupy. Each chapter unearths existing assumptions, raises questions for debate, and presents new possibilities for reflection and social change. Ancient Roman historians attempted to tally reports of extreme age in local villages. The first reasonable attempts at age validation were performed by demographers such as Adolphe Quetelet, who conducted a systematic investigation of purported centenarian ages appearing in the first Belgian census of [ 2 ]. Thoms investigated extreme age reports provided by village elders in the context of old age data provided by life insurance companies [ 3 ]. In his time, no age greater than years old Jacob Luning in had been verified using insurance company records, far younger than the claimed ages that were well beyond years. Despite this important lesson of considering context, years later many people in the media and elsewhere are willing to accept a claim of years despite the fact that the maximum proven age having been reached by a human is years [ 4 ]. To provide a current context to unsubstantiated age claims, we provide here some statistics concerning supercentenarian a person age years or older prevalence. Kestenbaum and Ferguson at the U. Social Security Administration reported Medicare data indicating that, in , there were 32, centenarians and out of these, or 0. The US census listed 1, supercentenarians in about 1 per , [ 6 ]. However, according to author R. Academics and lay people interested in age validation generally fall into two camps: the skeptics and the optimists. The initial skeptics were actuaries, who found that humans did not live beyond years or so. Thomas Emley Young of the Institute of Actuaries, London, for example, attempted the first validated list of centenarians in the s, finding no one older than [ 7 ]. An initial acceptance of the claim of Pierre Joubert to be , by the Tache investigation in Canada in , was later overturned [ 8 ]. Interestingly, Alexander Graham Bell purportedly attempted such a list in [ 9 ]. Jean Finot, a transhumanist, believed, at the turn of the twentieth century, that the growing number of centenarians at the time and the improvement in average life expectancy portended the likelihood of human life spans of plus years [ 12 ]. But later its author, Alexander Leaf, became wary of these claims due to inconsistencies in the stories, and he engaged Richard Mazess and Sylvia Forman to further investigate the Vilcabamba claims, which were eventually found to be false [ 15 ]. Optimists paved the way for amazing unquestioned claims in the United States as well. Smith was later noted to be years old at death based upon the census and was not, in fact, an ex-slave, having been born more than 15 years after the Emancipation Proclamation [ 17 ]. A resurgence of longevity myths in the s, particularly in the Caucasus region of Soviet Russia, the Hunza Valley in Pakistan, and the Vilcabamba valley in Ecuador was finally debunked by objective scientific investigation in the early s [ 15 , 19 , 20 ]. Even the skeptical Guinness Book of World Records was not infallible, however. For example, Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan was accepted as aged years in and was thought to be the oldest verified person ever at age years in However, in he was determined by Japanese researchers to more likely be only years old at the time of his death [ 21 ]. Surprisingly, these and other similar reports provide little in the way of skepticism even when the individuals were not claimed as the oldest ever, seven or eight years earlier, when they would have broken the accepted record of years, days set by Jeanne Calment of France February 21, —August 4, [ 4 ]. Many claims, such as the one appearing in Scientific American , are characterized by geographically specific absences of records from the late s and early s from regions such as Armenia where most records were destroyed by the war. In the case of China, ages are traditionally recorded in year increments or animal cycles according to the Chinese zodiac, and therefore animal signs rather than birth years are often more culturally salient among the oldest old. Additionally, in China one can encounter the tradition of ages beginning at the number one, rather than zero, which can lead to an additional year, as in the case of a former first lady of China, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, who died at age of , not [ 24 ]. Despite this history of the overwhelming improbability of various extreme age claims, the Western media continue to report such claims, particularly from exotic regions, as if they might be true. Meanwhile, as discussed below, well-documented and validated cases generally do not exceed years of age. The record for Germany is just [ 25 ]; for Sweden, [ 26 ]; for Italy [ 26 ] and Spain [ 27 ], Since , with the advent of compulsory birth registration, no one in the UK has been proven to survive beyond the age of years [ 26 ]. Where birth registrations are available in the mid to late 19th century, valid claims of ages beyond do not exist. As a result, in our experience, claims to age exist only where records do not. The problem, however, extends beyond the media. Government officials have been willing to provide a benefit of the doubt in some cases, perhaps because of political pressure or community notoriety rather than any sincere desire to seek the truth. Census research subsequently showed that Mr. Coates was only 92, not as claimed [ 30 , 31 ]. More scientifically rigorous treatment of the subject came about in the late s and early s; a group of demographers and gerontologists came together in a series of workshops to formulate criteria for effectively validating or invalidating extreme age claims. A number of monographs have been written by these experts on the subjects of age validation and invalidation [ 2 , 32 — 34 ]. Stephen Coles, was formed to facilitate, particularly via the internet, a group of academic and lay investigators interacting with one another in the maintenance of a validated claims list that was begun in This effort eventually branched into an actual records database of supercentenarian cases. This was the case in , when the claim of Maria Capovilla of Ecuador, said to be , was submitted [ 35 ]. The documents were deemed sufficient by Guinness research, and subsequent follow-up research by other groups, such as the International Database on Longevity, tended to agree with this conclusion. Of note, Ms. Capovilla lived in a big city near sea level Guayaquil and her age did nothing to bolster the Vilcabamba myth that people living high in the Andean mountains, far from big cities, had an extreme survival advantage. A number of ongoing studies of human exceptional longevity, for example, the Georgia Centenarian Study [ 36 , 37 ], the Ashkenazi Jewish Centenarian Study [ 38 ], the Okinawa Centenarian Study [ 39 , 40 ], the Long Life Family Study [ 41 ], and the New England Centenarian Study [ 42 , 43 ] have relied upon the age validation criteria formulated by the IDL in making sure that the claimed ages of their subjects are real. The results of all these efforts are in remarkable agreement that verified age claims above are extremely rare. Because supercentenarians are so rare at approximately one per five million people in the United States, the NECS recruits and enrolls these subjects from throughout North America. The study has, to date, the largest such sample in the world with over subjects attaining ages of — years [ 44 ]. It is important for researchers studying supercentenarians to be aware of signs that the age being claimed may be false. Thus, our purpose here is to classify the various causes or reasons for false age claims, while providing a backdrop that places these claims in proper demographic context. A more general knowledge of the typical circumstances or motivating factors that underlie age misreporting may be helpful in decreasing irresponsible coverage and inclusion of such claims in government records and scientific research. A list was then generated for possible deceased supercentenarians from to according to age column 1 of Table 1. A range including two possible ages is listed for each row because the months and days of birth and of death were not included in the age calculation from the SSDI data to do so would have made the review of the SSDI data too arduous and our priority in looking for SSDI-generated cases of supercentenarians was sensitivity, not specificity. This is why the age of years is also included in the table, even though years would not qualify the person as a supercentenarian. This list was then compared to the results of the ongoing validation effort conducted by Robert Young and colleagues associated with the Gerontology Research Group GRG for supercentenarians in the USA who died during the same time period column 2. Other purported supercentenarians were located by the GRG via surveillance of the lay press and regular searches of the internet as well as referrals to the GRG by friends or family of the individual. A comparison of the two columns then yielded a valid claims rate. For example, the SSDI listed 24 persons born in and dying in , for a total of 24 potential year olds. Generally, the rate of validation for potential oldest subjects in the NECS is high because these individuals are usually around ages of — years old, nearly all of them come from the USA and Canada as noted in the results, higher ages and claims from less developed countries have lower validation rates , and their reason for cooperating with the NECS in the age validation process is to volunteer for study on the genetics of exceptional longevity. Cases adjudicated for Guinness tend to have much higher invalid rates and therefore there is an ascertainment bias because the claimed ages are much higher approaching or surpassing the oldest age record. The validity rates for the GRG tend to be somewhere in between the NECS and Guinness because ages for the GRG list begin at years, but the list also includes claims from all over the world with some coming from less developed countries or regions. Authors B. It is out of the collective experience of the authors, as well as from a literature and media review, that a list of typologies for invalid cases was constructed. The ability to validate an age claim is dependent upon the various resources available for that claim, and these in turn can vary according to the administrative, cultural, or religious settings. These data can increase the probability of either a true positive or a true negative age claim. Ideally, the person's original birth record or a certified copy of the record, registered at, or shortly after, the person's actual birth should be available. In the cases of the most extreme old, by virtue of their rarity and likelihood of being false, the birth record alone should not be sufficient because of the possibility, for example, of homonyms or namesakes a person named after another person. Consistency between birth, death, and marriage records according to name, surname, and parent and spouse names incrementally increases the probability that the alleged age is true. The use of family pedigree reconstitution and a check of other vital records, such as court documents, may be employed if the age claim is extreme such as that of Jeanne Calment [ 4 ]. A chapter by Michel Poulain appearing in a recent monograph on supercentenarians [ 34 ] provides a detailed discussion of the necessary steps for validating extreme age claims. As discussed in this contribution, all necessary investigations have to be consistent in order to prove validity of age. A proxy or substitute record, such as the census for someone born in , listing them as age 3 for example, may be counted as a sufficient replacement for proof of birth. Internationally, the proxy-birth rule is limited to documents issued within 20 years of the birth event [ 4 ]. On the other hand, a single piece of information such as the age of the oldest child may make the claimed age highly improbable. If one element is wrong, the entire validation process will be considered as highly improbable, and it is definitively easier to prove that this person is not a centenarian than the opposite. In fact, the validation will never be final, while the invalidation is generally final when clear grounds for invalidation are found. Basic Principles for Age Validation i Ideally, age should be calculated from linking a birth registration with a death registration or with a living person. For example, claiming to be age will require many different and consistent forms of proof as was done with Jeanne Calment , while claiming to be years old requires only the three basic proofs: proof of birth, survival to age identification , and proof that the person in the birth record is the person in the ID record. It has been suggested that for ages —, proof of birth and death should be sufficient. We provide below a list of eleven categories of how false claims emerge. Some categories are more historical while others are common causes of currently professed claims that are either proven false or do not have enough substantiating evidence to be believable. Each of these is elaborated upon below. In tribal and village kinship networks, the eldest members can not only be a repository of wisdom and tribal knowledge, they can also be patriarchal or matriarchal figures and a living symbol of the family tree that holds together the past and present members of the family. Since very old age conferred status, some extreme ages were attributed to historically important individuals. With the more recent King David portion of the Bible, incredible ages give way to ordinary ages of death: 70 for David, or 58 for Rehoboam, for example. In some cases, ages were exaggerated to extend a pseudo-genealogy further back into the past. For example, in ancient Sumeria, claimed ages corresponded to calendar cycles and special dates [ 50 ]. A later and reduced form of the cyclical-calendar genealogy myth was used in Japan, which inflated ages of emperors in an attempt to date Japanese history back to BC [ 51 ]. This type of myth may no longer be a problem for current claims under investigation, but it is important when claims of ancient kings to be or older are made. For example, Emperor Yao of China is said to have ruled for years from age 17 to circa to BC [ 52 ]. The village elder myth originally centered around a tribal chieftain, but in places where local power was decentralized, elderly men and women began to lose such positions of power. Most claims of this type have been to ages less than years old, with ages of to years seemingly representing the cusp of believability for the uneducated. These myths continue today in places such as Bangladesh, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Her identity card was issued in , purporting that she was born on July 4, Most importantly, no one came forward with her age claim in when she would have become the oldest person in the world. The age of her children some in their 70s suggests that this woman was closer to than The difference, however, is motivation; the original motivation for the village elder myth is local pride and joy; however the claim can then be discovered by the national press, and it becomes a source of national pride. No birth certificate exists [ 55 ]. Moreover, she was said to be illiterate before , and misreported age is highly correlated with illiteracy. Unlike the previously mentioned myths, which are rooted in patriarchal, ancient, and communal beliefs, the Fountain of Youth myth is anchored in the individual. People need an example of success to believe that a special kind of water e. The many websites and advertisements professing the age-reversing effects of growth hormone and other substances alleged to extend human longevity are a particularly egregious example due to the high frequency of adverse effects from these drugs and evidence that growth hormone actually shortens life span in adults [ 56 , 57 ]. As an example, Dr. Yet recent investigations found that he was only 99 years old [ 58 ]. An extension and adaptation of the Fountain of Youth myth is the idea that a particular place, rather than a substance, possesses what is needed to attain extreme age. Shangri-La was a fictional paradise in the novel Lost Horizon. Author James Hilton describes a place where the residents are happy, isolated, and live many years beyond the normal lifespan. Once again, we see wealth and personal vanity as motivating factors in longevity myths. This myth differs from the Fountain of Youth myth in that it focuses on an entire village or mountain region, where the water, air, and so forth, are said to be qualitatively different than elsewhere. Modern examples of this myth include the Caucasus mountain region, the mountainous Vilcabamba region in Ecuador, and the Hunza Valley in Pakistan. In this type of myths, many people are claimed to achieve extreme old age. Thus, the Caucasus did not merely claim to have year olds, but to have hundreds of people older than years [ 59 , 60 ]. In some cases, apparent age heaping showed how unreliable the claims were. Claimants were also disproportionately male, further incriminating the claim because the vast majority of centenarians are female. Out of a total population of , the town boasted seven men and two women older than years old. One man, Miguel Carpio, said that he was years old. Another, Jose David, claimed to be years old. Gabriel Erazo claimed to be years old. Victor Maza claimed to be However, an investigation in by Dr. Sylvia Forman of the University of California, Berkeley found that there was not a single centenarian living in Vilcabamba [ 15 ]. The oldest person in the village was found to be The average age of those claiming to be over years was actually 86 years. Also, nearly all the extreme age claimants were male, suggesting an overlap with the patriarchal and village elder myths. Usually, about eighty-five percent of centenarians [ 61 ] and ninety percent of supercentenarians are women [ 46 ]. Perhaps due to skeptical pressure, ages above are not used here; instead the claim is focused on prevalence of centenarians, rather than maximum ages. The idea of the Nationalist longevity myth was rooted in the rise of Nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Soviets used the longevity claims of the Caucasus to help promote the asserted superiority of the Communist way of life and their nation [ 60 ]. While the Soviet and American longevity race has lost its steam with the end of the cold war, extreme longevity claims from the former USSR still regularly appear in the press. Perhaps this was a case of one-upsmanship since the claim appeared shortly after the Uzbekistan claim that Tuti Yusupova was Most noteworthy about the Dosova claim is the fact that 8 years passed since she would have surpassed the long-held, accepted record of years, and yet we only hear of the claim in Not surprisingly, there is no birth certificate supporting the claim; only a passport, a later-life census record, and an identification card, all of which could have been based upon one or the other. There are several other reasons why this claim is entirely unacceptable, including 1 the region from which the claim originates is well known for invalid claims with its poor recordkeeping, low rates of literacy, and a tradition of age inflation; 2 the claimed age is far beyond the accepted record holder and 16 years beyond the current oldest person in the world; 3 the ages of her children indicate that this claim is exaggerated, otherwise she would have given birth in her 60s [ 64 ]. Extreme age claims from Cuba, often in the — age range, have continued this tradition. The club relies upon a church register, indicating a birthdate of February 2, , as proof. For such an extreme and potentially sensational claim though, multiple forms of corroborating proof are necessary see text box above, providing principles of age validation [ 66 ]. This myth asserts that certain philosophies or religious practices allow a person to live to extreme old age. These types of myths are most common in the Far East. For example, some Daoists have claimed to live to over years. In China, Li-Ching-Yuen was noted to be years old when he died in [ 67 ]. Not only was his age claim fantastical, and the number chosen as a multiple of eight considered good luck in China , but the rationale was that he lived so long due to his following a certain practice or way of life. This type of myth is also found in Buddhism. In the case of the spiritual practice myth, extreme age is associated with the supernatural and is often achieved through some activity. Claims of this nature continue today. A relative living to an extreme age can be a source of significant pride for a family, and this is one of the most commonly encountered causes of inaccurate claims that we encounter. Many families relay stories of family members from many generations ago who lived to very old age. Often these ages are inflated, and there is no documented evidence for the claim. The farther back in time one goes, the easier it is to insert such a family member into the family tree. Sometimes one myth is used to prop up another. For example, Mattie Owens was claimed to be years old in [ 69 ], and her son was said to be An investigation by R. Young determined that Mattie was in fact years old, and her son was just 80 years old [ 70 ]. These myths are quite common, even in the developed world. Macy Bare of North Carolina, said to be , turned out to be [ 70 ]. In , unequivocal census research revealed that William Coates of Maryland was 92, not [ 30 , 71 ]. The myth of persistent and extreme familial longevity is one of the more common typologies of age misreporting that we encounter, including countries such as the USA Though in the USA, it is relatively easy to find records, for example, from the U. In reality, we do not even have sufficient proof that Ana Henriquez is , since the document was issued in Note that the age claims go higher the further back in the past the family tree goes. They might do so completely convinced of their age, though they are mistaken because they have either been told by others what their revised age is, or because of cognitive frailty, they have forgotten about an intentional or erroneous change in their birth date from a long time ago. For example, Mariam Amash was surrounded by her family during all the media attention paid to her while recently claiming to be years old Figure 5. Also, the age of her youngest son, Mohamed, 54 years old, would indicate that she gave birth at the age of 66, which particularly before the advent of modern fertility treatments, would be unheard of. Motivations regarding military status can lead to age misreporting. 5 Common Misconceptions About Aging

In it, experts debunk myths and persistent stereotypes about aging on a broad array of social issues — from retirement seniors are low- performance workers to housing most older adults live in long-term care accommodation , and violence senior women are not victims of sexual assault to political participation seniors are conservative and resistant to change — deconstructing and countering them with the latest findings. The work of two leading research groups in Quebec, the short and accessible chapters of this vitally important book contribute to a better understanding of the social challenges, as well as the advantages, of an aging society. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including seniors and readers interested in aging; students, teachers, and researchers; public policy makers; and politicians. She is a co-editor of Vieillir au pluriel: Perspectives sociales — the first reference book in French on social gerontology. She has many years of experience working in the intervention and prevention of violence against women and in mental health. He is well known for his work on social policy, public administration, and retirement. She is renowned for her work in environmental justice, poverty, socio-spatial aspects of aging, and urban social policies. Toggle navigation Books. Reviews Editors Contents A thoughtful collection calling attention to what is said and unsaid about older people, the places they live, and the roles they occupy. As the figures above attest, two- thirds of women over 50 do not have osteoporosis. To minimize risks, the National Institute on Aging advise people to eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and exercise regularly. The term cognitive decline refers to a gradual decrease in mental functioning with age, but before we tackle the facts of the matter, we dismiss a couple of associated myths:. According to the WHO, the risk of developing dementia increases with age, but it does not affect all older adults. In the United States, an estimated Contrary to popular opinion, cognitive decline does not necessarily signal the start of dementia. People who go on to develop dementia tend to experience cognitive decline first. However, not everyone who experiences cognitive decline will develop dementia. One older study estimated that Of these, each year, As the above statistics show, cognitive decline is not inevitable, regardless of the long-held myth that older adults experience a mental slowing down. And, importantly, there are ways to reduce the risk. They identified that maintaining regular physical activity and managing classic cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure were strongly associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. They also found good evidence that a healthful diet and lifelong learning or cognitive training also reduce the risk of cognitive decline. As the NHS clearly explain :. Some people believe that older adults lose their ability to enjoy sex and that their sexual organs become unfit for purpose. This, thankfully, is a myth. It is true that the risk of erectile dysfunction ED and vaginal dryness increases as people age, but for most individuals, these are not insurmountable problems. Sildenafil Viagra and lubricants or hormone creams can work wonders in many cases. Before taking Viagra, though, it is essential to speak with a doctor, as it is not suitable for everyone. An article in the International Journal of Clinical Practice indicates that around 0. However, flipping that statistic on its head makes it much less daunting — almost 9 out of 10 men in their 60s do not have ED. Intercourse between older people may be less fast and furious, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. There are certain benefits, too. It is true that as some people grow older, they do not have the same sexual desire or drive as when they were young, but this is by no means the case for everyone. To end this section on a high, below is a quote from a survey study that involved older adults. Although the participants reported that they were having less sex than a decade earlier, the authors write:. Overall, most of the myths surrounding age seem to center on inevitability. People believe that it is inevitable that they will gradually crumble into dust as their lives become increasingly unbearable, boring, passionless, and painful. Although certain aspects of health might decline with age, none of the above is inevitable for everyone. As we have discovered, a positive psychological outlook on aging can benefit the physical aspects of aging. Osteoporosis occurs when bone density decreases. This affects the structure and strength of bones and makes fractures more likely. Osteoporosis is…. Arthritis in the fingers can cause pain and inflammation, with the joints sometimes feeling warm to the touch. Learn more about exercises to reduce…. We look at some of the ways in which the pandemic is affecting older adults, including physical and mental health risks, as well as gaps in social…. In this Special Feature, we cover how the immune system changes as we age. We also ask whether or not lifestyle factors can slow or reverse these…. What are the symptoms of testicular cancer, other than lumps? Find out what other symptoms people should be aware of and how to do a self-exam. Medical myths: All about aging. Physical deterioration is inevitable. Older adults should not exercise. Older adults need less or more sleep. Only women get osteoporosis. As you age, your brain slows. Sex is rare or impossible as you age. The takehome. Concerning increase in infant health inequality over the past decade. Study finds no evidence that vegan diet benefits specific blood type. Is there a link between ocean pollution and damage to human health?

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Around , generations ago , the human species split from an ancient ancestor that we share with chimpanzees. Since then, human life expectancy at birth has doubled. Over the last years, life expectancy at birth has doubled again. As animals go, humans perform well in longevity. With these facts in mind, dispelling the many myths associated with aging seems more pressing than at any point in our evolutionary history. In this article, we will tackle myths associated with exercise, cognitive ability, sex, and more. To discover more evidence-based information and resources for healthy aging, visit our dedicated hub. This is not entirely untrue. As we age, our body does experience wear and tear from decades of use. However, physical deterioration does not have to be complete, and people can often slow it down. Some research suggests that merely expecting physical deterioration increases the likelihood that someone will physically deteriorate. In one study , scientists surveyed older adults about their aging, lifestyles, and general health expectations. So, although some deterioration is likely, managing expectations will help individuals make better life choices to maintain physical health and fitness later in life. The authors of the study, which included data from older adults , concluded:. Another study looked at individual attitudes to aging during late middle-age and how they might influence their overall lifespan. In short, keeping active, eating right, and maintaining a positive outlook can often slow the physical deterioration associated with older age. From the previous section, it is clear that this is a myth. According to an older article in Neuropsychobiology , keeping active can boost muscle strength, reduce fat, and improve mental health. Some people think that, once they reach a certain age, there is no point in exercising, as they believe that it will provide no benefit. This is another myth. In one study , researchers put adults aged 60—80 through a week weight-lifting regime. However, people should consult their doctor before embarking on a new exercise regime if they have a medical condition. For example, the National Health Service NHS in the United Kingdom indicate that people with certain conditions associated with age, such as osteoporosis, should avoid high impact exercise. Some people believe that older adults need more sleep than younger adults, perhaps because of the stereotype that older people enjoy a nap. Others say that older adults need less sleep, which might stem from the stereotype that older adults rise early in the morning. These myths are relatively difficult to unpick because there are many factors involved. It is undoubtedly true that older adults have more difficulty getting to sleep and that their sleep tends to be more fragmented. This might help explain why some older adults need to nap in the day. As the human body changes with age, it can disrupt the circadian daily rhythms. This, in turn, can impact sleep. Similarly, some conditions cause shortness of breath, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD and congestive heart failure; this can also make sleeping more challenging. According to an older article , certain medications, including beta-blockers, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, decongestants, and diuretics, can also interfere with sleep. Older adults are more likely to be taking these types of medication, sometimes together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC state that people aged 61—64 need 7—9 hours, and people aged 65 or older need 7—8 hours of sleep each night. The work of two leading research groups in Quebec, the short and accessible chapters of this vitally important book contribute to a better understanding of the social challenges, as well as the advantages, of an aging society. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, including seniors and readers interested in aging; students, teachers, and researchers; public policy makers; and politicians. She is a co-editor of Vieillir au pluriel: Perspectives sociales — the first reference book in French on social gerontology. She has many years of experience working in the intervention and prevention of violence against women and in mental health. He is well known for his work on social policy, public administration, and retirement. She is renowned for her work in environmental justice, poverty, socio-spatial aspects of aging, and urban social policies. That may or may not bother you according to your personal expectations for this novel, but it was a major issue for me personally. Second, the main antagonist here was a huge letdown. When I added that to his rather lackluster scheme to take control of everything, he became very difficult for me to swallow as an intimidating antagonist. The exact opposite is how I felt. Truly, every one of his scenes was just painful to get through. Lastly, the pacing. The first half of the book was slow. Raithe and Malcolm running away from the Fhrey. Persephone taking trips into the forest. Fhrey characters taking journeys to the Rhune lands. I totally admit the last part of the book accelerated non-stop to a great ending, but even it could not make up for the glacial slow feeling of the rest of the narrative. If you are a fan of Michael J. I personally wish I had enjoyed the novel more than I did, but it won't keep me from picking up book two, because I have enough faith in Mr. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. View all 11 comments. This is the start, just the turning of leaves. Winter is still on its way. Sullivan is one of the authors on my auto-buy list. Ever since I've finished his Riyria series both Revelations and Chronicles , I've been recommending them to my family and friends either as a gateway to fantasy or as a breath of fresh air amidst all the grimdark fantasy. And in just a short space of a year, I've reread all of Riyria and was hungry for more of his stories. Age of Myth was more than up to This is the start, just the turning of leaves. Age of Myth was more than up to the task of satisfying my longing. Set in the same world 3, years ago, the Legends of the First Empire series is the actual account of the historical events that will eventually lead to the story of our two favourite thieves. To take a quote from Michael J Sullivan's recent blog post: "Age of Myth is a small story that will launch an epic tale that will lay the foundations for a world where in three thousand years two thieves will uncover much of what was lost, but so many more revelations remain to be discovered. And it all started when two Rhunes dared to venture across the Bern River into the forbidden lands of the Fhrey, leading into events which will change the world forever. The first one-third of the book had slower pacing as the author took some time to introduce the reader to a more primitive rendition of Elan. However, his improved writing skills made the journey really enjoyable and strangely comforting. There's a fluidity in how the story was built up with the introduction of key characters with the last third of the book picking up in pace before the book concluded with a gripping climactic scene. The story was written in a limited third-person perspective of a few main characters. As with the Riyria series, the characters in this book are those you want to know better and with whom you would happily spend lots of your time. The author has this gift of creating compelling and relatable personalities; whether they are likeable or not is a different question. Being able to create realistic and truly odious villains is also an art. I will like to again commend MJS for his ability to write some of the most amazing female characters ever to grace the pages of any fantasy book. Persephone is the epitome of a woman who is smart, courageous, and yet extremely graceful in her portrayal of such attributes bear in mind, as the human race was still pretty primitive at that time official female leadership was non-existent. And then there is Arion of the Fhrey, a female Miraliyth who also demonstrated wisdom and quiet inner strength. Last but not least, we have the wild, mystical child, Suri and her wolf, wonderfully wise yet naive at the same time. Tip: The Death of Dulgath contained an 'Easter egg' linked to the characters that we finally meet in this book. All that said, the best part about reading Age of Myth as a prequel was in identifying the characters that history has since bestowed a legendary status, and learning about their true stories. I loved this book and look forward eagerly to its sequel, Age of Swords. View all 23 comments. Apr 13, Helen 2. Let me concur with all my friends' five star reviews and tell you that this world, these characters, this story, is friggin awesome. As a prequel that requires no prior knowledge of the setting, the Legends of the First Empire series plays in the same world as the Riyria Chronicles , only many centuries before when ordinary humans "Rhunes" lived in fear of their long-lived cousins, the Fhrey. In this age, the Rhunes have always seen the Fhrey as divine immortal overlords - until the day ordinary Let me concur with all my friends' five star reviews and tell you that this world, these characters, this story, is friggin awesome. In this age, the Rhunes have always seen the Fhrey as divine immortal overlords - until the day ordinary Raithe kills a Fhrey and starts a war. Age of Myth follows the paths of several characters, human and Fhrey, as they witness and choose their sides in the brewing conflict. This is a highly entertaining introduction to an epic fantasy series. MJS does an amazing job at keeping the book readable even for those who generally stay away from high fantasy by throwing in humor, light romance, mystery and deep emotion. There's something for everyone. He also avoided complicated explanations and info-dumps so as not to drag down the fast-paced plot. But where I believe MJS shines best is when writing strong, three dimensional characters - especially women. The way an author approaches modern issues in a fantasy world is always a good indicator of writing skill ; Sullivan really hit the ball out of the court with his take on feminist icons in the man's world he has created. Arion, Persephone, Suri - all of them make their own way, working harder than anyone else because of all the prejudices standing against them. The woman who takes the cake here is Mora ; she's beautiful, brave, and fights against those in power trying to force her into an unwanted marriage. View all 3 comments. Jan 11, J. Ashman rated it it was amazing. Okay, that would have worked better last month. Truth is, this book thoroughly clicked with me, or I with it. Humorous and easy to follow, very easy, but not to say it was 'simple' in any way. There were indeed twists and turns - an impressive one at the end of the book - and it kept me listening Audible at every given opportunity. The narration was spot on, too. Magic and 'gods' and a cool, bronze age setting that offered something different to the medieval norm that I normally love, by the way , which makes a change. The characters are flawed and real and up and down emotionally, in a believable way. The fighting is to the point and not drawn out. The magic is powerful and the myths and legends and superstitions offer a realism to the world building that adds depth to the story. I'm crap at reviews, but if you haven't read Sullivan, remedy it asap. Easily given. View all 9 comments. Oct 08, Algernon Darth Anyan rated it really liked it Shelves: I felt the need to revisit because I waited until the last book in the series was published so I could schedule them in close succession over summer. My feeble memory deals better with big fantasy epics in bulk, although I have to say Mr. Sullivan manages to keep the distracting elements of world-building and the introduction of new characters to an easily manageable level. It has also been fascinating update: A re-read for me of the opening book in the Legends of the First Empire series. It has also been fascinating to participate in the beta reading of this book and now to have in my hands the final version. I did not check back on my earlier comments for each chapter, but there is definitely an improvement: not so much in major plot development, but in dialogue, in more subtle characterization, also some name changes and a couple of key scenes rewrites that are now flowing much better. Every epic journey must have a start, and in this prequel series to the well-known Riyria Chronicles , the spark that would engulf the world of Elan in fire started with a meeting between two human poachers and an elf lord. In the language of the First Empire the human race is known as Rhunes, a pejorative term meaning uncouth or primitive. The Fhrey are the master race, very long lived, wielders of powerful magic and supremely arrogant in their dominion. Rhunes are forced to live in inhospitable lands, and Dureyans are the hardest pressed of all the human tribes, but they are good fighters, often as mercenaries for the Fhrey overlords. Raithe and his father cross the forbidden border in order to hunt for food, but when they are discovered by a Fhrey lord they must kill or be killed. And, apparently, even gods can be killed. Raithe becomes a fugitive and the elves decide to eradicate all Rhunes from the face of Elan. How could such rudimentary people fight against magic powers that can raise mountains and call thunder from clear skies? Read on! Several chapters move to the point of view of the Fhrey elves and the other three races are only mentioned in passing. Dherg is another elvish pejorative term for dwarves, Ghazel stands in for goblins and Grenmorians are a race of giants. Of the five major races, humans have the shorter lifespans, but they compensate in birthrate. All very Tolkienish, but with enough subtle alterations to make these well known races feel interesting. I said in my first review that this is a classic fantasy epic, character driven, with a PG rating and predictable plot progression. Simple peasants can rise and fight demonic overlords. Most of the charm is in the details and in the personable characters, high emotional intensity on an individual level in this first book that will probably expand to a bigger picture in the sequels. Raithe finds allies in a different Rhune village and unexpected allies in a fight he would rather avoid, but instead of escaping into the wildlands to build a farm and a family, Raithe is called to be a God-Killer again. I am being deliberately vague on the details in order to keep spoilers to a minimum. I liked in particular the forest setting of the Rhune village, the richness of its traditions and legends, the focus on human interactions, and the feeling of being part of a major story that takes its time to develop fully. On the minus side, at least for me, Raithe and Malcolm are not as instantly charming as Royce and Hadrian. Their banter feels a bit strenuous, but I have hopes of warming up to them and Persephone, Suri and Nyphron in the future books. Right now, the characters are falling too easily into the black and white categories, but I can see myself adding another star if the following books capture my imagination. For another thing, I really want to find out what goes on in the second book in the series, how my favorite characters will fare and what new adventures are in store for them. Mission accomplished then : I have a new fantasy epic to add to my list of buying on publication date. I am a bit of a fanboy of the author and of his Joyce and Hadrian Riyria books read them when they were first published based on the recommendations from sffworld forum. There are multiple POV characters, but I found the changes in perspective easy to follow and the first book ends at a good point, almost like a stand-alone installment. There are recognizable human, elves, dwarves, orcs and other fantasy stock races, but the author is trying to put a new spin on these standard building blocks, and is largely successful. Compared to Riyria, the world of Rhune is closer to the stone age civilizations, with more tribal structures than medieval castles and warring kingdoms, reminding me of the unfinished Sword of Shadows series by J V Jones. The best news for me is that mr. Sullivan is working on the story as a whole, with the next two books already written and ready for copy editing, and the fourth under construction right now. So there will not be painful years of waiting for the next volume, other than the requirements of his eventual publisher. They listen more than they talk, provide shade on hot days, give you food and shelter, and never ask anything in return. Suri Suri This was a place of heroes, a home for adventure. Mawindule Conclusion : possibly one of the fantasy highligths. View all 5 comments. My review and rating are based on the 2nd beta version of this book; the final published edition will likely be changed a bit. But not as much as you might think. While it will need some tweaking to give it a more polished story, this book is pretty awesome as it is now. I've been a fan of Michael J. Sullivan for a few years now, and he has never disappointed. Fans of his Riyria works will be on this book like a fat kid on a glazed donut. What happens in this book? I won't tell. One, I don't My review and rating are based on the 2nd beta version of this book; the final published edition will likely be changed a bit. One, I don't reveal spoilers. Two, this won't be released for over a year by the time it gets the full publishing treatment - things about it could change. And third, you need to read it for yourself. Don't worry; when the final version makes it to print and ebook, and audiobook , I'll be among the first out there purchasing a copy. And I'll read it again, happily. I'm anxious to see an "improved" final cut of this work. And anxious for Book 2, for that matter. I've been having a really hard time deciding what to write in this review. I absolutely loved the book, but every time I think about it, I can't help but compare it to Riyria. It's natural, I think, to compare the two. First, of course, both series are by the same author, but being in the same world makes it hard to set aside Riyria when talking about Legends. Because they are in the same world, the early history of Elan that is told in this series is referenced, often incorrectly, in Riyria. There are just so many wonderful Easter eggs for readers of both series that while it's not necessary to read Riyria before this series, I would highly recommend it. You understand all of the references from this series, not to mention that Riyria already has a published conclusion. It's also just a fantastic series. I must admit that while I liked Raithe, he wasn't on the same level as Hadrian or Royce. He still has plenty of time to develop as a character, but Hadrian and Royce are a special duo who are really hard to top. The characters I loved even more than some characters in Riyria were Persephone and Suri. Sullivan has a gift for writing female characters than some authors really haven't been able to do. He understands that his female characters are simply people. Rather than making them flat, one-dimensional supporting characters or all-powerful, can-do-no-wrong protagonists who are completely unrealistic, he brings his female characters to life and he isn't afraid to explore their thoughts and feelings or give them pivotal roles. I read this as an audiobook my first one! It gave me a great first impression of listening to books and Tim Gerard Reynolds truly brought Age of Myth to life. Even better the second time around! You can check it out here. As usual, it's a spoiler free review. There is one spoiler at the end, but I'll have it marked. While I still enjoyed each and every book, I wish I would've read this after Riyria. The first time around I fell in love with this book, but reading it after Riyria Even better the second time around! The first time around I fell in love with this book, but reading it after Riyria was so much more enjoyable. There are so many little Easter Eggs in this one and names that play a huge role in the world and history of Riyria. And you only pick up on it after reading Riyria. So, to anyone who has yet to dive into Sullivan's works, I highly recommend starting with Riyria Revelations, then Riyria Chronicles, and then move on to this series. But, you'll still fully enjoy this novel without any knowledge from the other books. Age of Myth reminds me a bit of Crown Conspiracy. By that I mean it has a very simple plot, but AoM is a much stronger book in regards to the quality of the writing. I really enjoyed the simpleness of this plot as it really let's you get accustomed to this world and the characters without getting bored. I also think this series is going to mirror Riyria Revelations in that what seems like a simple story will actually become much more complicated and intricate than we realize. I also think that everything isn't what it seems. After seeing how Revelations panned out, this makes me so excited for what he's got planned for us. After all, he did say that what we were told of the history, throughout Riyria, is not what actually happened. Which raises so many questions to be answered. This makes me so glad Age of Swords is due for release in about a month. We obviously get a whole new cast of characters, since this story is set 3, years before Riyria Revelations. While I love Royce and Hadrian, I think we're given a much stronger cast in this series. There is a couple of duo's, of sorts, but they don't really over power the story. While we don't get a lot of character development we do get some , I don't feel it's a problem. Since this feels more like the set-up for the series. Even though this book feels like we're paving the way for the series, it's not done, in my opinion, in a boring way. While I could see why some people didn't like the simplicity of Crown Conspiracy, I don't think many will feel the same about this one. Maybe it's because I know what Sullivan is capable of now? I don't know. But still didn't have a problem with it before knowing what he was able to do with his stories. I think it's just that he's grown so much more as a writer from then til now. I'm so glad the wait is almost over til Age of Swords, because I'm really hoping we'll get some insight into what certain characters plans really are. I'm also going to say that I think certain characters are more than they seem. But I guess we'll see! View all 6 comments. Apr 08, Terence rated it really liked it Shelves: arcs-and-galleys. From a human perspective the Fhrey are gods. They appear to be immortal, they are unbeatable in battle, and they utilize magic no human can hope to match. All these notions are shattered like glass when a rock flies through it in the form of a human blade that kills a Fhrey. That blade was wielded by a young human man named Raithe. Raithe is now known as something else, the God Killer. The Fhrey not appreciating one of their own being killed by a filthy stinking rhune, retaliate by destroying From a human perspective the Fhrey are gods. The Fhrey not appreciating one of their own being killed by a filthy stinking rhune, retaliate by destroying two human villages and everyone in them. The Fhrey while never seeming so vulnerable, have never been so dangerous. What will happen to mankind when the Fhrey come to exterminate them? Age of Myth was a really enjoyable book, but it was a slow start for me. Likely because I never read any of Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria stories other than a short story. Age of Myth and it's sequels are supposed to be prequels of the Riyria series, but I can attest that no prior knowledge is necessary to enjoy this. The story started out slowly as one unfortunate event led to another, but it came together as the story continued. I saw more than a few familiar elements of other stories I enjoy in Age of Myth, but overall it was done in a way that was definitely enjoyable. The rulers of the world in Age of Myth are the Fhrey. A Fhrey is blessed naturally with long life, so long in fact they appear to never age to humans. A normal Fhrey has proven to be far beyond a man's ability to fight, but there are even stronger Fhrey known as the Miralyith that use a magic called the Art to wield the forces of nature. Many of the Miralyith actually believe they are gods because of the seemingly unstoppable power they wield. The Miralyith reminded me of mix the privileged from the Powder Mage series and elves. Utilizing the elements from the with their hands along with incredible arrogance are the two main qualities Privileged and Miralyith shared. The story boasted some strong characters such as Raithe, Malcolm, Persephone, and Suri. They each played pivotal roles in the tale as it went on, but I'd like to focus on Suri. Suri was raised by a mystic that lived near the dahl, the ancient Tura. Because of this Suri doesn't understand much of the people of the dahl's ways. She thinks they are crazy to live in homes made of dead wood rather than in the forest with living trees that make great neighbors. She also believes when people say obvious things that they are playing a silly game. She immediately responds by saying something obvious as well. I'm not doing it justice, but it's clear that the clever young Suri thinks everyone from the dahl is a little bit off. Age of Myth was a pleasant surprise. I will absolutely be looking forward to the next book in the series and I will have to find some time to read the Riyria series to better appreciate what's going on. Jun 09, Bradley rated it really liked it Shelves: shelf , fantasy , worldbuilding-sf. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! This happens to be my entry tome into Michael J. Sullivan's fantasy, so all I'm bringing into it is what I know of the epic fantasy genre. That being said, a few themes really stood out, with Art-wielding immortals, the Fhrey, looking down upon the ignorant savages, the Rhunes, who are nothing of the sort, being tribes of normal humans taught to revere and fear the gods which inhabit the lands, with one new twist: A man named Raithe killed a god. It shouldn't have happened, and it sparked many questions and conflicts between the two peoples, kinda like the trigger of an avalanche, creating an eventually delightful mix of cultural and magical explorations, with both sides learning to be both more and less prejudiced with the other side. Of course, this is a story of rebellion, of David versus Goliath, and as the natural allies gather to their respective sides, we get a taste of what the series will eventually deliver: All-Out War. We do get a treat of characters, of course. We can't have a building tale without memorable sub-plots, either, and it's a toss-up for me whether I love Suri and her wolf Minna more than Raithe, the God-Killer. All the sub-stories were rather fine, and the action and adventure speaks volumes as to what could actually come to us in the later books, but there is a formula here that I can't ignore. This is going to be a long series, so the book reads like the clearing of a beachhead, an island of establishment, a bright and violent spark before a grand conflagration. We don't have the grand conflagration, yet. Maybe it will come, maybe it won't. This is where we as readers need to either trust the author or not, to learn to prolong our expectations over grand sweeps of volumes, or not. And maybe that's just me and my thing with grand epic fantasies. Maybe this is a non-issue with fans of the sub-genre of fantasy. Fortunately, there is a glossary. Dec 27, Chris rated it it was amazing Shelves: review-copy-net-galley , read-owned-hardcover , read-owned. I was provided an ebook copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley But then I bought a first edition hardcover too : Well, that took me a long time to finish, didn't it? You'd think that reflects on the book, right? Except, not this time. I had my reasons. First, this was a re-read. Yes, though it was a new book I started, it was my second pass through this particular story. As stated in my initial review of the novel I was selected to be a beta reader nearly two years ago. This time I was provided an ebook copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley But then I bought a first edition hardcover too : Well, that took me a long time to finish, didn't it? This time through, I was intentionally going at a slower, more leisurely pace. I didn't have to stop after every chapter and submit a survey, and I didn't have to read it with a critical eye. I got to savor and enjoy And then, since I was so leisurely about it, other stuff got jumped ahead in priority. I had school and work deadlines, and other reading commitments. That was okay. In between, I still had this book to savor. One of those commitments turned out to be another beta read, for the sequel, Age of Swords , reviewed here. Well, I wasn't done with this one yet, but had a limited time to read the new beta version of book 2. What do I do? Set this aside and jump in with all fours. So now I got back to it, having to rewind the events in my mind to get me back to where I left off. And now I've finished it again. I loved it as much or more than the first time. There has not been a lot changed to the final product. It just felt cleaned up a lot from the edits. Such a joy to read this story, and interesting with my knowledge of book 2 for that matter. Another thing this shows is that this book stands the test of revisiting. So many books don't seem as great the second time through. And others are just as fine on subsequent readings. This one, thankfully, is one of the latter Nov 27, Argona rated it liked it Shelves: political-games , fantasy , magic , medieval-fantasy , read-in-buddy-read , high-fantasy , reviewed , mystery. I enjoyed reading "Age of Myth" in a buddy read with my dear friend, Nicole. I have to point out that I havent read The Riyria Revelations, so there were too many strange unfamiliar names at the beginning, making it hard for me to connect with the story. The story was well-written and the author has a very nice writing style. The characterization was quite good. The main characters were well- developed, easy to relate to and likable, but most of them reminded me too much of characters from famous I enjoyed reading "Age of Myth" in a buddy read with my dear friend, Nicole. Also, the plot was predictable, with one or two interesting twists in the mix. Therefore, I found the whole story a little too unoriginal. It's true that most stories follow a formula and the similarities cannot be helped. Also, it's perfectly understandable to be influenced by other writers and get ideas or share ideas. Many famous authors have influenced each other. But these series also have much originality and many points of strength, therefore they are memorable and manage to contribute to Fantasy genre. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything unique or original in "Age of Myth". Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I think "Age of Myth" is a nice, entertaining and solid fantasy, but I don't really feel the urge to continue with this series. Sep 19, Philip rated it really liked it Shelves: releases , high-fantasy , fantasy. I've read enough classical fantasy to know exactly which tropes to expect and to predict how almost every plotline resolves. Of course, I like it enough that I keep on reading the stuff even though I end up being underwhelmed a lot of the time. There's honestly not a whole lot here that's groundbreaking. The difference is that it's just written so dang well. I had a blast reading from 4ish stars. I had a blast reading from cover to cover. There are seriously so many great characters, I pretty much enjoyed all the different POVs which is really saying something. There was great humor, great heart, and some genuinely surprising reveals, albeit ones that I'm embarrassed I didn't catch earlier- view spoiler [Of course Suri is Maeve's daughter! I can't believe it took me so long. Add this to my list of must-read series. Blessedly, Michael J. Sullivan is a gift to humanity and writes the entirety of his series before releasing them so we don't have to worry about him dying before we have closure this is my passive-aggressive complaint about several you-know-whos. Only not-really-complaint: view spoiler [ how great would it have been if Malcolm had been the one to take out Gryndal by smashing his head with a rock?! Ever heard that old saying about potato chips: As a devout chip connoisseur this resonates with me kettle chips anyone? However I usually get carried away and end up feeling like this: A Michael J Sullivan book, however, is the potato chip of the literary world, but without the splurging consequences. He is not one of those authors that you read one book and say "yeah I'm good I don't need to read anymore. In fact, on that last point, his reveals are the kind that make you say "oh my gosh! This story didn't disappoint in the least. There were a lot of fun elements and so much promise for the future books. Also, for those who have spent what feels like lifetimes waiting for the next book in a series to be written Fear not! The rest of this series is already written and waiting for publishing. Nov 08, Emma rated it it was amazing Shelves: fantasy. Sullivan is a gifted story teller! For those of us who have read his Riyria series, we of course already know this. But this author is no one trick wonder. This story was wonderful. The pacing, action, plot reveals, setting and context, the characters- all fabulous. For want of a better word, there is something 'friendly' about the authors style that is satisfying and heartwarming. And best of all, we are left with questions for the next installments to answer. View 1 comment. Executive Summary: As I've come to expect with Mr. Sullivan, this book was a lot of fun. I'm glad to know that the rest of the series is already written, because I don't want to wait for the next book. Audiobook: Anyone whose read my reviews or had a recommendation from me knows how much I like Tim Gerard Reynolds.

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