THE ELDERLY COMPRISE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING YET LEAST UNDERSTOOD POPULATIONS, AND HOW WE COME TO TERMS WITH AGING IS A MAJOR CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ISSUE. VITAL SIGNS IS A REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL SHORT FICTION THAT OFFERS AN ILLUMINATING PERSPECTIVE ON AGING. THIS DIVERSE ANTHOLOGY CHALLENGES OUR PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE LIVES OF OLD PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD. AUTHORS INCLUDE HENNIE AUCAMP, CHARLES MUNGOSHI, RUTH PRAWER JHABVALA, ELIZABETH JOLLEY, LESLIE MARMON SILKO, MAVIS GALLANT, ALICE WALKER, YASUNARI KAWABATA, JORGE LUIS BORGES, AND JAMAICA KINCAID, ALONG WITH SEVERAL WRITERS NOT AS WIDELY KNOWN IN THE US. VITAL SIGNS IS A SEQUEL TO AN EARLIER PUBLICATION, FULL MEASURE: MODERN SHORT STORIES ON AGING WHICH INCLUDED MAINLY BRITISH AND AMERICAN AUTHORS. PRAISE FOR FULL MEASURE: THESE STORIES COVER AN ASTONISHING RANGE OF EMOTIONAL TERRITORY AS THEY HOME IN ON A GROUP WHOSE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN DISTORTED BY SOME OF SOCIETY'S CRUELEST STEREOTYPES. AND GIFTED THESE WRITERS ARE IN PERCEPTIONS THAT PENETRATE BEYOND THEIR CHARACTERS' SURFACE LIVES, PRESENTING OLDER PEOPLE AS HEROES, CHARACTERS WITH WHOM THE READER FEELS STRONG TIES, ALLOWING THE READER TO SENSE THE PAINS AND JOYS OF LATER LIFE. - from Amzon