“There are cultural currents afoot, beyond the book’s iconic power as a social document, that give the absurd situation a rational aspect and keep it going. One is the fear of the helplessness of old age. The spectacle of an author – and a beloved American author at that, one who has abided in our deepest feelings since many of us read her in childhood – being taken advantage of in old age is chilling at a time when so many people are living long lives.”