Global Intergenerational Week (GIW) is an annual campaign celebrating all things intergenerational, and there are plenty of nonfiction books exploring these relationships. It is an opportunity to celebrate good inclusive intergenerational practices. GIW is organised by Generations Working Together, a non-profit organisation that promotes intergenerational relationships and activities. The week takes place every year in April and features a variety of events and activities that bring people of different generations together.
What are intergenerational relationships?
The definition of Intergenerational, as it relates to literature, refers to a book involving characters of different age groups. More specifically, in academic research terms, according to Professor Feliciano Villar, intergeneration is defined as “the involvement of members of two or more generations in activities that could potentially make them aware of different perspectives.”
GIW is a great opportunity to learn more about intergenerational relationships and to get involved in activities that bring people of different generations together. If you are interested in getting involved in GIW, you can find more information on the Generations Working Together website.
Here are some of the benefits of intergenerational relationships:
- They can help to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
- They can help to promote physical and mental health.
- They can help to increase understanding and tolerance of different cultures.
- They can help to pass on knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.
- They can help to build stronger communities.
Best nonfiction adult books for Global Intergenerational Week:
- Three Houses by Angela Thirkell (1931). A memoir of a writer’s childhood in three houses in London, Fulham, and Rottingdean, England, in the late 19th century, at one point living with grandparents.
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (1996). A moving memoir of a childhood of poverty and neglect in Limerick, Ireland, during the Great Depression. A ‘grandma’ is mentioned as someone who sends Angela money to come to Ireland.
- Disoriental by Négar Djavadi (2016). A semi-autobiographical novel about an Iranian woman who flees to France as a child and struggles to find her place in a new culture. In this novel, the queer, punk rock–loving Kimiâ is sitting in the waiting room of a Parisian fertility clinic, and her mind dips and swirls through the tales of her family—from her strange Uncle Number Two to her formidable grandmother.
- Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb (2020). A funny and moving memoir about a granddaughter’s love for her grandmother, told through the voicemails they left each other.
- An Extra Pair of Hands by Kate Mosse (2021). A moving and inspiring memoir about the joys and challenges of caring for an aging parent.
- Ava’s Man by Rick Bragg (2001). A moving and intimate portrait of a man who died before the Pulitzer Prize-winning author was born, but whose life and legacy continue to inspire.
Check out Kate Mosse and Bess Kalb’s books which were given as part of the Beautiful Book Company subscription. Furthermore, get 10% off with the code: SUSWATIBASU. Moreover, the subscription allows you to get one handpicked book of your choice by literary specialists.