Book celebrates life and living in Sun City
Aug 12, 2013, 4:14 PM | Updated: 4:14 pm
PHOENIX — A book is putting a new spin on the image of aging in Sun City, Ariz.
According to Slate, the limited release book, “Sun City: Life After Life,” was written by Kendrick Brinson who was shocked by the over 120 clubs that community members can participate in.
“What makes Sun City unique, other than the fact that it is an actual city of tens of thousands of retirees, is that almost everyone is active in one way or another. I’d head to the tap class or the yoga class or the pickleball practice and photograph those activities and ask everyone I’d meet what else they had going on and if I could tag along.”
Brinson also said she was trying to break the mold when it came to capturing the essence of an aging community. Most try to capture the overwhelming presence of death, but Brinson said Sun City is different because it’s so lively.
“What I love about Sun City is that this place is spring break for the elderly. … I wanted to flip the stereotype of the wheelchair-bound granny on its head because that’s not how everyone has to age. Just because you’re 75 doesn’t mean you can’t learn synchronized swimming and be really good at it.”
However, with old age comes death and Brinson bore witness to the funeral of one resident. She said it was different because the community came together in celebration, not mourning.
