It is clear from the outset that this edited text is targeted at readers based in the United States of America (USA) though scholars and students of US social policy and gerontological practice based elsewhere in the world would benefit from this broad-ranging collection of excellent short essays. Indeed, the chapters would work well as background reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying American politics, particularly those with a focus upon social policy. My only real disappointment is that there is little comparative analysis in each chapter, which would surely enhance the content and enrich US policy analysis in the various topics chosen for consideration. The book offers 14 chapters: four of which are updated versions of those that appeared in the first edition, and ten chapters by new authors. While this balance may be may simply be down to marketing issues, the new edition does not, therefore, offer the wholesale updating of the content of the first edition as might be expected. Although I welcome the inclusion of the new authors and their different perspectives, it could be argued that this book is a completely new textbook.

The text is divided into three sections, the first presenting a political and policy analysis of ‘Perspectives on Aging Policy’ in the USA. Chapters include a useful review of US pensions policy by a leading academic on this area, John Myles (expanding and updating his chapter for the first edition) and a discussion by Frederick R. Lynch of senior citizens' political power as (so-called) ‘baby-boomers’; a term I personally dislike mainly because of its lack of precision as a descriptive term and its journalistic associations. Despite this, the section provides a useful summary of the current political and social policy dilemmas and issues within the US polity. The second section, entitled ‘The Populations of Aging Policy’, has interesting chapters addressing issues such as care policy; the oldest old; policy and practice affecting ‘people of colour’; and a very welcome chapter by Richard A. Settersten Jr. and Molly E. Trauten about the importance of the lifecourse in formulating and implementing social policy for older adults. They argue that it is inappropriate for social policy to simply target older adults and forget the need to address the transitions from middle to old age. The final section addresses specific public policy on ageing in the USA with chapters separately considering Social Security; Medicare; Medicaid; Housing for ‘seniors’; a separate chapter how these four issues affect policy implementation for vulnerable elders; how taxation policy can improve heath and wellbeing; and a chapter on historical importance and socio-economic impact of The Older Americans Act, 1965 and the Aging Services Network. All these are solid, well-researched and well-written chapters but again primarily of interest to those specialising in US policy analysis.

As someone possessing a good understanding of the issues and concerns of American senior citizens, but who does not have a specific research interest in US policy for older adults, this text has considerably updated my limited knowledge. However, I would not recommend anyone to read it at a single sitting as I did. It is a book to be used selectively as a research and reference source. Yet whilst I would recommend this text to students and academic researchers of comparative social policy and politics alike, there is little here for non-academics and practitioners (social workers, nursing professionals etc.). Whilst writing this review, I turned to John A. Vincent's (Reference Vincent2006) excellent review of the first edition. I quote him at length since the same can be said of the content of this second edition, written and published during the earliest stages of the first Obama administration, yet reflecting upon the two administrations of George W. Bush.

He writes: