Story Circle Network
Austin Chapter
Reader's Guide

April 2000
Sister Age

Sister Age
by M.F.K. Fisher

  1. Mary Frances "met" Ursula von Ott in Zurich in 1936 and spoke of her as "Sister Age," a teacher in the art of aging. What (if anything) did the painting or Mary Frances' description of it teach you about aging?

  2. This book is a collection of short stories which are told in a chronological order, from the "tears of wisdom" of a 12-year old to stories of young women, mothers, and older men and women, to vivid dreams and images of death. Did you find this an effective mechanism/structure? Why or why not?

  3. Mary Frances begins her book with a vivid description of (and the story behind) the painting of Ursula von Ott. Each subsequent story in the book is a beautifully drawn, heartfelt sketch of the aging process, from many different angles/views. Which was your favorite and why? What did it teach you?

  4. Which was your least favorite story and why?

  5. Do you think that all of these stories are "true" (factual) or allegorical? What do you think MF was trying to accomplish in this book? What do the stories tell you about her?

  6. MF's writing is beautifully detailed and descriptive. Cite a favorite passage to read aloud to the group.

  7. Mary Frances ends her book with a treatise on aging in the 20th century. She believes that too many people are not ready and can't cope with their own impending deaths -- because our society/culture has moved away from multigenerational family homes to small one-family homes. Comment on this - do you agree? disagree? What solutions can you come up with for this?

  8. Who or what in your own life has taught (or is teaching) you about aging? What did they teach you? How will you do the same for others?