As people in the West live longer, so more and more of them have to learn to cope with illness or with ageing and, in the process, to rediscover ways of facing their own death and that of others. We need to understand more clearly the resources which individuals and communities draw on at such times. This study takes as its focus members of the older generation in Aberdeen who were brought up in a strong Protestant tradition. Working from the conviction that the way people deal with illness is deeply affected by their own experience and view of the world, Dr Williams builds up a picture from detailed interviews and case studies. He explores the way in which Aberdonians face illness and death, how they draw on themes from their working history and religious background, and how they balance the pressures of physical decline with the expectations of society. This study shows how economic history and religious tradition can combine to shape the life and thought of a community. It will be read by anyone wishing a deeper understanding of the way in which people respond in Britain today when they encounter the physical limits to their lives.