If I Live to Be 100: Lessons from the Centenarians

this is an amazing book!!!

This book was good. Not great though. I was a bit disapointed that there wasn't any big secret revealed. I thought maybe if no secret was revealed maybe there would be a common thread. None. There were some nice themes though through out the stories. I am glad I read it, but didn't reveal the secret to longevity. Oh well. Did I really think it would? There is a very nice love...more

This book was good. Not great though. I was a bit disapointed that there wasn't any big secret revealed. I thought maybe if no secret was revealed maybe there would be a common thread. None. There were some nice themes though through out the stories. I am glad I read it, but didn't reveal the secret to longevity. Oh well. Did I really think it would? There is a very nice love analogy in the book. Worth reading just for that.   hide

This was a wonderful feel good book. The challenge of centenarians is that their brains also grow old making the interview process that much harder. The book is half about the process and what the author learns about herself as much as it is about the subjects being interviewed. I listened to the book which had that actual NPR interviews at the end which was a great bonus since I didn't hear them...more

This was a wonderful feel good book. The challenge of centenarians is that their brains also grow old making the interview process that much harder. The book is half about the process and what the author learns about herself as much as it is about the subjects being interviewed. I listened to the book which had that actual NPR interviews at the end which was a great bonus since I didn't hear them on air. The profiles of people cover the bootstrappers who started with nothing, people who have lived in the same home in the same community for 80 years along with other interesting stories. None of these people lived this long watching TV at home alone. They were all active people that engaged life and developed a community around them to engage and be engaged by. The old black lesbian was all about community. Another couple married in their 90s after falling in love with theater. The man from Kentucky found God and that's to the interview a new wife to take care of him so that he can spread the good word of the lord. The driest interview was the law professor that still holds office hours and answers students questions. All the people engaged in life and never lost their reason for living as age restricted their more physical abilities. One couple stopped square dancing when they couldn't hear the caller announce the moves. But they still dance. The one thing I will no forgot is just how much old people of either gender like hugs. I will always be generous with my hugs!   hide

Promising premise, flawed execution. The author chides herself for not being the best listener of her centenarians, but then dilutes their wisdom and reminiscences with musings about herself and her own life. Perhaps this was meant to lend context, but it ends up taking so much away from what her subjects had to say. Disappointing.

Reaffirms a lot of what I think ab life in general and our purpose here; inspires me to keep doing what I'm doing with my own life.