May is “Older Americans Month,” described by the Administration for Community Living as “a time to recognize older Americans’ contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities.” With that in mind, here are some helpful books on the subject of aging that you can check out using your Livingston Library card. (Descriptions taken from the publishers.)
Making the Best of What’s Left: When We’re Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered by Judith Viorst
From the bestselling author Judith Viorst comes a witty and poignant exploration of the joys and sorrows of life’s twilight years–one that leaves us laughing, pondering, and grateful for the moments we have left. In a career that has spanned more than fifty years, Judith Viorst has captivated readers with her bestselling children’s books and collections of poetry reflecting on each decade of life. Now in her nineties, Viorst writes about life’s “Final Fifth,” those who are eighty to one hundred years old. Her signature blend of humor and vulnerability infuses personal anecdotes and observations, drawing you into her world of memories and candid conversations. She confesses, “I never ever send a text while driving, and not just because I don’t know how to text.” She discusses the afterlife (She doesn’t believe in it, but if it exists, she hopes her sister-in-law isn’t there). She complains to her dead husband (“I need you fixing our damn circuit breakers. I need you! Could you please stop being dead?”). And she explores the late-life meanings of wisdom and happiness and second chances and home. With a wit that defies age, Viorst navigates the terrain of loss. It’s a poignant dance between grief and levity that will resonate with those in their Final Fifth as well as anyone who has parents, relatives, or friends in their eighties and beyond. This is Judith Viorst at her best.
The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond by Debra Whitman, PhD
In her groundbreaking book, Debra Whitman presents practical steps we can take to help create a better second fifty for ourselves. But we can’t do it alone. Whitman also calls for urgently needed changes that would make it easier for every American to enjoy a vital and meaningful second half of life. Whether you are approaching fifty, into your later years, or caring for someone who is, you’ll find a wealth of wisdom in these pages. Informed by Whitman’s unmatched expertise and her deep passion, The Second Fifty is an indispensable guide for living well in the twenty-first century.
Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan by Maggie Dychtwald
Women need a trusted resource to help them thrive as they age. Internationally acclaimed author and thought leader Maddy Dychtwald is the perfect guide. Maddy has her finger on the pulse of all the latest research, science, and information about longevity and aging, as well as the specific issues facing women. She understands that Ageless Aging is a complex process, that the various pieces of the puzzle work synergistically, and with this book she shows you how to create your best future self by taking control of the aging process.
Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life by Roseanne Leipzig, MD, PhD
A geriatrician, Leipzig provides readers with inside information about the aging process. She details what to expect, what’s normal, what’s not– and what options there are when adapting to getting older. By recognizing age-related changes in your body and mind, you will gain the knowledge to optimize aging and make the best decisions about your life.
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, MD
In this operating manual for longevity, Dr. Peter Attia draws on the latest science to deliver innovative nutritional interventions, techniques for optimizing exercise and sleep, and tools for addressing emotional and mental health. For all its successes, mainstream medicine has failed to make much progress against the diseases of aging that kill most people: heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and type 2 diabetes. Too often, it intervenes with treatments too late to help, prolonging lifespan at the expense of healthspan, or quality of life. Dr. Attia believes we must replace this outdated framework with a personalized, proactive strategy for longevity, one where we take action now, rather than waiting. This is not “biohacking,” it’s science: a well-founded strategic and tactical approach to extending lifespan while also improving our physical, cognitive, and emotional health. Dr. Attia’s aim is less to tell you what to do and more to help you learn how to think about long-term health, in order to create the best plan for you as an individual.
The Wisdom of Morrie: Living and Aging Creatively and Joyfully by Morrie Schwartz
From the eponymous subject of the beloved classic Tuesdays with Morrie comes an insightful, poignant masterpiece on staying vibrant and connected for life. Who am I really? What have I done? What is important and meaningful to me? What difference does it make that I have lived? What does it mean to be truly human, and where am I on that scale? Morrie Schwartz, the beloved subject of the classic, multimillion-copy number one bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, explores these questions and many more in this profound, poetic, and poignant masterpiece of living and aging joyfully and creatively. Later life can be filled with many challenges, but it can also be one of the most beautiful and rewarding passages in anyone’s lifetime. Morrie draws on his experiences as a social psychologist, teacher, father, friend, and sage to offer us a road map to navigate our futures.
The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You by Margareta Magnusson
In her international bestseller The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Margareta Magnusson introduced the world to the Swedish tradition of döstädning, or “death cleaning”–clearing out your unnecessary belongings so others don’t have to do it for you. Now, unburdened by (literal and emotional) baggage, Magnusson is able to focus on what makes each day worth living. In her new book she reveals her discoveries about aging–some difficult to accept, many rather wondrous. She reflects on her idyllic childhood on the west coast of Sweden, the fullness of her life with her husband and five children, and learning how to live alone. Throughout, she offers advice on how to age gracefully, such as: wear stripes, don’t resist new technology, let go of what doesn’t matter, and more.
As with death cleaning, it’s never too early to begin. The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly shows all readers how to prepare for and understand the process of growing older and the joys and sorrows it can bring. While Magnusson still recommends decluttering (your loved ones will thank you!), her ultimate message is that we should not live in fear of death but rather focus on appreciating beauty, connecting with our loved ones, and enjoying our time together.
Two Old Broads: Stuff You Didn’t Know That You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know by M.E. Hecht, MD, and Whoopi Goldberg
Written by renowned surgeon and expert on the art of aging, Dr. M.E. Hecht, with her friend Whoopi Goldberg lending her unique point of view, Two Old Broads is laugh-out-loud funny and tells it like it is for all of us who left middle age in the dust and want to be present, positive, and as extraordinary as ever in our golden years. Whoopi joins Dr. Hecht in a lively conversation about growing older with no apologies. Dr. Hecht, who passed away a few short months prior to publication, shares her 93 years of wisdom with Whoopi and their fellow “broads.” Together, these two kindred spirits will help you: stay active physically and mentally make finalizing your will more rewarding than it sounds navigate tricky subjects, such as whether you need a home aide win friends and influence people or take a nap, depending on the day discover joy in relationships even when your excretions outweigh your secretions get up financially, physically, and emotionally after a fall keep a sense of humor about getting older (of course!) Imminently practical and rooted firmly in the adage that getting older is not for sissies, Two Old Broads is the aging book for the ages. You’ve survived the past; why not embrace the present and prepare for the future so you thrive and find more time to laugh along the way?
–Joe, Adult Services & Acquisitions