Last week, in my interview with Jeanette Leardi about her new book Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives on Getting Older, I mentioned in the post my October 4, 2022 collation “55 Select Books on Longevity and Productive Aging.” My new post (including Jeanette’s book) is an extension of that list, with books that have been published since then, but also other titles that came out before it. I have repeated some of the authors, but with different books. As with the earlier list, I’ve kept to one book per author (although Andrew J. Scott appears once as a solo author, and once as a co-author, with Lynda Gratton).
I was sorry to learn that one of the authors, Dr. Gladys T. McGarey, passed away on September 28 at the age of 103.
Some of the books may be seen as not being primarily about aging/productive longevity, but still fit well within those categories. My many book lists on various topics, including this one, are not meant to be exhaustive or definitive.
If there are books on longevity/productive aging that you would like to suggest for future lists, please let me know!
Peter Attia with Bill Gifford Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
W. Andrew Achenbaum Robert N. Butler, MD: Visionary of Healthy Aging
Ayse Birsel Design the Long Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Love, Purpose, Well-Being, and Friendship
William Bridges and Susan Bridges Managing Transitions (25th anniversary edition): Making the Most of Change
Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier
Dan Buettner The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth
Bob Buford Beyond Halftime: Practical Wisdom for Your Second Half
Julia Cameron Living the Artist’s Way: An Intuitive Path to Greater Creativity
Laura Carstensen A Long Bright Future
Gene D. Cohen The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain
Chip Conley Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age
Sara Davidson The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life’s Greatest Mystery
Kevin John Delaney A Life Worth Living: Finding Your Purpose and Daring to Live the Life You’ve Imagined
James DiNicolantonio and Jason Fung The Longevity Solution: Rediscovering Centuries-Old Secrets to a Healthy, Long Life
Ken Dychtwald Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life
Maddy Dychtwald with Kate Hanley Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan
Bruce Feiler The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World
Marc Freedman The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife
Michael J. Gelb and Kelly Howell Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age
Teresa Ghilarducci Work, Retire, Repeat: The Uncertainty of Retirement in the New Economy
Andrea Gilats Radical Endurance: Growing Old in an Age of Longevity
Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott The New Long Life: A Framework for Flourishing in a Changing World
Michael Greger How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older
Steven R. Gundry The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age
Kerry Hannon Never Too Old to Get Rich: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business Mid-Life
James Hollis Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up
Morgan Housel Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes
Mark Hyman Young Forever: The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life
George Kinder with Mary Rowland Life Planning For You: How to Design & Deliver the Life of Your Dreams
Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot Exit: The Endings That Set Us Free
Jeanette Leardi Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives on Getting Older
Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro The Power of Purpose: To Grow and to Give for Life; 4th Edition Fully Revised and Updated
Margaret Lobenstine The Renaissance Soul: How to Make Your Passions Your Life
Gabrielle Lyon Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well
Margareta Magnusson The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You
Sharon Malone Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy
Julie McFadden Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully
Gladys T. McGarey The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old Doctor’s Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age
John Medina Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp
Susan Moon Alive Until You’re Dead: Notes on the Home Stretch
Lisa Mosconi The Menopause Brain: New Science Empowers Women to Navigate the Pivotal Transition with Knowledge and Confidence
Ada Mui and Nancy Morrow-Howell (Editors) Productive Engagement in Later Life
Coleen T. Murphy How We Age: The Science of Longevity
Parker J. Palmer A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward An Undivided Life, 20th Anniversary Edition
Steven Petrow Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old: A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong
Frederik G. Pferdt What’s Next Is Now: How to Live Future Ready
Lewis Richmond Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser
Karen Sands Transcending the Chrysalis: An Ageless Story
Nancy K. Schlossberg My Path, My Transitions: My Transitions
Andrew J. Scott The Longevity Imperative: How to Build a Healthier and More Productive Society to Support Our Longer Lives
Dian Seidel Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand
Kieran Setiya Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way
Gail Sheehy Daring: My Passages: A Memoir
Huston Smith Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine, an Autobiography
George Vaillant Spiritual Evolution: How We Are Wired for Faith, Hope, and Love
Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness
Andrew Weil Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being
Debra Whitman The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond
Sergey Young The Science and Technology of Growing Young, Updated Edition