Roctogenarians
Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs
1 of 1 copy available
Eighty has been the new sixty for about twenty years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for social security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca and coauthor Jonathan Greenberg introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering—breaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records—and in the case of one ninety-year tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!)
In the vein of Mobituaries, Roctogenarians is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans—some long gone (a cancer-stricken Henri Matisse, who began work on his celebrated cut-outs when he could no longer paint), some very much still living (Mel Brooks, yukking it up at close to one hundred). The amazing cast of characters also includes Mary Church Terrell, who at eighty-six helped lead sit-ins at segregated Washington, DC, lunch counters in the 1950s, and Carol Channing, who married the love of her life at eighty-two. Then there's Peter Mark Roget, who began working on his thesaurus in his twenties and completed it at seventy-three (because sometimes finding the right word takes time.)
With passion and wonder Rocca and Greenberg recount the stories of yesterday's and today's strongest finishers. Because with all due respect to the Golden Girls, some people will never be content sitting out on the lanai. (PS Actress Estelle Getty was sixty-two when she got her big break. And yes, she's in the book.)
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 11, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797175447
- File size: 341141 KB
- Duration: 11:50:42
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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September 13, 2024
Humorist and journalist Rocca's (Mobituaries) infectious enthusiasm and gift for storytelling shine through in this delightful audiobook, cowritten by Greenberg (English, Montclair State Univ.; The Cambridge Introduction to Satire), exploring iconic figures who found new creative heights or launched remarkable careers later in life. Listeners are treated to a lively cast of characters, from Julia Child's rise to fame at 50 to Peter Mark Roget, who created the first English language thesaurus at age 73. Rocca avoids simply recounting biographies, instead interweaving fascinating anecdotes and insights illuminating the tenacity, resilience, and creative spark that fueled these individuals' late-blooming successes. Rocca narrates the book himself, and the audiobook format perfectly complements his witty and engaging writing style. His charismatic personality and impeccable timing infuse the narration with the brainy personality that has made him an NPR favorite. The pacing is well managed, allowing each story to unfold naturally while maintaining a sense of momentum and curiosity. VERDICT A highly recommended, refreshing, and hilarious counterpoint to the often-negative stereotypes associated with aging. Pair with Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck or Steven Petrow's Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old.--Mark Swails
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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