Synopses & Reviews
Author of the iconic bestsellers This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind, Daniel Levitin turns his keen insights to what happens in our brains as we age, why we should think about health span, not life span, and, based on a rigorous analysis of neuroscientific evidence, what you can do to make the most of your seventies, eighties, and nineties today no matter how old you are now.
Successful Aging uses research from developmental neuroscience and the psychology of individual differences to show that sixty-plus years is a unique developmental stage that, like infancy or adolescence, has its own demands and distinct advantages. Levitin looks at the science behind what we all can learn from those who age joyously, as well as how to adapt our culture to take full advantage of older people's wisdom and experience. Throughout his exploration of what aging really means, Levitin reveals resilience strategies and practical, cognitive enhancing tricks everyone should do as they age.
The book is packed with accessible and discussable takeaways, providing great material for reading groups and media coverage.
Successful Aging inspires a powerful new approach to how readers think about our final decades, and it will revolutionize the way we plan for old age as individuals, family members, and citizens within a society where the average life expectancy continues to rise.
Review
"Levitin believes the most important factors in predicting how well we might age are conscientiousness, our childhood experiences, exercise (especially outdoors), and social interactions. His most sage suggestion, nestled at the end of the book, is timeless: "Practice gratitude for what you have." Booklist
Review
"If you're planning to age, read this book. Wise, sensitive, and insightful, Levitin shares the tools that allow you to optimize the process." David Eagleman, Stanford University neuroscientist, New York Times bestselling author of The Brain and Incognito
Review
"Growing old may be the only event in life that is both desired and feared. Daniel Levitin alleviates the fear with sound advice that can tilt the balance so that we have more healthy years and fewer sick ones...Share this book — especially with anyone you hope to grow old with." Diane Halpern, past-president of the American Psychological Association, professor, Claremont-McKenna College
Review
"An excellent perspective on aging and aging well...This fascinating book is especially important for young adults to understand all the aspects that go into healthy aging and to know that they can influence the outcome, starting at any time." Concetta Tomaino, Executive director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, and Associate, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
About the Author
Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, and bestselling author. He is Founding Dean of Arts & Humanities at the Minerva Schools at KGI in San Francisco, and Professor Emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at McGill University. He is the author of This Is Your Brain on Music, The World in Six Songs, The Organized Mind, and A Field Guide to Lies. He divides his time between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.