30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans

30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans Paperback

by Karl Pillemer Ph.D. (Author)

“Heartfelt and ever-endearing – equal parts information and inspiration. This is a book to keep by your bedside and return to often.” –Amy Dickinson, nationally syndicated advice columnist “Ask Amy” After a chance encounter with a remarkable ninety-year-old woman, renowned gerontologist Karl Pillemer decided to find out what older people know about life that the rest of us don’t. His quest led him to speak with a thousand Americans over the age of sixty-five—many of whom can remember the Depression and World War II. While some of their tales reaffirmed timeless wisdom, others surprised Pillemer with the unexpected. Now with a new preface by Jane Brody, 30 Lessons for Living distills their moving stories and hard-won advice. To learn how to live without regret, persevere through hard times, find fulfillment, and age fearlessly and well, there is no one better to ask than the people who have done it themselves.Editorial Reviews

Review

“Thank you, Dr. Pillemer, for gathering all this wisdom in one book before it is lost. I can’t imagine anyone whose life will not be enriched by this book.”
–Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good  People

“The ‘Wisest Americans’ have a lot to teach the rest of us. Some of this advice is refreshing common sense. Much of it is truly surprising. It is always heartfelt and ever-endearing – equal parts information and inspiration. This is a book to keep by your bedside and return to often.”
–Amy Dickinson, nationally sundicated advice columnist “Ask Amy”

“This is a fabulous book! Karl Pillemer has done an incredible job of bringing together the collective wisdom of hundreds of Americans into an entertaining, thought provoking, and practical book. Give it a read. You will find yourself getting out of bed in the morning with new enthusiasm.”
–Matthew Kelly, author of The Rhythm of Life and Off Balance

“30 lessons for Living is an absolute gem! Thank you Karl Pillemer for taking the time to collect such a valuable trove of wisdom, and for sharing it with us in such a readable book. It’s one that I’ll recommend often. All of it is wonderful, but I particularly appreciated the lessons on honesty and saying yes to opportunities. Read this book – you’ll get more out of life and have fewer regrets.”
–Hal Urban, author of Life’s Greatest Lessons

“If you want to hear the wisdom of the aged, this easy-to-read book, based on years of penetrating interviews by a prominent sociologist, tells you what they have learned about love, work, marriage, and parenting.”
–Howard S. Friedman, Ph.D. & Leslie R. Martin, Ph.D., authors of The Longevity Project

About the Author

KARL PILLEMER, PH.D., is the founder and director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging.