"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
"Here you have these wonderful files, and you seem little interested in how we cope with increasing age ... our adaptability, our zest for life," one of these subjects wrote to Vaillant, a researcher, psychiatrist, and Harvard Medical School professor, about how he was using this information. Vaillant took this advice to heart. In Aging Well, he presents personal narratives about people from these studies whom he interviewed personally in their 70s and 80s. He describes their history, relationships, hardships, philosophies, and sources of joy. We learn their perspectives and what makes them want to get up in the morning.
We also learn what makes old age vital and interesting. Vaillant discusses the important adult developmental tasks, such as identity, intimacy, and generativity (giving to the next generation), and provides important clues to a healthy, meaningful, satisfying old age. Health in old age, we learn, is not predicted by low cholesterol or ancestral longevity, but by factors such as a stable marriage, adaptive coping style (the ability to make lemonade out of life's lemons), and regular exercise.
Vaillant is empathetic and sometimes surprisingly poetic: "Owning an old brain, you see, is rather like owning an old car.... Careful driving and maintenance are everything." He freely includes subjective observations and interpretations, giving us a richer picture of the people he interviewed and insights into their lives. Aging Well is recommended for readers who are interested in learning about the quality-of-life issues of aging from the people who have the most to teach. --Joan Price
He is also the author of several books, including Adaptation to Life and the classic The Natural History of Alcoholism.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 3.50
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Seller Inventory # GoldenDragon0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think0316989363
Book Description Condition: new. Seller Inventory # FrontCover0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. In an unprecedented series of studies, Harvard Medical School has followed 824 subjects -- men and women, some rich, some poor -- from their teens to old age. Harvard's George Vaillant now uses these studies -- the most complete ever done anywhere in the world -- and the subjects' individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age.He explains precisely why some people turn out to be more resilient than others, the complicated effects of marriage and divorce, negative personality changes, and how to live a more fulfilling, satisfying and rewarding life in the later years. He shows why a person's background has less to do with their eventual happiness than the specific lifestyle choices they make. And he offers step-by-step advice about how each of us can change our lifestyles and age successfully. Sure to be debated on talk shows and in living rooms, Vaillant's definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better. It will receive massive media attention, and with good reason: we have never seen anything like it, and what it has to tell us will make all the difference in the world. Seller Inventory # DADAX0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # Abebooks91018
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Brand New Copy. Seller Inventory # BBB_new0316989363
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Brand New. 384 pages. 9.50x6.25x1.50 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # 0316989363
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 1.37. Seller Inventory # Q-0316989363