Take a photo of a barcode or cover
87 reviews for:
Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old
John Leland
3.77 AVERAGE
87 reviews for:
Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old
John Leland
3.77 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the stories of the 6 people and their points of view on life now, looking forward and back. A great reminder that everyone goes through rough times and it is how much you appreciate and look for the good that really impacts your life.
Happiness is a Choice You Make by John Leland is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in late January.
Words of wisdom from 6 elders as part of Leland's 85 and Up series. Their stories are neither fully feast or famine (complete ability or disability) and, quite frankly, it's so much better that way. Each emphasize the necessity to keep busy with the hobbies and interests that they love, to readjusting goals and daily activities to their personal, physical, and mental capabilities. Relative to the title, happiness should be found in the present moment, intimacy and close friendships, with individual, interview-format life stories that are tied somewhat to scientific/mental health stats on aging.
Words of wisdom from 6 elders as part of Leland's 85 and Up series. Their stories are neither fully feast or famine (complete ability or disability) and, quite frankly, it's so much better that way. Each emphasize the necessity to keep busy with the hobbies and interests that they love, to readjusting goals and daily activities to their personal, physical, and mental capabilities. Relative to the title, happiness should be found in the present moment, intimacy and close friendships, with individual, interview-format life stories that are tied somewhat to scientific/mental health stats on aging.
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
While not containing any astounding new revelations, author John Leland gives us an empathetic look into the lives of 6 elders between the ages of 85 and 95. He spent a year visiting, interviewing, and generally getting to know his ethnically and economically diverse group of characters. He began the year with a certain framework for thinking about aging - that it is about loss, pain, lonliness, and deterioration. Those things are certainly part of the aging process, but what surprised Leland was the lightness and contentment he discovered in his group. Among the lessons he learned were the importance of gratitude, acceptance, living in the moment, and staying interested in people. An unsurprising and yet profound look at the wisdom of old age from some modern day experts at living long, living well.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I almost judged this book by its cover/title and so glad I didn’t! The subject matter was really interesting, challenged data points we’ve heard before around aging and made me so thankful for my intergenerational friendships in a whole new way.
informative
This could have been a lot better. I felt like the author and I didn't quite connect in that he gave lots of details at points that I was not as interested in and skimmed over things I wanted to know more about. I'll give him credit for selecting some seniors with interesting life stories.
I loved this captivating, interesting, and inspiring book featuring interviews with six New Yorkers over the age of 85 over the course of a year. Read my full review and listen to a sample of the audio:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2018/11/nonfiction-review-happiness-is-choice.html
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2018/11/nonfiction-review-happiness-is-choice.html
Read this for a research class on the life course, and really enjoyed learning about the lives of the 6 elders. Leland reflected on many wonderful life lessons, my favorite being that we should all view our lives through the lens of an older person. When I imagine myself at age 80 (if I’m lucky enough to reach 80), the number of internships, leadership experience, even grades — all of these seemingly important things I’m currently worried about won’t matter much. When I’m older, I will have hoped that I have lived a life of purpose and impact, while investing deeply in relationships that are meaningful to me <3
Leland spends a year with six older adults in and around NYC. They are all 85 or older at the time, and they each find ways to find happiness despite some of the losses of advanced age.
Fred is a well-dressed ladies man who is grateful for waking up to a new day. He has some problems with mobility, but he's full of gratitude and enjoys life's simple pleasures.
Ping enjoys playing mah-johng and socializes with several other Chinese-Americans. She has to move during that year, which requires her to make some adjustments. She has trouble with arthritis and cognition, but she also does some translation work for her landlord and shares information about how to maximize social services.
John talks frequently about being ready to die. Nevertheless, he finds a lot of joy in music and in relishing memories of his long-time partner, Walter. John has a niece who gives him support, and he has a lot of younger friends from fire island.
Helen lost her husband, but she has a much younger boyfriend at her assisted living facility. Howard has some trouble with cognition and mobility, but Helen loves fussing over him, and he is very sweet with her. Helen's daughter finds this romance a little threatening, but Helen works to keep the peace.
Ruth has daughter who fuss on her, but Ruth pushes back to maintain as much independence as she can manage. She spends the most time with the most extended family members among those that Leland profiles in his book.
Jonas is the most active in the bunch. He is a film maker, a writer, and a public speaker. He attends a lot of cultural events as an audience member and as a featured artist. He survived being a Lithuanian when the Soviets occupied his country, and he was imprisoned by the Nazis. He remembers seeing several famous actors and musicians from decades prior, and he keeps up with the up-and-coming creatives in Manhattan.
Leland himself reflects on his own aging process as well as his mother's, using this book as a way to reflect on the role that gratitude, social engagement, and purpose contribute to a person's happiness.
At times I found the book repetitive. Leland probably mentions sixty times that Helen found purpose by caring for Howard. But I ended up buying the book after placing post-it notes on my library copy on nearly every page. His interview participants are engaging, and Leland connects their experience with key research by gerontologists, sociologists, psychologists, and medical researchers. Some of this research I've already read as a gerontologist, but Leland draws on several studies that I haven't read yet. Consequently, I plan on mining his sources.
In invigorating, thoughtful read.
Fred is a well-dressed ladies man who is grateful for waking up to a new day. He has some problems with mobility, but he's full of gratitude and enjoys life's simple pleasures.
Ping enjoys playing mah-johng and socializes with several other Chinese-Americans. She has to move during that year, which requires her to make some adjustments. She has trouble with arthritis and cognition, but she also does some translation work for her landlord and shares information about how to maximize social services.
John talks frequently about being ready to die. Nevertheless, he finds a lot of joy in music and in relishing memories of his long-time partner, Walter. John has a niece who gives him support, and he has a lot of younger friends from fire island.
Helen lost her husband, but she has a much younger boyfriend at her assisted living facility. Howard has some trouble with cognition and mobility, but Helen loves fussing over him, and he is very sweet with her. Helen's daughter finds this romance a little threatening, but Helen works to keep the peace.
Ruth has daughter who fuss on her, but Ruth pushes back to maintain as much independence as she can manage. She spends the most time with the most extended family members among those that Leland profiles in his book.
Jonas is the most active in the bunch. He is a film maker, a writer, and a public speaker. He attends a lot of cultural events as an audience member and as a featured artist. He survived being a Lithuanian when the Soviets occupied his country, and he was imprisoned by the Nazis. He remembers seeing several famous actors and musicians from decades prior, and he keeps up with the up-and-coming creatives in Manhattan.
Leland himself reflects on his own aging process as well as his mother's, using this book as a way to reflect on the role that gratitude, social engagement, and purpose contribute to a person's happiness.
At times I found the book repetitive. Leland probably mentions sixty times that Helen found purpose by caring for Howard. But I ended up buying the book after placing post-it notes on my library copy on nearly every page. His interview participants are engaging, and Leland connects their experience with key research by gerontologists, sociologists, psychologists, and medical researchers. Some of this research I've already read as a gerontologist, but Leland draws on several studies that I haven't read yet. Consequently, I plan on mining his sources.
In invigorating, thoughtful read.
I loved this so much! It was interesting to see how our elders really feel about their quality of life compared to how I think their quality of life is. And a whole lot of other things. And the research. I loved that. Um, Bookclub, can we read this book, because I really need to discuss it with you? Ok, thanks.
3.5. Entirely worth reading. Even if some of his revelations seem common sense, the 6 elders he spends the year with are as glorious as they are distinct.