Never Say Die, Susan Jacoby
Never Say Die, Susan Jacoby
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Never Say Die
The Myth and Marketing of the New Old Age

Author: Susan Jacoby

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Unabridged: 14 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/08/2011

Synopsis

In a narrative that combines the intensely personal with social, economic, and historical analysis, Susan Jacoby turns an unsparing eye on the marketers of longevity—pharmaceutical companies, lifestyle gurus, and scientific businessmen who suggest that there will soon be a "cure" for the "disease" of aging. She separates wishful hype from realistic hope in a wide-ranging appraisal of subjects that include the explosion of Alzheimer's cases, the impact of possible cuts in Social Security on the economic future of aging boomers, and the fact that women make up most of the "oldest old." Finally, Jacoby raises the fundamental question of whether living longer is a desirable thing unless it means living better, and she considers the profound moral and ethical concerns raised by increasing longevity.

Never Say Die is a lucid, provocative, and powerful argument that Americans, no matter their age, are doing themselves no favor by buying into the myth that they can stay "forever young."

About Susan Jacoby

Susan Jacoby is the author of more than ten books, including the New York Times bestseller The Age of American Unreason. She is a frequent contributor to national publications, including the Times and the Washington Post.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mary

This is probably a book that all people in their 50s and older should read. I’ve certainly begun making more plans to face old age more realistically. The hype of an active happy old age is fed to us by the media non-stop and Jacoby is anything but. With that said, it was hard to buy into her extrem......more

Goodreads review by David

If you are a baby boomer (born between 1946 and 1964) and you read only one non-fiction book this year, I recommend this one. The idea that our older years are going to be our "golden years" is a myth that Jacoby shatters. If you live beyond the age of 85, you have a 50-50 chance of ending up living......more

Goodreads review by Jenny

One can hardly say one LOVES this book. I mean, really! I bought it because I heard this woman on the radio talking about how very old people are not allowed to be angry about getting old. I remembered my 8 years with House Calls. Time to come back and look at it again. This woman knows her stuff an......more

Goodreads review by Eileen

Difficult to plow through because of lengthy discussions on ethical issues related to life extension versus quality of life and the social and political constructs of old age. The author raises depressing facts that are often overlooked by baby boomers who assume their "golden" years will be mentall......more

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