Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half

Living a longer, more fulfilling life comes down to one’s “internal strength—the ability to grow, connect, adapt, and give,” according to this insightful debut. Burnight, a gerontologist, draws from her own research (and wisdom from her thriving 96-year-old-mother, Betty) to highlight four factors that help older people live better lives: openness to new experiences, strong social bonds, the ability to adapt to aging-related challenges, and a willingness to share one’s time, energy, or skills with others. Doing so can help readers combat fear-based “antiaging messaging” that growing older means a slow and inevitable decline, and reframe the aging process as a chance to capitalize on one’s accumulated knowledge and experience unique benefits (like caring less about others’ opinions). Burnight’s cheery tone and targeted tips for dealing with such issues as health setbacks (avoid comparisons to “your pre-setback self” and concentrate instead on small wins, like walking farther than yesterday) will go a long way in helping readers feel supported, and she remains clear-eyed throughout about the painful realities of changes like the loss of independence and the deaths of spouses and loved ones. The result is a pragmatic resource for those who feel anxious about aging. (Aug.)