The Big 100 - by William J Kole (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Journalist William J. Kole, reluctant but newly minted member of the AARP, explores the looming era of super-aging-incredibly longer lifespans overall, and eight times more centenarians by the year 2050--through the lens of past, present, and future life at ages 50,65, 80, and on to 100-plus. What are the keys to longevity, how can we apply them, and what happens to all of us when 65 is merely a life half-lived?

In 25 years, (2050), the world's centenarian population--those aged 100 or more--will increase eightfold. Half of today's 5-year-olds can expect to reach the same heights. It's going to upend everything we know about health care, personal finance, retirement, politics, and more. Whether we're 18 or 81, this demographic shift will affect us all.

The Big 100 confronts readers with a fate few of us thought possible. Journalist William Kole guides us on a journey into our future, an optimistic but sometimes fraught exploration of super-aging, and the keys to achieving it, as the grandson of a centenarian.

Along the way, there are expert sources, like Dr. Jane Goodall, longevity expert Dr. Thomas Perls, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and even 101-year-old influencer Iris Apfel; there are surprises, including the truth about those so-called "Blue Zones" everyone thinks are centenarian factories. (Spoiler alert: They're not.) And there's the troubling truth that those reaching extreme longevity tend to be overwhelmingly white, a product of what experts deem the "weathering theory" the idea that the health of African Americans begins to deteriorate in early adulthood as a physical consequence of socio-economic disadvantages.

What is the recipe for living longer? How long can we live? How long should we live? The Big 100 explores the most pressing questions of our super-aging future, and offers glimpses of a reality that awaits us, our children, and our grandchildren.

Review Quotes

Praise for THE BIG 100 by William J. Kole The vast baby-boomer cohort is moving into its sunset years. In 2034, the U.S. will have more people over 65 than under 17...[and] half of today's American 5-year-olds can expect to reach age 100. So, The Big 100 comes not a moment too soon. William J. Kole...explores various aspects of the graying of America...address[ing] 'what we must do now to ensure our longer lives will truly be worth living.' -Wall Street Journal With beautiful prose and a sense of fun, The Big 100 is stimulating and inspiring. You should definitely read it. -Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace In this book, [Kole] expertly examines the concept of what he calls super-aging and how it impacts people, including children and grandchildren, as his statistics show that the United States' population of people older than 65 will soon outnumber people who are 17 and younger. Kole doesn't just focus on age; he delves into such topics as loneliness too. . . . Kole also doesn't shy away from discussing why it's white people who appear to be living the longest. VERDICT: A brilliant study on aging that's destined to become a classic. -Library Journal (starred review) The Big 100 is an entertaining challenge to all of us to rethink the second half of our lives. Provocative and fun. -Dr. John Beard, director, International Longevity Center William J. Kole is more than a brilliant journalist and dazzling storyteller. He is a time traveler. Kole is our guide to a coming world of super-longevity. . . . The Big 100 is our future. There is no more compelling story. -Brian Murphy, author of 81 Days Below Zero: The Incredible Survival Story of a World War II Pilot in Alaska's Frozen Wilderness Kole's The Big 100 could not have come at a more important time. It's a compelling call to action for everyone interested in the challenges and opportunities of our great demographic shift and the potential for longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. -Paul Irving, founding chair of the Milken Institute's Center for the Future of Aging and distinguished scholar-in-residence at the University of Southern California's Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Kole's book gives us a basis for envisioning the society we want to design for all of our longer lives as we each approach the big 100. -Dr. Linda P. Fried, dean of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and director of the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center Do I want to live to 100? I don't know. But I do know that in The Big 100, journalist William J. Kole makes me think about it with a newfound and appreciation for the science of aging. . . . Kole provides valuable perspective around the science of aging, the impact on society as people reach that milestone, and some heartwarming personal touches. -Doug Most, bestselling author of The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry that Built America's First Subway None of us knows whether we'll make it to 'The Big 100, ' but regardless of age, all of us should make sure we have a copy of William J. Kole's book on our shelf! In a readable style and an easy voice, Kole uses hard data and personal stories to explore everything important about the aging journey-finances, health, work, diet, dignity, laughter, and love. -Stephen Puleo, author of Dark Tide, The Caning, and Voyage of Mercy The Big 100 points the way to a great long life without minimizing pain or emotional weight of mortality. Using the latest scientific evidence for optimism and telling inspiring, sometimes amusing, stories of people as old as a hundred and more, William J. Kole shows how you can find joy in life right up to your last days on earth. -Francine Russo, bestselling author of Love After Fifty: How to find it, Enjoy it, and Keep it William J. Kole's cogent exploration of 'super-agers' is a blueprint for living your best life long after most people are preparing to check o

About the Author

William J. Kole, recently retired as the New England news editor for Associated Press, is a veteran journalist and former foreign correspondent who has reported from North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The grandson of a woman who lived a few months shy of 104, Kole has been writing about extreme longevity since the 1990s, when he was based in Paris and told the world the extraordinary story of Jeanne Calmest, who lived to 122. His many awards include one from the Society of American Business Editors & Writers for an investigation into the exploitation of undocumented immigrants by the Walmart retail chain. This is his first book. He speaks French, Dutch, and German, and resides in Warwick, Rhode Island.