If I Live to Be 100: Lessons from the Centenarians

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After two decades of acting as the reporter and inquisitor, Ellis finally shifted gears and was able in the process of these conversations to start really listening. Once she had put away the exigencies of her cusp-of-the-millennium life—her deadlines, the intense focus on current events, the endless e-mail and ringing phones —she began to learn the kinds of things that we do from much older people.

She started to connect in her conversations with them, and to see the virtue of looking forward, as the centenarians did, not backward. And that the true richness of life is to be found in each other—in our marriages and friendships, in the intellectual life that we share with each other, and in the ways that we become connected. Their stories add up to a course in living well, with lessons and inspiration for all of us.

From the Trade Paperback edition. She lives with her husband, Noah Adams, in Ohio. Add to Cart Add to Cart. About If I Live to Be If I Live to Be is a remarkable book, beautifully written and elegantly wise, that takes us inside the world of the very old and invites us to learn from them firsthand the art of living well for an exceptionally long period of time.

Inspired by Your Browsing History. Looking for More Great Reads? Download our Spring Fiction Sampler Now. LitFlash The eBooks you want at the lowest prices. Read it Forward Read it first. I was also comforted by glimpsing a few centenarians who are still leading rich, full lives. It's a quick, easy read. I admire her honesty and transparency about the process though. It was an interesting side story to the main tales. Many thanks to Jen for remembering my wish to live to and sending me this sweet book for my birthday this year!

Oct 08, David Schwartz rated it it was ok. Perhaps I set this book up to fail me.

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I suppose I was hoping for some great insight regarding life bestowed by the centenarians interviewed for the book but none ever surfaced. The book was almost as much about the author as it was about those she interviewed. If there were any 'nuggets' to take away, I suppose they would be: It's said that the limbic system allows mammals Perhaps I set this book up to fail me.

It's said that the limbic system allows mammals to sense the state of mind of other mammals, that it's a physical and chemical process.

This is what supposedly underlies getting someone's 'vibe'. Anyway, this is the stuff of a long, happy life Jul 27, Sherrie rated it it was amazing Shelves: I got this from a fellow book club person. She really liked this book. She loaned it to me to read. I wasn't too sure I would like it when I started the book. But the more I read the more I wanted to know. The book is written of stories of people who are or over in age.

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These people are amazing. Anna for instance still rows her little boat every morning. This is my favorite story in the book. Don't keep thinking 'I'm old. I don't stay put.

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I really enjoyed reading this book. Sep 07, Jane Snyder rated it did not like it. This book could have been much better. Why should I read something that the author herself knows is poorly done. Finally, I so totally agreed that I quit reading. Feb 27, Sheryl Sorrentino rated it really liked it. Beautiful "oral histories" of life past , with many touching and sobering life lessons along the way. Dec 17, Kerry rated it liked it. It's always fascinating to hear personal accounts of the past.

Nov 26, Martha Alami rated it liked it. It was actually difficult for me to give this book 3 stars, since to me it actually should be a 2 star rating. But I am giving the extra star to the centenarians who participated, for their time and graciousness to work with this author.

If I Live to Be 100 Quotes

I felt the author had an assignment and a deadline and was not very good at either. She kept apologizing for not interviewing properly, for not being prepared, for being too tired, for not asking the right questions and not getting the right information. So what It was actually difficult for me to give this book 3 stars, since to me it actually should be a 2 star rating. So what was the point? There were only a couple of the centenarians who you felt like she spent any time interviewing and even their interviews were not developed well enough to give you any true insight into their full lives.

In general, I felt this was a fabulous idea and assignment that was not well done by this author, I do not know much about the author except what she relates in the book and there is a lot more about her than about the centenarians!! If she could have written half as well about them as she did about herself, perhaps it would have been a good book.

If you want an insightful view of what are probably some very wonderful individuals who have lived over a century, then I would NOT recommend this book. Moving through the last third of my life, I was hoping to find more strategies for successful aging. Instead, I was reinforced in my belief that most folks don't age very successfully, but that those who do succeed through their own positive attitude. There were a few good messages in this book. Beyond that, it is to have a heart full of love. That is the most important thing.

She says she has no idea why she lived so long, but on the last page, I think, is the answer: Will I be alone and lonely when I am old?

Jun 14, Palatine Library rated it really liked it Shelves: This book is based off of stories told by centenarians. The author Neenah Ellis set out to find these centenarians and hear their own point of view of their life story. If I Live to Be is not simply a transcript of the radio series, but about how the experience of meeting and talking with these amazing centenarians affected the author.

Many of the people that Neenah met make a huge impact on her life just from their memories, tips for when you grow older and funny stories. What I really enjoy This book is based off of stories told by centenarians. What I really enjoyed about this book is that the author did not focus on one main centenarian but many others. It is also amazing to read all about the centenarians' childhood memories and the hard times they went through. For example the dust storm, World War 2, and the San Francisco earthquake. I would recommend this book to readers that need inspiration and to live your life to the fullest.

Jun 11, Kathy rated it liked it Shelves: If I could give it 3. The premise was inspiring, the stories had potential, but the author's approach left something to be desired, and seemed to approach many of her subjects on such a superficial level, then tell their stories in a way that made it more about her than them. I was often left at the end of a chapter wanting more, or feeling like I had only been giving a glimpse of the person with whom the author If I could give it 3. I was often left at the end of a chapter wanting more, or feeling like I had only been giving a glimpse of the person with whom the author spent an afternoon or longer.

But, there were those glimmers of warmth and insight that shone through with several of her interactions, that made the book one worth finishing. Lessons on a life worth living are always worth noting, particularly when given as a gift from good friends! Jun 20, Massanutten Regional Library rated it it was amazing Shelves: Lisa, North River patron, June , 5 stars: The author interviewed a number of people who have reached the age of or more. The stories told by these centenarians reflect the tremendous advances made in technology during their lifetimes but reflect the fact that most of their happy memories have little to do with such advancements; instead, the individuals being interviewed speak of the importance of family, friends, togetherness, art, music, and love.

The book is inspiring and touching, and Lisa, North River patron, June , 5 stars: The book is inspiring and touching, and it provides many examples of centenarians who are healthy, happy, and generally independent. This is not a book about 'aging advice' or simply about historical facts and stories. This book is about trying to understand what is the most important aspects of living a meaningful life based on those who have lived it the longest.

Once you stopped trying to 'fish out' answers, the book took on a life of its own and allowed the reader to self reflect on their own trajectories in life- much like what happened with the reader. I can't give this book 5 stars because I don't think the reader explicitly stated the books intentions- hence so many 2 and 3 star ratings and misunderstandings here- but it was certainly a heartfelt book that provides many opportunities for self reflection and to think about those closest to you on your journey in life.

May 13, Janeen Moore rated it liked it. Found this book in our Little Free Library. A collection of anecdotal interviews with centurions. Dec 17, Michaela rated it really liked it. A friend gave this to me, and I didn't expect it to be my kind of book--thought it might be full of sappiness and platitudes. But Ellis writes well and the individual stories shine through the pages. It's an easy, engaging, yet still thought-provoking read.

Dec 20, Ellen B rated it really liked it Shelves: Fun to read about her journey interviewing centenarians and to "meet" a few amazing people. Dec 10, Grace rated it really liked it. She found that the centenarians often seemed to have an agenda of their own, could not stay focused, or did not always want to give up all that they knew.

Neenah, in her interviews found herself becoming very attached to some of the centenarians that she interviewed and found herself being almost mesmerized by the interviews. She told of how she interviewed a psychologist on the subject to find out exactly what was happening during these interviews. He gives a very interesting explanation of how our brains tune into or align with the brains of those around us. So what is the secret to living to be one hundred?

In the end, there does not seem to be any one specific thing that gave these people the added benefit of living to an old age.

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But it seems that having a career or hobby that you love and being surrounded by people who you love, could be greatly beneficial. One interview that particularly struck me was the one in which she interviewed a couple who were both centenarians and they had been married for more than eighty years. According to the New England Centenarian Study, "the odds of a married couple both making it to one hundred are six million to one. I'm only half way there and have so much more to learn.

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Apr 24, Linda rated it really liked it. Ellis did an NPR series on the subject and wrote her book after it aired. The stories from the centenarians themselves were okay, but the writer's journey was more moving to me. What struck me the most was the research Ellis did on the connection she felt to her subjects. And I am beginning to think that the centenarians know about this intuitively. They know how important the connection with other Ellis did an NPR series on the subject and wrote her book after it aired.

They know how important the connection with others is, because it's harder for them to get it. They are often alone and understand that being cut off from other people is a death sentence And maybe they're better at it, too, because they grew up in a world without so much distraction, when people were more likely to talk to one another - at the dinner table, around the fire at night, riding together in a sleigh, or walking to school.

Jun 01, Rachel rated it liked it. About as entertaining as you would expect a book about year olds, but shockingly sweet at the same time. I was expecting to learn some new and important facts on how to live a long life but in reality it showed me that there is no secret formula. Instead, each centenarian interviewed found their own personal happiness in different ways that helped them thrive, whether that was a soulmate, peaceful place, friendship, routine, tenacity, expert skill, etc.

I loved listening to this as an audio About as entertaining as you would expect a book about year olds, but shockingly sweet at the same time. I loved listening to this as an audio book because the last part of the book had clips of the NPR segments recorded by the author. I felt as though the book was stretched out to make these clips into a longer story when.

The clips were good recaps of the information in the book and I would have preferred to just listen to these instead of the entire book. The book provided more details although a lot of this added information was about the authors process and emotional connection to the seniors rather than providing anything especially important. Feb 01, Pat rated it liked it Shelves:

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