THE BIG 100, out Oct. 3 from Diversion Books, is an exploration of extreme longevity.
We’re all hurtling into a new era of super-aging, and demographers forecast that the number of people reaching triple-digit ages will increase eightfold by 2050. Centenarians are the fastest-growing segment of the population.
It’s going to upend everything we thought we knew about retirement, personal finance, health care, and politics. Whether we’re 18 or 81, this tectonic demographic shift will affect us all. And worryingly, we’re not even close to being prepared.
I was literally wired for this work: My grandmother was born in 1899 and died in 2003, just shy of her 104th birthday, after a life that touched parts of three centuries. And while based in Paris for The Associated Press, I told the world about Jeanne Calment, the oldest person who ever lived whose age can be authenticated by records. She made it to 122. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be next.
You can order THEBIG 100here. I hope you enjoy the read. Thanks for joining me on this journey … and may you live a hundred years!
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Praise for THE BIG 100
“More and more people are living for 100 years — or longer. William J. Kole uses his knowledge and personal experiences to suggest how we can use these bonus years to best advantage, for ourselves and others. 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
“Deeply researched and reported, written in brisk, sharp prose, William J. Kole’s probing exploration of the implications of longevity and an ever-expanding lifespan is a compelling and vital read. It’s a timely and fascinating analysis of the cultural, economic, racial, medical, philosophical, societal and political upsides and downsides of the coming global surge in the number of centenarians. It’s also great storytelling and a provocative look ahead at what the future of aging means for us all.” —Neal Thompson, author of The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty and A Curious Man: The Strange & Brilliant Life of Robert ‘Believe It or Not’ Ripley
“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-USA
“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 and what it means for health systems, policy makers and the very fabric of families and communities. 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
“With rapidly aging populations across the world and longer lives ahead, William J. 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
“Optimizing human longevity was arguably the greatest achievement of the last century, thanks in great part to the successes of public health. Enabling healthy longevity and the assets that older people contribute to the world will be our all-of-society challenge for the current generation. William J. 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 appreciation for the science of aging. I had never truly considered the enormous societal cost of people living longer until The Big 100. Centenarians are the fastest-growing segment of our population, and Kole forces us to ask if we are ready for that tectonic demographic shift. 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. The Big 100 tells the most human story in the most human terms.” —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 the 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
“Many people say they want to live to be a hundred, but beyond pension plans and good insurance, there’s not really much of a road map for getting the most from that incredible milestone. 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 out. I’m truly energized about my golden years in ways I wouldn’t have thought possible.” —Rachel Jones, National Press Foundation
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