Relatively interesting book but didn't bring anything new to the table. The science involved is cool, though, so I recommend to people new to this field.

DNF at 31%

I was not prepared for this book to be so politically charged and U.S.-centric. To be fair, the description of the book does state, “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.”

Kole covers a very in-depth history of things that increased life expectancy from the 18th century to today, including pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccination. Seizing another opportunity to be political, Kole reminds you that you should be vaccinating your children and seems almost smug that Benjamin Franklin, who was an anti-vaxxer, lost his son to smallpox. I don’t believe it’s fair to hold people who lived three centuries ago to our modern-day standards and political leanings. Already knowing the history of these things, I also found this to be a tedious waste of time.

Some of our biggest killers today, such as heart disease, could manage to be eradicated by altering our DNA in the womb, and I am curious if Kole truly believes anyone is going to be able to afford this outside of the uber wealthy when he is so keen to point out the disadvantages of non-white and socioeconomically poor people.

This book was certainly not for me. Its focus seems to be on how society will be affected by an aging population, not on longevity itself or how to personally strive for/achieve it. I would have been interested in this if it weren’t so political, and I can only guess if Kole meant for the tone to come off as patronizing as it did, but that is how the narrator chose to read it, which didn’t help.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC.

I read a lot of books about longevity/aging, and this book had some unique insights to offer. In particular, I appreciated the focus on the economic factors to consider as people live longer. However, I felt there was a bit too much political talk that was heavily biased. The book would've been just as informative without it, in my opinion. The highlight of the book was the conversations the author had with centarians. I enjoyed their often witty, lighthearted takes on aging.

<i>The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging</i> reflects on the increase in people living longer and how long lives might become in the coming years. By 2050, the number of centenarians is expected to octuple from current numbers. Kole gives examples of current centenarians and looks at some of the previous oldest people in the world. He cites experts in the field, looks at things likely to contribute to a person living to reach triple digits, lists historical discoveries that have helped improve life expectancy to this point, showcases examples of ageism in the world, and examines inequalities that make white people more likely to reach 100 than other races.

This book was an engaging read full of interesting facts. Patrick Lawlor did a great job narrating the audiobook. Check it out if you are interested in learning about aging and increasing life expectancies!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

"The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging" is a book by William J. Kole that explores the looming era of super-aging, where people are living longer than ever before

Kole, a veteran journalist, discusses various aspects of the graying of America, including age-based discrimination, the challenges of dementia, and the effects of loneliness on our aging population.

An intriguing peak into our near future society where a life expectancy of 100 years may soon become the norm while supercentenarians push the boundaries of just how long a human can live. This thoroughly researched and easily consumable book presents topics from a wide variety of areas including, scientific research, socio-economic factors and environmental impacts.

The author is a journalist - and it shows.

The honest look at the data surrounding aging and how the headlines don't always match up with the reality of the studies. For example, he debunks some of the Blue Zone myths.

The book is well-researched and covers a wide range of topics related to aging, including scientific research, socio-economic factors, and environmental impacts. The book also includes discussions with elderly people and quotes from super agers. Overall, the book provides an honest and informative look at the future of aging.

I’ve really enjoyed this audio book. I’ve learned many things and information about the history of aging and all the new discoveries and expectations for the future. The narration was very good and it was not tiring at all to listen to it. I would definitely recommend this book as it’s one of the best now fiction audiobooks I’ve listened lately.

You will have heard some of the predictions made in this book but it covers much more than predictions. Fact is: Today’s five-year olds will most likely live to the age of 100. The world over is in the midst of a longevity revolution and if you’ve listened to news on the aging population, 2030 is stated to be a turning point in demographics for the US. In 2030, one in five people will be a boomer, older than 65 years, and in 2034, they will outnumber children. An interesting historical fact, of which there are many in this book, is that Benjamin Franklin was an avid anti-vaxer. This was before his four-year old son died of Smallpox. I mention this because the author goes through a short history of vaccines and discoveries that has aided in lengthening our lives. You will find many parts of this book enlightening and frightening. Still, mankind continues to find ways to keep us alive so we all should take heed and prepare to stay healthy to live longer. And imagine, somewhere in the far future, Taylor Swift as the U.S. Poet Laureate—you’ll have to find out what statement she apparently makes—just read the book.

"Our relationships with ageing if expressed as a relationship status - is complicated" 🤣

Focused on the centenarian age group (above 100), this book was like an explosion of insights into the current state of affairs. Addressed from multiple perspectives, it was an exemplary work of research and the author's witty writing made it quite easy to read too. If you ever wondered how people ever live beyond 100 and want to know about what actually matters... read this book.

Now moving to some interesting perspectives and concepts, that I discovered here:

• 'Affordable part of least resistance - when people choose unhealthy options over better ones simply because that is all they can afford that will most definitely be consumed
• How having a college degree allows you to live longer - the impact of education
• Living longer is not as simple as eating healthy and exercising daily, it is a combination of 20k factors that allows you to cumulatively work to maintain your fountain of youth.
• Ageist people, issues with the modern generation, AKA 'Us'
• Bottomline the rich get more time... hence live longer, primarily white people
• Eye-opening stats about companies like IBM practising ageism to get rid of people.
• The toll of caregiving for elders on the younger generation
• A simple technique to go a long way is being humorous, witty and adaptable.
• When all else is lost, the future still remains.

Yes... for a change I just can't stop writing about this book. All I can say is, this was "Bom Degree Dot Com".
Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media and @billterrykole for such an interesting ARC.

Genre: #nonficfion #science
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

An intriguing peak into our near future society where a life expectancy of 100 years may soon become the norm while supercentenarians push the boundaries of just how long a human can live. This thoroughly researched and easily consumable book presents topics from a wide variety of areas including, scientific research, socio-economic factors and environmental impacts.

My Thoughts…
About The Narration:
Patrick Lawlor’s narration is just what you’d hope for in a non-fiction book; a solid, credible voice, that captures the authors enthusiasm for the topic.

About The Book:
A perfect summary of the growing wealth of information and innovations focused on living longer. This book explores the good, the bad, and everything in-between when it comes to extending the age range of humankind. I appreciated the comprehensive scope of this book and think there are plenty of take-aways for all readers. If this is a topic you are curious about I highly recommend reading or listening to this book.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like books that present a broad view on topics
🔹 you like when non-fiction books layer in interviews

There is someone alive right now that will die at age 150. By 2050, the world’s centenarian population be will 8x greater than it is now, and half of today’s 5 year olds will reach age 100. What does this exploding elder population mean for financial planning, climate change, retirement, medical communities, and immigration to fill worker shortages? Why are these statistics not uniform across races? William Kole attempts to answer these questions, plus explore societies already known for their extreme longevity and discover their methods for longer lives.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced manuscript copy.

Our world is getting older at a faster rate than our younger populations is growing. Scary stuff when you think about pension funds running out, retirement savings not lasting, strains on health care systems and support services, not to mention strains on the world itself. As we get better at living longer Kole looks at what we can do to increase our chances but also asks us; at what cost? So what do we need to do to live past 100? Surprisingly most changes you make might help you get to 90 but anything past that is more based on genetics. A lot has to do with conditions outside our individual control Kole looks at a multitude of issues and breaks down the information in a manageable way. He also is clear that living longer isn't great if: we run out of money, outlive friends and family, are in poor mental or physical health, continue to not address our climate issues living in a world that is getting hotter and with more extreme weather

The book is narrated by Patrick Lawlor who does an excellent job of keeping the tone serious and yet playful. With the volume of information and studies references this could have easily sounded like a lecture but the writing and the reading both keep the book more entertaining..

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars The beginning and the light approach to much of the discussion about death and aging. I loved the discussions with the elderly and the quotes from the super agers. To be over 100 and still having a great life is fantastic.

4 stars The honest look at the data surrounding aging and how the headlines don't always match up with the reality of the studies. Looking into how the aging population will be impacted and will impact society was well written.

3 stars I would have liked ,pre about what each of us could do on a personal level to age well.

2 stars. The biased look into current politics and society.

zero stars The epilogue.

Without the epilogue this would have been a 4 star book as I could have overlooked much of the bias however with the epilogue it is a 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

Thank you to #netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital audio ARC