The year is just getting started and we’re making room for the next wave of books on the longevity beat. They’re essential reading for anyone interested in models for living in our more-old-than-young society or thinking about an encore career. Check the books out, spread the word, and see where the authors are speaking.

Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding Meaning, Money and Happiness in the Second Half of Life (Harper Collins Leadership, February 2019). This book is the latest from journalist/author/public radio correspondent Chris Farrell, an expert on “unretirement” and its economic implications. “The fight for purpose and a paycheck,” her writes, “is a battle for respect and recognition.” This optimistic and practical book includes personal stories of people who’ve connected money and meaning in the second half of life, a thorough analysis of the economics of an aging society, policy proposals to fight ageism, and tips for individuals. Contact Chris at [email protected] about interviews or speaking engagements (and plan to pay Chris’s travel expenses for in-person programs).

This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism (Simon & Schuster, March 2019, available for pre-order now). After self-publishing her anti-ageism manifesto in 2016, Ashton Applewhite has been a relentless advocate, taking her ideas to the TED main stage and framing ageism as the last permissible prejudice in our culture. Simon and Schuster will release a new edition in March. While you wait for your copy, check out Old School, the clearinghouse of anti-ageism resources Applewhite created and this free booklet on how to start a consciousness-raising group. Go here to read Ashton’s extensive tour schedule and to contact her about an event for your organization. (Q&A with Encore.org VP Marci Alboher here.)

55, Underemployed and Faking Normal (Simon & Schuster, January 2019). Elizabeth White is another author who originally self-published AND THEN sparked buzz with a successful TED talk and a PBS Newshour segment. She’s now released a new edition with a major publisher. Despite an impressive resume, including an MBA from Harvard, a string of prestigious jobs and a successful foray into self-employment, White hit midlife and fell out of the middle class. Her experience, and the shame that went along with it, struck a chord with many who fear aging out of relevance and face a fight for financial survival. The book is a valuable companion for anyone feeling vulnerable in the face of midlife uncertainty. Connect with Elizabeth here. (Q&A with Encore.org VP Marci Alboher here.)

And don’t forget these valuable 2018 titles:

Don’t Retire, Rewire (3rd Edition, Penguin Random House, August 2018). Co-authors Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners have been conducting research and tracking retirement trends for over 20 years. They have helped pre- and post-retirees unearth new passions, purpose and possibilities, while guiding them through the pitfalls often associated with retirement. The new edition highlights the evolving 21st century retirement landscape and its implications for individuals. The reality that we are living longer and healthier lives demands new and creative thinking; Jeri and Rick created a five-step “rewiring” process to guide readers through their journey. (Q&A with Encore.org VP Marci Alboher here.)

Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers (self-published, April 2018). Life coach Sara Zeff Geber outlines the path ahead for “solo agers,” 15 million Americans who are over 50 and have no children to rely on as they age. This large group presents challenges for social policy as well as for those individuals. Essential Retirement Planning reviews choices in housing, relationships, legal arrangements, finances and more – and urges the solo ager to plan for the future as though their life and well-being depended on it. A Wall Street Journal 2018 Best Book on Aging Well and an Amazon best-seller. (Q&A with Encore.org VP Marci Alboher here.)

Published: February 15, 2019