Travels with Epicurus: Meditations from a Greek Island on the Pleasures of Old Age - Tapa dura

`Truly refreshing... engaging and penetrating' * Sunday Herald * `Reading this book after a period of overwork and high stress, I was bowled over by its easy charm and hard-won wisdom. I shall be buying it in bulk as presents for my equally overburdened peers, and I suspect a few older people will enjoy it, too.' * Daily Mail * `Should be a set-book for all over 60... a wry, whimsical, amusing and intelligent view of old age * Daily Telegraph blog * "Charming and accessible, this philosophical survey simply and accessibly makes academic philosophy relevant to ordinary human emotion." * Kirkus Reviews * "An insightful meditation" * The New York Times * "Klein's narrative is a delightful and spirited conversation, offering up the ingredients inherent to the art of living well in old age." * Publishers Weekly * "Funny and wry" * Huffington Post *

Our society worships at the fountain of youth. Each year, we seek to avert the arrival of old age using everything at our disposal, from extreme exercise and botox to pilates and cosmetic dentistry. But in the process, are we missing out on a distinct and extraordinarily valuable stage of life? Daniel Klein ponders whether it is better to be forever young or to grin toothlessly and live an authentic old age. He journeys to the Greek island of Hydra to discover the secrets of ageing happily. Drawing on the lives of octagenarian Greek locals, as well as philosophers ranging from Epicurus to Sartre, he uncovers the pleasures that are available only late in life. An escapist travel book, a witty meditation, and an optimistic guide to living well, this is a delightful jaunt through the terrain of old age, led by a funny and uniquely perceptive modern-day sage.