Happiness Is a Choice You Make

Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old

By: John Leland

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

This program includes original recordings of interviews from the New York Times series

Based on the popular New York Times series, life-changing wisdom from an unexpected source: America's oldest old

In 2015, the award-winning New York Times journalist John Leland set out to meet some of the city's oldest inhabitants for a series on America's fastest-growing age group: those over 85. Leland was at a crossroads in his own life. His marriage had fallen apart, and, at 55, he was alone for the first time. He was also caring for his elderly mother, whose main desire was to die. He understood aging, like many of us do, as nothing more than the relentless deterioration of body, mind, and quality of life. He wondered: Is there a threshold at which life is no longer worth living?

But the six elders Leland interviewed took him in a different direction. Beyond illuminating what it's like to be old, physically and materially, they provided a life-changing education in resilience and joy. They had lived long enough to master the art of living, and they shared their wisdom generously. Leland did not anticipate all that he would learn, nor did he anticipate the popularity of the series: Its following grew to nearly half a million online views for the finale, plus print readers.

Happiness Is a Choice You Make, based on the series, is a rare, intimate glimpse into the end of life and the insight that can enhance the years preceding. What he finds is deeply heartening: Even as our faculties decline, we still wield extraordinary influence over the quality of our lives. Happiness is a choice we make.

Learn how to live from those who have mastered the art

©2018 John Leland (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"[Narrator Robert Petkoff] is a steady performer whose measured pacing allows each subject's story to unfold naturally against the background of Leland's personal inquiry. A particular highlight comes at the very end, when listeners get a chance to hear the actual voices of some of the men and women who have shared the lessons of their lives." - AudioFile Magazine

Very inspiring and soulful.

I learnt the meaning of living in old age is to continue to live the best that life continues to offer.

Death is what you do, not what happens to you.

We are evolutionarily programmed to see and solve problems, to not be contempt with what we have. Is it genes that make us calmer, happy, and satisfied in old age (even in the face of much more losses) or the experience? Being more in present is mostly a reaction to impending death which was proven in young, but terminally ill patients (they assume the same stand to reality, shift to present moment, as the old ones). Medicine added time to the end, when one is likely sick and unable to enjoy it fully - maybe we should teach and learn how to enjoy the best years (albeit one thing that can be learned is taking things as they are anyhow they are).

Don't judge this book by its cover! So much more.

I would not have picked up this book, if I had only seen the title. But, I heard about it in an article that referred to its life lessons and insight from people who had lived a long and FULL life. There is so much wisdom and perspective in this book! I love autobiographies because men and women summarize their wins, failures, and insight from an entire life lived on this earth. There are common threads that connect the wisdom of the ages, from Ben Franklin to Buddhists to Rosa Parks to George Washington to Seinfeld to your wise grandma. I have enjoyed seeking out those lessons. In this book, you will find many of those insights. ... and the very end of the audio book allows you to hear the actual voices of the elderly subjects of the book. What a treat, from beginning to end.

How encouraging this was.

I didn't know if I would like this book but at 72 I was curious to know what my elders thought about. I was literally stunned when I listened to them. Such a varied collection of both men and women but also one thing kept their lives going....purpose. I had heard that was important (at any age) but particularly as we age. For what do we continue to live? Beyond family, as individuals, we must find that certain something that lightens our hearts and still creates wonder in this world. I was greatly impressed by each and every story.

John Leland is a wonderful writer. He spoke so sweetly about the things he was learning from the oldest old! True. No matter what our age, we can still learn more.

Robert Petkoff did an amazing job of narrating. Taking both male and female voices was convincing and done perfectly.

I am going to be sharing this book with others I know who I believe will also carry away from it a little brighter light and much love for all the people involved. I certainly did!

Highly recommend!

Excellent book to give perspective to life

Great book to have a peek in the life of the elders .
Many lessons to learn and apply in daily life

exceptional topic

the authors takes you on a surprising journey through growing old. I for one old man just loved it

Really inspiring!

The novel as a whole was really excellent to listen to, but I especially wanted to highlight the end, when they play clips from conversations with the various "Oldest Old" featured in this novel! That helped give their stories a sort of unique touch that I found really special!

Amazing Book!!!

Love this book-especially on audio. Really well written!! Highly recommend this book to all ages and walks of life!

moving accounts of life, perspectives to cherish

loved every minute I spent listening to this book. thank you to the author and elders for sharing

An upbeat view of extreme old age

Leland gives us a great gift - a glimpse into the mind of the very old. Too often we ignore the wisdom that comes with living to extreme old age. The wisdom that is shared is amazing. We are given valuable insights for people of all ages from modern day ancients ones.