My 100-Year-Old Friends Vol. 1: In Their Words

De: Gerry Justice

Narrado por: Daniel Houle

Dear listeners,

Get ready for a delightful dive into the lives of some of the world’s most seasoned and sprightly souls!

My 100-Year-Old Friends–In Their Words is a heartwarming collection of stories from centenarians and supercentenarians who have spent a century gathering memories, sharing laughs, and living life to its fullest.

Chapter 1 introduces you to Morrie Markoff, a 110-year-old supercentenarian with a lifetime of stories from his East Harlem upbringing. With over 80 years of marriage under his belt and titles like "America’s Oldest Man," "Oldest Blogger in the World," and "Oldest Jew in the World," Morrie’s tale is as rich and lively as his years.

In Chapter 2, you’ll meet Mary Ransopher, a 112-year-old who was born just months after the Titanic disaster in 1912.

As you listen, you’ll meet more extraordinary people like Hellen Guthrie (107), a Navy veteran who helped crack German codes during WWII, and Frank Swingle (102), a golfer who hit a hole-in-one at ninety-three and continued to drive his cherished Cadillac until he was 98. There’s Charles Fromer (102), who survived the harrowing Omaha Beach landing, and Sue Guest (101), the keeper of 600 clocks, whose life has been filled with both heartache and healing.

Barbara Smith (101) grew up in lively Amityville, Long Island (yes, that Amityville!), embracing the joys of youth with an unforgettable sense of self. Rita Wells (101) found her own fairy tale romance at 69 with a WWII pilot. Rosemary Westbrook (100) shares her family’s colorful stories filled with music, migration, and a grandfather who crafted violins.

My 100-Year-Old Friends is a celebration of love, laughter, and the sheer joy of living. These stories are raw and real, capturing the voices of each centenarian in their own words—full of energy, charm, and the kind of wisdom you can only gain after a century of experience.

Enjoy the journey!

GJ

©2025 Gerry Justice (P)2025 Gerry Justice

Retro Giggles and More

My 100-Year-Old Friends—In Their Words is a heartfelt celebration of life, love, and laughter, sharing the unforgettable stories of centenarians and supercentenarians who have spent a century embracing joy and gathering wisdom. These narratives are honest and deeply human, preserving each storyteller’s unique voice with warmth, charm, and vitality. Together, they offer a vivid and uplifting portrait of what it means to truly live over the course of a hundred remarkable years.

Author Gerry Justice beautifully preserves the life stories of individuals over the age of 100, exploring their memories, feelings, and reflections in a way that honors their experiences and teaches future generations about the past and how it shaped the world we know today. Their recollections may stem from another era, yet they remain deeply poignant, offering a powerful journey through lives touched by events such as the sinking of the Titanic and World War II. Justice’s writing is well organized, presenting each centenarian’s story in its own chapter and capturing the emotional, physical, and spiritual arcs of their remarkable lives with clarity and respect. An added bonus are the discussion questions at the end that prompt solid discussions.

Narrator Daniel Houle speaks with clarity and warmth, asking the questions listeners long to hear and guiding each interview with a steady, smooth cadence. He skillfully conveys the emotion and individuality of every centenarian, projecting their words with authenticity and honoring the depth of their stories.

This is a fascinating book, filled with wisdom and sentiments reminiscent of those I heard growing up. It is a treasured collection of experiences and journeys that every generation should have the opportunity to learn from.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.