Never Say Die

The Myth and Marketing of the New Old Age

By: Susan Jacoby

Narrated by: Laural Merlington

In a narrative that combines the intensely personal with social, economic, and historical analysis, Susan Jacoby turns an unsparing eye on the marketers of longevity - pharmaceutical companies, lifestyle gurus, and scientific businessmen who suggest that there will soon be a "cure" for the "disease" of aging. She separates wishful hype from realistic hope in a wide-ranging appraisal of subjects that include the explosion of Alzheimer’s cases, the impact of possible cuts in Social Security on the economic future of aging boomers, and the fact that women make up most of the "oldest old." Finally, Jacoby raises the fundamental question of whether living longer is a desirable thing unless it means living better, and she considers the profound moral and ethical concerns raised by increasing longevity. Never Say Die is a lucid, provocative, and powerful argument that Americans, no matter their age, are doing themselves no favor by buying into the myth that they can stay "forever young."

©2011 Susan Jacoby (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Drawing on research, personal experience, and anecdotes, [Jacoby] offers an important reality check for Americans enamored of the images of healthy, active seniors featured in advertisements." ( Booklist)

mixture of interesting info and liberal ideology

I ended up giving this 2 stars based on my view that the first half rates a 3 because it primarily deals with interesting information on aging, but the last half rates a 1 (or less) because it is little more than blatant liberal propaganda and demonizsation of all other viewpoints.