2 Books that Will Make You Feel Good About Getting Older

A strong-minded and sage partner on life's journey is Diana Athill, a British editor and memoirist who's been demonstrating admirable joie de vivre and purpose for nearly 100 years. Her slim, very smart, and funny Alive, Alive Oh! is a gift for every reader who is old or hopes to be. Athill writes about the luxury of a good wheelchair, the importance of passion, the unimportance of fidelity, and the necessity of appreciating even a diminished life. And she bluntly contemplates death.

At the heart of this tender, tough book is one unimpeachable lesson: Embrace it all, even the pain.