Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart

by Rex Cole

What if you had one hundred years of wisdom and experience—on the day you were born?

Your attitude about life is different now than it was years ago. And it will be different years from now. Have you ever remembered a choice you made and wondered what your life would look like today had you chosen differently? Bob Carson has been given the gift, or perhaps the curse, of living his long life two ways—both from birth to death and from death to birth. “Forward Bob”—who’s aging chronologically—goes through life figuring things out through the usual ages and stages, with the successes, failures, and mistakes we all make while experiencing life. “Backward Bob,” who has the presumed advantage of approaching each day with the wisdom of a long and well-lived life, takes a different path.

With insight and humor, Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart explores how we navigate life, the choices we make, and the question of whether our lives would be objectively better if we could change what has happened. The two Bobs wind up with different wives, kids, friends, and dogs. But will the wisdom of hindsight make life richer and more adventurous, or is the more compelling journey one of discovery?

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2025

Reviews

[James R. Kimmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an intriguing book! It took me a few chapters to catch on to the concept the author was working with and then I loved it. Parallel lives, one lived in reverse of elder moving back through his life and the other of the young moving forward. Parallel, but different possibilities, different experiences bringing them to different conclusions and different life tracks. It lead me to think of how decisions in my life led me to my present, how if I had taken a left turn instead of a right I could possibly be living a life so different from the one I now live, both good, both fulfilling but so very different in all aspects. What if I had married the kind and delightful tomato farmer in Indiana who fell in love with me that summer instead of the educator, environmentalist, adventurer that I did marry? It made me ponder and realize how delighted I am in the choices I did make and how they led me to right here right now. I appreciated the journey this book led me on to discover and explore how lives can differ, lead to different paths but it is what is in our own hearts that make the real difference.

[Anne Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too Soon Old, Too late Smart by Rex Cole has a very interesting plot. What If I had 100 years of wisdom and experiences on the day I was born? If I knew then what I know now, would my life be more complete or would it be more exciting to learn as you go?
The writing style is very consistent throughout and easy to read. He tells the tale of two different Bob's (Old Bob and Young Bob) who have different wives, kids, friends, and experiences. The Author is very good at describing the settings and making you feel the highs in his life or sympathize with the trials in his life. I can visualize the escapades of Bob swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with friends or resolving issues on how to get to a Willie Nelson Concert. He is vulnerable when he writes of his wife's illness or career challenges. I needed a Kleenex for this part.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to seeing what this Author will write next.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It was a little hard to follow at first, but then I figured it out and went back and reread the first couple of chapters. The author poses a question to the reader,"What if you could live your life backward?" He expounds on this, and then the story becomes two...Forward Bob and Backward Bob. The book becomes a series of vignettes about the two Bobs' lives with different incidents and their observations. The author approaches life with a wry sense of humor and quick wit that leaves the reader laughing and many times identifying with Bob and his life...both of them. There's also a poignancy, which is part of life, through many of the vignettes. My take from the book is that it's the journey that matters, and don't take it so seriously. It changes, and your perspective has a lot to do with how you adjust and what type of life you will lead. Enjoy the journey...and have lots of short TUF units. The book explains it.

[Sherri Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

question marks

I understood the time jumping on this story before I started, but I still had a difficult time navigating the two story lines. I think the fact that it was the same main character traveling forward and backward through time, making different decisions, but with several overlapping experiences, made it too hard for me to process. It was possibly because I was in a place where I had too many events at work and home competing for my attention. This is a book I probably would understand a lot better if I were to go back and read it again, but thinking about doing so makes my head tired, so it will just have to drift into the sunset. I did like the character of Bob. Some of the lengthy descriptive chapters (the Alaskan cruise) began to feel a little tedious, and I admit I skimmed some of those. I don’t think I would recommend, but the fact that I finished it says it was interesting enough to continue. (I’m not afraid of the DNF.)

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book called to mind one of my all-time favorite movies, Sliding Doors, with Gwenyth Paltrow. I absolutely love the idea that one small decision or twist of fate can change the entire course of a person's life, and the framing of this novel as two storylines progressing in opposite directions was brilliant. For the most part, they both began and ended in the same places, but the journey to get there was wildly different, and with whom the journey was taken was different as well. Each path had its trials, triumphs, and heartbreaks, and that seems to be the point. All lives, no matter the meandering path they take, are subject to the full range of human experience.

[Pati · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've thought of this concept many times and Dr. Cole did and excellent job fleshing out this idea to a a story that was both laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreakingly poignant at the same time. He thoroughly captured the voice and musings of a youthful Bob and an older Bob with ease. I found myself wanting to read slower because I loved the characters and did not want to book to end. Hope to read more from this author.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, emotional book. I laughed and cried my way through it. The stories are told back and forth in time, weaving the joy of life with the sadness of loss. Mr. Cole has obviously lived an interesting life and spent a lot of time reflecting. His deep feelings are always lightened up with a funny line. Great book to help you keep things in perspective when life’s little problems seem overwhelming. Hope he writes more!

[Mary LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am not a fan of the time jump trend in books, overall this was a very enjoyable read. For me it had a rocky start but as I kept reading, despite the continual time travel gymnastics, the humor and basic goodness of the Bob Carson character came shining through. I did not always have a clear picture of the love of his life. Was it Anita or Joanne? Both? I would still recommend reading this book.

[Jennifer Holloway Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so interesting and had such a unique perspective, however I wish it would have had some kind of labeling on the chapters to keep me in line with which life I am in at times. The writing was very good and I was thoroughly entertained with the stories and the experiences. There was a little bit of everything there. I would like to read more from this author and feel he has a gift. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

[Rosser Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing a last name piqued my interest. I found I could relate to many of the stories - not only because I'm familiar with the geography, but because of similar events from my own life. Excellent night-time reading - good thoughts for a pleasant sleep.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. So much incite. Loved the chapter where him & his wife went to a concert. I laughed & laughed. But the made the most of the situation. This is the sort of book you’d like to read again.

[Judith M Gross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like I was there in every page, like I had a front row seat. I cried, I laughed. I stayed up way past my bed time because I just couldn’t put it down.

[Diane E. Navratil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting and difficult to follow at first. The actual writing was good enough to finish this Goodreads win.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I did feel confused at times with where I was in the story timeline, but quickly was able to redirect. Bob’s story and character was very relatable and sweet.

[Janet Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read. Took a little bit to get started, but once into the book, you wanted to keep going, just to see what great adventure was next.

[Brenda Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise and enjoyed the first half but midway through I was totally lost. The back and forth between chapters was abrupt and confusing.

[Will Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever said, "If I had known then what I know now, I would have ...". Well, as Dr. Bob Carson, the narrator of Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart can tell you, "No you would not have". But your mistakes, ignorance and immaturity do teach you to value things that are often not apparent or valued until later. This humorous, heartwarming and entertaining speculation of how the lessons of life could, and probably would, change our relationships, values and behaviors leads readers through two similar but very different life stories for Bob Carson.
Bob’s first life story gives us the picture of a loving husband and a likeable friend told in the memories of an old man reflecting on his life from childhood to his lonely but still alert old age. An ordinary yet entertaining account of scenes from the life of a good man, a loving and caring husband who had a satisfying life with the love of his life. A man who muddled through life, learning as he goes, and fashions for himself a life story that is both satisfying and productive. And yet ...... what if his life had been lived backwards, from old age to birth?
Armed with the understandings gained with age, would it have been better, or just different? The genius of this book is that it leaves that decision for the reader. Give this one a read. Regardless of your decision you will find a satisfying pair of humorous and heart-warming accounts of family life.
PS: Don’t skip the Epilogues, my favorite part.

[Marcelle Thieme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. One chapter I was laughing and then the next chapter crying. It is very well written and very entertaining. Add this book to your must read books.