The Gift of Age: Wit and Wisdom, Information and Inspiration for the Chronologically Endowed, and Those Who Will Be

by Richard Lederer

A blend of touching stories, fascinating facts, and rollicking humor is presented in this entertaining look at the jaunt towards senior citizenship. Guaranteed to stir souls, stimulate minds, and tickle funny bones, the chapters include Why It’s Great to Be Chronologically Endowed, Grandkids Say the Darnedest Things, The Lighter Side of Aging, and Jest for the Health of It. Advice on enjoying one’s golden years is featured, from how to accumulate happiness and social wisdom to the delights of retirement. With puns, jokes, riddles, and puzzles illuminating important aspects on the aging process, this uproarious guide also lists outstanding achievements by “chronologically gifted” leaders, artists, writers, and athletes.

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

Richard Lederer is the author of more than 35 books about language, history, and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current book, The Gift of Age. He has been profiled in magazines as diverse as The New Yorker, People, and the National Enquirer and frequently appears on radio as a commentator on language. He has been named International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters International's Golden Gavel winner.

He is the father of author and poet Katy Lederer and poker players Howard Lederer and Annie Duke.

Reviews

[Jean Graham]

As one recently complimented on having reached the “age of wisdom” (70) and yet who is constantly misplacing garden tools, looking for car keys, trying to locate books in my library that aren’t where I think they should be, and other equally distressing symptoms of absent-mindedness (although the question of whether this is due to advancing age, or whether or not I have always been this way, is a debatable one—it depends on whom you ask!), Richard Lederer’s book was just the medicine needed to help me feel better about myself! According to Lederer, these are merely symptoms of “maturity” and beyond my ability to control—therefore, it’s not my fault! Well, perhaps or perhaps not…but Lederer has helped me think about it in a good-natured, non-judgmental way, and adopt the same approach to what I see in others, unlike people who tend to make fun of elders and sometimes call them “gramps” or “boomer” in a patronizing or condescending fashion. We don’t have smart phones (flip phones work just fine for us since we don't do text messages or "apps"), we drive vintage cars (1968, 1981 and 1999), have a stereo system that is completely 1980’s, still use a land line, use expressions such as “in due course” which seem to mystify young people as to their meaning, and write in cursive! We also strive mightily to keep filler words such as “basically”, “actually”, “you know” and especially “like” out of our vocabulary. Well, if that means we're hopeless dinosaurs, that’s just too bad, and we're not apologizing. At least we won't be walking into any fountains or lampposts or driving off the road because we were being smart phone zombies and weren't paying any attention to where we were going. ("Just HAVE to check my e-mail and answer that text RIGHT NOW!") Neither will we be yakking on the phone at the check out counter and monopolizing the poor clerk, totally oblivio to all the other people behind us who are tapping their feet.

My wife read this book first and then handed it to me, and I found it difficult to put down. As with many other readers, I had to keep a box of tissues nearby, I was laughing so hard. My wife patiently listened to me repeat back to her many of the jokes and puns she had read already…because she enjoyed hearing them again. As the column in Readers’ Digest used to declare (don’t know if the column is still appearing in the magazine, but the dictum still applies), laughter is indeed the best medicine, not only when confronting the foibles of aging, but as a response to many other problems with which life inevitably confronts us. Highly recommended for anyone tempted to feel “down in the dumps” about “the golden years”!

***** review by Chuck Graham *****

[Monnie]

No matter how old you are, it's hard to read when your eyes are dripping tears from laughing so hard. Even after stopping to dry off every few minutes, this is a short (168 pages) book that can be finished in a couple of hours tops. And if you're anywhere north of 55 years of age, I'm pretty sure you'll be cracking up through the whole thing just as I did.

Dr. Richard Lederer has written more than 35 books, almost all related to the use (and misuse) of the English language - one or two of which I read years ago. Now that I'm over the hill myself (he's somewhere around 76, just a couple of years older than I), the subject matter of this one is of special interest to me. And knowing firsthand how funny the guy can be - and learning that his honors include International Punster of the Year and a winner of Toastmasters International's Golden Gavel - I couldn't pass it up when it was offered free through my Kindle Unlimited membership.

As the title suggests, this little gem is loaded with mostly humorous tidbits relating to growing older - from bumper stickers to puns to inspiring quotes such as (from Leroy Satchell Paige), "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?")

Many, from oldsters we all know and love such as George Burns, Will Rogers, Bill Cosby and Joan Rivers, inspire giggles, if not outright chortles:

"You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you can do while down there."

"We could certainly slow the aging process if it had to work its way through Congress."

"By the time you've lit the last candle of your birthday cake, the first one has burned out."

And my personal favorite:

"Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face."

In all honesty, there are quite a few I've heard before, but that didn't mean I laughed any less; this is a terrific collection of zingers on the aging process. In fact, I think I'll have to get a hard copy; reading it to my friends is sure to make me the hit of our Saturday afternoon golf cart posse to Walmart.

[Jolene Hansen]

Good fun if you are as "chronologically endowed" as I am.

[Ray Rodgers]

No need to despair just because you're a senior citizen.

[Barbara]

A little outdated. Younger people won’t enjoy it as much as an older person would.

[Katy Koivastik]

Encouraging and inspiring! Wonderfully read by the author himself.

[Steve]

A fun Lederer book about age and aging. Filled with stories, jokes, poems, sayings, and observations. Just what an old person like me needs to understand I'm not alone in this process.

Addendum: I must me old. I read this book last summer and it seemed fresh to me. Liked it the second time around, as well.