EXTRA LIFE A Short History of Living Longer

Author/narrator Steven Johnson strikes an engaging conversational tone as he talks about the increases in life expectancy humans have achieved over centuries. Listeners might not get as excited as Johnson does about the advent of an improved form of pharmaceutical testing, but he covers a lot of interesting ground. Johnson traces the study of life expectancy back to its origins in 1662. He also tells us about a lot of things that have affected life expectancy. His research and narration cover everything from infant and child mortality to the Spanish flu, automobile fatalities, and even poor medical care. This audiobook tie-in to Johnson's PBS series includes the coronavirus, an uncomfortable reminder of listeners' own mortality. Anyone up for it will find this audiobook well researched and fascinating. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2021]