SHOCK OF GRAY

Spoiler alert: You’re going to get old—maybe even very, very old. And, according to this audiobook, even though your aging self may enjoy a longer, more fulfilling life in a geriatric-friendly place—say, Sarasota, Florida, (aka “God’s Waiting Room”)—for the most part, you will increase government debt, drain social services, cause skyrocketing medical costs, and siphon away limited public resources. You may even be the cause of government collapse, whether you’re in Japan, Spain, China, or California. Kerin McCue narrates this sociological pastiche of facts, anecdotes, and profiles of the elderly with a youthful vigor that also sadly highlights the age disparity. Considering that we reach our peak brain power and episodic memory retention in our early 30s, the sooner you listen to this book, the better. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]