How to Grow Old

Ancient Wisdom for the Second Half of Life

Marcus Tullius Cicero author Philip Freeman translator Philip Freeman editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Princeton University Press

Published:8th Apr '16

£14.99

Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.

How to Grow Old cover

Worried that old age will inevitably mean losing your libido, your health, and possibly your marbles too? Well, Cicero has some good news for you. In How to Grow Old, the great Roman orator and statesman eloquently describes how you can make the second half of life the best part of all--and why you might discover that reading and gardening are actually far more pleasurable than sex ever was. Filled with timeless wisdom and practical guidance, Cicero's brief, charming classic--written in 44 BC and originally titled On Old Age--has delighted and inspired readers, from Saint Augustine to Thomas Jefferson, for more than two thousand years. Presented here in a lively new translation with an informative new introduction and the original Latin on facing pages, the book directly addresses the greatest fears of growing older and persuasively argues why these worries are greatly exaggerated--or altogether mistaken. Montaigne said Cicero's book "gives one an appetite for growing old." The American founding father John Adams read it repeatedly in his later years. And today its lessons are more relevant than ever in a world obsessed with the futile pursuit of youth.

"Provides useful tips on how to age well."--Wan Lixin, Shanghai Daily "[A] covetable little translation."--Karen Shook, Times Higher Education

ISBN: 9780691167701

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 312g

216 pages