Short interviews with super-productive super-old people, with a beautiful essay by Lewis Lapham about the joys of truly lifelong learning. Seems to me that the most contented old people might be the ones whose talents at least have the chance to get better as they age. I remember many years ago, thinking to myself... my three favorite novelists at the time hadn't even really started writing until they were about 40 years old... so there was hope for me yet! Of course now that I'm over 40, I realize it's not necessarily true ;)

What is longevity for if not to give us time to get better at things we enjoy?

I'm about to start writing seriously just as I turn 50.  I find it difficult to think that I'm old in any way, other than starting to look it a little.

Thanks to technology and lifestyle we can live till 90 or 100. So 50 is not old.