Adult nonfiction. Disappointing journey of a writer to uncover the untapped wisdom of elders. Each chapter recalls the process of finding and contacting certain senior citizens, and later the actual interviews, interspersed with chapters about the author's own mother and stepfather, and (very) occasional nuggets of wit. I am sure that there is something to be gained by reading this book in its entirety, but I don't care to find out. ( )

I can never get enough wisdom. From that weird story of King Solomon to more recent things, wisdom is practically my bread and butter for reading. That was why I picked this book up from the Library. I figured it couldn't be bad since it had such a fascinating concept. We can all be wrong I suppose.

The main problem with this book is its scope. While the author says he wants to obtain wisdom from old people, he doesn't really do it that efficiently. I suppose it is rather difficult to find people willing to talk about being old, but Henry Alford doesn't even really know what wisdom is. How do I know this? He mentions it himself. After talking to Harold Bloom he realizes that he doesn't have a good working concept of wisdom, only vague hints of what people have said; adages and proverbs that are so worn as to become practically worthless.

So Henry Alford talks to a number of celebrities, but many people don't want to. Some people have so little to say that they only get one line in his book. For instance, he might have talked to Edward Albee, but I couldn't find the interview. On the other hand, you have Bill Cosby, the guy that sent a form letter since he had other stuff to do. Since this book was published in 2008 or something, this is pre-scandal Bill Cosby but still. So along with celebrities, Alford talks with his mother and stepfather. It wasn't that bad, but it culminates in their breakup.

From that point on, I guess Alford attempts to make a comparison between his mother and stepfather and how they handle it, but he just has so many threads to tie together. All in all, it wasn't that great. I much prefer the Sarah Bakewell book of the same name written about Montaigne. ( )

The more I read Henry Alford, the more I like him. This book is a series of accounts/interviews/experiences with a diverse group of people - some very famous and others who are not (but no less fascinating). The book is tied together with the story of his Mom's "ending" (is it?) of her second marriage.
There is something honest and earnest about Henry's writing that really appeals to me. Maybe it's because we are close in age and share a similar sense of humor, but I feel like I know him. (This is the second book of his that I have read) ( )

profiles of people who have lived their lives their way - quirky, heartwarming and inspirational ( )

I almost gave up on this book ten times. It is not as advertised. Alford spends much of the book talking about his elderly mother who decides in her eighties to divorce Alford’s stepdad. Here and there, Alford stops to interview elderly people but he obtains very little wisdom. Please. If you say you are going to write a book about the wisdom we can obtain from old people, then you’ve got to seek out wise old people. Disappointing. ( )