Aging Gratefully

Michael McGan

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Aging Gratefully is a humorous look at the aging process, being a baby boomer and not fading away. What is middle age, and how do you come to be there? What did you do to deserve this? And what happens next? Will there be vampires or handcuffs involved? Probably not but you never know.

Review by Nigel (021212) Rating (8/10)

Review by Nigel
Rating 8/10
In Aging Gratefully Michael McGan has put together a collection of his latest thoughts and meditations and, due to his advancing years, these have inevitably turned to the passing of time and the apparent madness taking over the world. In his trademark style, and with the advantage of a few years on the clock, he looks at the meaning of life and tries to answer the ultimate question “What is it all about?”

Among these insights are his observations on the normal activities undertaken as we pass through life. The book is full of gems, some of my favourites being:

“I have probably eaten an entire herd of cattle by this point in my life. On some level, I feel bad about that.”

“Setting a clock radio on “alarm” mode is unnerving. I often wake up before it goes off because I don’t trust the alarm. I don’t trust myself.”

“If there are one hundred channels of cable TV available to a man, he will check out every one of them before he decides what interests him enough to lock into for a bit. This drives women crazy. “Wait! Wait!” they scream. A woman, within two or three channels will find something that looks interesting enough to them, and stay right there. This drives men crazy. “C’mon! C’mon!” they scream.

Aging Gratefully is a clever collection of observations and anecdotes through which Michael McGan considers the immortality of youth and the all too real mortality of later life; if you are of a certain age you will be nodding along to Michael and pretty much agreeing with everything he is saying. A very enjoyable way to pass the time.

It is worth noting for regular visitors that while some of the items in the book have appeared in Michael’s BookLore column McGan’s Meditations the vast majority haven’t; most are new so if you are a fan here is a chance to 'feed that need'.

And remember... the clock is ticking.
Nigel (2nd December 2012)