ROCTOGENARIANS

A celebration of legends who never let old age get the best of them.

In the style of Mobituaries, Rocca’s 2019 encyclopedia of underappreciated greats, this book presents the stories of people who did their best work in their golden years. With assistance from Greenberg, Rocca profiles a wide range of subjects with accomplishments that are just as varied as their biographies. Among them are Harland David Sanders, who started what would become a “Kentucky-fried empire” at 66; Kenneth Felts, who virally came out of the closet at age 90; and Snowman the horse, who, at age 10, became an award-winning show jumper and was later inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. “One thing everyone in this book has in common: a belief that late life is no time to surrender,” writes Rocca. While the author covers many familiar names, such as Morgan Freeman, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Carl Reiner, his definition of extraordinary goes beyond popular recognition. Rocca dedicates chapters to war veterans of advanced age and women who experience renewed vigor in widowhood. Such is the charm of Rocca’s latest compilation, which demonstrates the importance of passion and resilience at all stages of life, even the latter years. It’s fitting that the book ends with the fictional character Ebenezer Scrooge, whose late-in-life victory was simply becoming a better person. “In fact,” writes Rocca, “you could say the whole reason Scrooge exists is to help us understand this simple, straightforward point: that it’s never too late to change.” It is because of reminders like this that readers of all ages and backgrounds can find inspiration in these pages, which also include the accomplishments of Rita Moreno, Frank McCourt, Henri Matisse, Brian May, and Diana Nyad.

A fun collection of stories that give a heartening perspective on living life to the fullest.