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A Brief Eternity
The Philosophy of Longevity
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Check link for latest rating. ( 179 ratings, 17 reviews)
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A Brief Eternity
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
If you're intrigued by thought-provoking explorations of time, mortality, and the human quest for immortality, this book may captivate you. Delving into the philosophical and psychological dimensions of our desire to transcend the limitations of life and death, it's perfect for readers interested in deep reflections on the nature of existence and the human condition.
"A brilliant philosophical reflection on the meaning of life after 50"--
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Description
There is one fundamental thing that has changed in our societies since 1950: life has got longer. Over the last few generations, 20 or 30 years have been added to the duration of our lives. But after the age of 50, human beings experience a kind of suspension: no longer young, not really old, they are, as it were, weightless. It is a reprieve that leaves life open like a swinging door.
The increase in life expectancy is a tremendous step forward that upsets everything: relations between generations, patterns of family life, the very meaning of our identity and our destiny. This reprieve is both exciting and frightening. The deadlines are getting shorter, the possibilities are shrinking, but there are still discoveries, surprises, and upsetting love affairs.
Time has become a paradoxical ally: instead of killing us, it carries us forward. What to do with this ambiguous gift? Is it only a question of living longer or living more intensely? To continue along the same path or to branch out and start again? What about remarriage, a new career? How to avoid the weariness of living, the melancholy of the twilight years, how to get through great joys and great pains?
Nourished by both reflections and statistics, drawing on the sources of literature, the arts, and history, A Brief Eternity proposes a philosophy of longevity based not on resignation but on resolution. In short, an art of living this life to the full. Is there not a profound joy in being alive at the age when our ancestors already had one foot in the grave?
This book is dedicated to all those who dream of a new spring in the autumn of life, and want to put off winter as long as they can.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
A Brief Eternity by Pascal Bruckner is praised for its insightful exploration of the existential questions arising from longer human lifespans, with a focus on the complexities and ambiguities of modern ageing. Reviewers highlight the book as a celebration of life, desire, and discovery, portraying the period after 60 as a distinct and meaningful phase of life. Bruckner's work is noted for its erudition, wit, and a joyful irony, making it both a philosophical and stimulating meditation on living middle age wisely in contemporary times.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781509544325
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 27 November 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Polity Press
Contributors:
- Translated by Steven Rendall
- Translated by Lisa Neal
- Translated by Steven Rendall
- Translated by Steven Rendall
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 221.0mm
Weight: 431g
Pages: 180
About the Author
Pascal BrucknerΒ is the best-selling author of many books includingΒ The Tyranny of Guilt,Β Perpetual EuphoriaΒ andΒ The Fanaticism of the Apocalyse.
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