A Four Part Series from TTBOOK!

Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

AGING: DYING YOUNG AS LATE AS POSSIBLE

Program 10-02-21-A

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Henry Alford believes that old people are wise. And to prove it, he interviewed many people over the age of seventy, including Phyllis Diller, Harold Bloom and a retired aerospace engineer who eats food out of the garbage. The result is Alford's new book, "How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still On this Earth)." In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Henry Alford shares the age-old wisdom he received. Also, David Greenberger and the art he creates out of his conversations with older people.

SEGMENT 1:

David Greenberger transforms the words of elderly people in his series of "Duplex Planet" zines, comic books, spoken-word performances and radio plays. The latest is a CD called "Cherry Picking Apple Blossom Time" which features music by singer/songwriter Paul Cebar and focuses on artistic ideas about memory loss developed during a three month residency Greenberger spent at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee's Center on Age and Community. Greenberger talks with Steve Paulson about the CD and the people who helped him make it. Also, Henry Alford is the author of "How To Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth.) He talks with Anne Strainchamps.

SEGMENT 2:

Greg Critser is a veteran science and medical journalist. He's the author of three critically acclaimed books, most recently, "Eternity Soup: Inside the Quest to End Aging." He tells Jim Fleming about the scientific progress against aging and the several varieties of snake oil you can buy trying to stay young forever.

SEGMENT 3:

Meghan O'Rourke wonders if there's a better way to be bereaved in an essay called "Good Grief" which recently appeared in the New Yorker. She's also working on a book about grief for Spring 2011. O'Rourke is the culture critic for "Slate" and a poetry editor of "The Paris Review." Meghan, whose mother died in December 2008, talks with Jim Fleming, whose father died in January 2010. The poem Jim refers to is "The Dead" by Billy Collins, from his collection "Sailing Alone Around the Room."

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 10-02-21-A.

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Books & CDs:

Henry Alford, How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth) (Twelve)
Greg Critser, Eternity Soup: Inside the Quest to End Aging (Harmony Books)
David Greenberger, Paul Cebar, Cherry Picking Apple Blossom Time (CD)

Websites:

• -- David Greenberger
  http://duplexplanet.com/store/CherryPicking.html
  http://duplexplanet.com/giftshop/cds.html
  http://www.duplexplanet.com/
  
• -- Paul Cebar
  http://www.paulcebar.com/
  
• -- Henry Alford
  http://henryalford.com/
  http://www.twelvebooks.com/books/how_to_live.asp
  
• -- Greg Critser
  http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780307407900.html
  http://www.scientificblogging.com/profile/greg_critser
• -- Meghan O'Rourke New Yorker article
  http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/02/01/100201crat_atlarge_orourke
  

Music:

• -- Music heard in David Greenberger/"Cherry Picking Apple Blossom Time" Mix:
  
• -- "The Limits of Dreaming"/David Greenberger, with music by Paul Cebar
  
• -- "A King in Milwaukee, Part 1"/David Greenberger, with music by Paul Cebar
  
• -- "No Rooms Here"/David Greenberger, with music by Paul Cebar All from the CD, "Cherry Picking Apple Blossom Time"/David Greenberger, with music by Paul Cebar (PelPel Recordings) http://duplexplanet.com/store/CherryPicking.html
  http://duplexplanet.com/giftshop/cds.html
  
• -- Music heard after David Greenberger interview:
  
• -- "Things Were Going So Well"/Mychael Danna & Rob Simonsen from the CD, "Score from the Motion Picture (500) Days Of Summer" (Sire) http://www.500daysmusic.com/
  
• -- Music heard after Henry Alford interview:
  
• -- "Morning"/Mark Adler
  from the CD, "Focus - Original Score" (Milan Records/BMG Entertainment) http://www.milanrecords.com/home/home.php
  
• -- Music heard after Greg Critser interview:
  
• -- "Sunday Gardena Blvd."/Money Mark
  from the CD, "Mark's Keyboard Repair" (MoWax Records/A&M)
  
• -- Music heard after Meghan O'Rourke interview:
  
• -- "Life and Death"/Michael Giacchino
  from the CD, "Lost: Original Television Soundrack" (Varese Sarabande)
  http://www.varesesarabande.com/details.asp?pid=302-066-721-2
  http://www.varesesarabande.com/

Distribution dates: week of 02/27/2011 - hour 1 week of 02/21/2010 - hour 1 click HERE for timings and cues

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