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Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality Audiobook
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(3.01) - 342 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
“[A] searching and surprisingly witty look at the scientific odds against tomorrow.”
—Timothy Ferris
Jonathan Weiner—winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and one of the most distinguished popular science writers in America—examines “the strange science of immortality” in Long for This World. A fast-paced, sure-to-astonish scientific adventure from “one of our finest science journalists” (Jonah Lehrer), Weiner’s Long for This World addresses the ageless question, “Is there a secret to eternal youth?” And has it, at long last, been found?
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"Jonathan Weiner has written a work that illuminates the current research and progress of the science of immortality. I was hoping for a bit more of the actual "gritty" research findngs, but consider the elegant prose and literary stylings to be close to an even exchange. This book makes the reader strongly ponder what exactly it is to be a mortal human, and if the option presented itself, would we be better off as immortals? Overall, this was a wonderfully written unbiased piece of work that touches on a lesser known branch of science. Some might argue that it is more style than substance, but I think that people interested in thought provoking works will greatly enjoy this book."
— Lee (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Brilliant!”
— Oliver Sacks, New York Times bestselling author -
“A great trip…Weiner writes engagingly [and] explores the fractured, fuzzy science and pseudoscience of immortality.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“A brilliant and improbably funny look inside the mind-bending science of immortality.”
— Village Voice -
“The promise of eternal youth is both tantalizingly close and far-fetched in this fascinating primer on longevity research…An engrossing tour of cutting-edge research…Weiner’s erudite, elegant exposition of the underlying science is stimulating yet sobering.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Awards
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One of the 2010 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Nonfiction
Long for This World Listener Reviews
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" This book is not nearly as interesting as it should be. "
— Matt, 2/3/2014 -
" More important than how it is written is that the fact that this books explores a topic we tend not to think about: what if aging, as any illness, was something we could "cure?" If nothing else, the thought of being 500 is fascinating - or so I thought. "
— Ron, 1/24/2014 -
" A well rounded overview of gerontology and aging related subjects nowadays, even touching on ethical issues. Author seems to have remained mostly neutral; I find myself on the side of Aubrey David Nicholas Jasper de Grey - but with a name like that, who wouldn't be? "
— Thom, 1/13/2014 -
" I just never really got into this book... "
— David, 12/31/2013 -
" Loved it. Entertaining and informative all at once. What more can you ask for from science nonfiction? It really made me think about immortality, from the prospectives of science, sociology and philosophy, all at once. "
— Keith, 12/21/2013 -
" Chronicles the quest for eliminating aging as a cause of death. One must still take care not to die from accidents, disease, war, etc. "
— Betty, 6/23/2013 -
" Really interesting exploration of the biology of aging and decline. I felt the exploration of the social/cultural issues surrounding mortality and the wish for immortality could have been condensed a bit. "
— Amy, 11/30/2012 -
" I didn't finish this book because I didn't like the author's writing style. He jumped from Bacon's writings on immortality to the drunken musings of a scientist in a pub in the space of a paragraph. I read about 100 pages before I gave up. "
— Tammy, 9/2/2012 -
" Difficult to read and understand all the technical terminology. I found Audrey's views far too stretched. "
— Vedatfinz, 8/24/2012 -
" So well written but about much more than the science of longevity research, this book delves into the quest itself, with stories going back thousands of years. "
— Jason, 4/18/2012 -
" Nonfiction book discussion title December 2011. "
— DiAnne, 4/26/2011 -
" So well written but about much more than the science of longevity research, this book delves into the quest itself, with stories going back thousands of years. "
— Jason, 3/2/2011 -
" I've followed the field of gerontology for quite a while. This book does a great job of wrapping all of the facts, theories, and therapies into one tome. <br/>Very readable and keeps the science in layman's terms. "
— Kier, 2/27/2011 -
" if your interested in the steps of deth is cells this is an amazing book covering every aspect of celluar interaction. No secrets here just good plain old science I enjoyed it alot. "
— Tom, 2/2/2011 -
" I tried many times to read this, but after about 6 tries and only getting to page 50, I finally gave up. It was just too boring and didn't engage me at all. "
— Lauren, 1/21/2011 -
" More important than how it is written is that the fact that this books explores a topic we tend not to think about: what if aging, as any illness, was something we could "cure?" If nothing else, the thought of being 500 is fascinating - or so I thought. "
— Ron, 12/26/2010 -
" There is some interesting information in here, but too much of the book describes Aubrey DeGray (sp?), an eccentric gerontologist. Okay, the guy has a long beard, and likes to drink a lot. Now WHAT ABOUT THE SCIENCE?! "
— Erk1024, 12/3/2010 -
" I just never really got into this book... "
— David, 11/29/2010
About Jonathan Weiner
Jonathan Weiner is one of the most distinguished popular-science writers in the country: his books have won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times magazine, and Scientific American, and his books include Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality; The Beak of the Finch; Time, Love, Memory; and His Brother’s Keeper. A natural storyteller, he is an intrepid reporter with a gift for making cutting-edge science understandable.
About Jim Meskimen
Jim Meskimen is a stage, film, and television actor who has appeared in many well-known movies and television shows. He acted in Apollo 13 and Frost/Nixon for director Ron Howard, both of which were nominated for Best Picture Oscars. His television appearances include The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Friends, Lie to Me, Criminal Minds, and Parks and Recreation. He is also a painter, award-winning audiobook narrator, and audiobook director for Galaxy Audio.