The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man | 
panOkay, how do I put this delicately? I would much rather have had a) the story of this man's life written by someone else and b) a pamphlet consolidating Charlie's direct wisdom and any reasonable distillation of his life experience as teachings, because I'm pretty sure that's all the space that's actually required. 1/?
pickCharlie White passed away on his 109th birthday in 2014. The author was neighbor and friend to this centurion and was regaled with 100 years of memories. I loved reading this but realize I‘m biased because there is many a Kansas City reference here. Also, my grandfather was a medical doctor (wish I knew his professional story better now) in the same era as Charlie so I found his description of pre vs post WWII doctoring fascinating.
pickI really enjoyed The book of Charlie. I believe Charlie enjoyed life even when things weren‘t perfect. He figured out how to be successful in life after the untimely and tragic death of his father. He seemed to find ways to work for his goals. I almost felt as if I knew Charlie by the end of his life. If you‘re looking for a very good true story of a remarkable man, you won‘t be disappointed. 4.5/5
pickI enjoyed this look at a long life well lived. There was a bit philosophy, a bit of adventure, and an attempt by the author to distill wisdom from this life to pass down to his own children.
pickWritten by a journalist, this is the story of Dr. Charlie White, born in 1905 who lived to be 109! Charlie's life was filled with heartbreak, resilience, optimism and in his words, luck. Such an interesting read that reflects on all the changes that occurred over such a long lifespan.
pickDavid von Drehle moved to Kansas and found that his neighbor across the street was over 100 years years old. He starts to get to know Charlie, his family, and his remarkable life story. Charlie's life is one that mirrors the growth of the this country. The loss of his father, the Depression, the advent of the automobile, wars and his own medical education. His life and loves are chronicled in a way that allows the reader to chart history.
I‘m sharing this book I received in the mail today. This book is from Simon & Schuster. This book sounds interesting. I‘m looking forward to reading it.
On Sale: May 23, 2023 (That‘s today‘s date.)
#bookmail #happypublicationday
Despite championing Stoicism, the author doesn't wander too far into the 'rugged individualism' that has toxified modern American society, but I fear that interpretation is up for grabs among a biased readership.
The premise of writing a book to aid your kids in navigating the future based on how a man in the past navigated big changes hasmerit (edited) 1w
Among the many tales of being a doctor in the earlier years of the twentieth century, the intern stories are appalling, while the realities of medical breakthroughs quickly falling to the wayside, leading to an understanding of IID, Iterative Incremental Development as a way to approach change seems valuable. The part where Charlie seemed to council on the side of 1w
I think if you're looking for general life wisdom, there are better sources. I think if you're looking for the story of a spectacular life lived across a recent swath of history, you should be prepared for a bunch of distressing moments, and to feel ambiguous about the subject at the end of it. 1w