One of our nationâs most prominent writers discovers the truth about how to live a long and happy life from the centenarian next door in this âoriginal and highly readable account of a splendid American lifeâ (The Wall Street Journal).
When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendshipâand a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlieâs sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the Amazon as a guest of Peruâs president.
David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlieâs resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change. As a gift to his children, he set out to tell Charlieâs secrets. The Book of Charlie is a âgenuinely original, formula-shatteringâ (Bob Woodward) gospel of gritâthe inspiring story of one manâs journey through a century of upheaval. The history that unfolds through Charlieâs story reminds you that the United States has always been a divided nation, a questing nationâa nation of Charlies in the rollercoaster pursuit of a good and meaningful life.