View source for Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and companies behind the new anti-aging treatments by Adrian Cull

{{infobox1
|title=Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and companies behind the new anti-aging treatments
|author=Adrian Cull
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Lifestyle
|summary=So much more than a book of tips: it's also a brilliant introduction to the life-extension movement. Highly recommended.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=171
|publisher=Live Forever Publishing
|date=December 2018
|isbn=978-1999308711
|website=https://liveforever.club/page/home
|cover=1999308719
|aznuk=1999308719
|aznus=1999308719
}}

For many years now I've (half) joked that I intended to live forever and that so far, it was working out OK.  Time has passed though and although I'm a great deal fitter and healthier than most people of my age there were a few nagging health problems which were tipping my life out of balance.  It was time to look for a new approach and as so often happens, the reviewing gods brought me the book I needed.  ''Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and companies behind the new anti-ageing treatments'' seemed like the answer to my problems - only you get so much more than just 101 tips.

There's a discussion of whether we can live forever and whilst ''forever'' might seem like a big ask right now, I think there can be little doubt that much longer lives are possible in the near future and that what we should now be looking for is 'escape velocity' - curing our present problems and pushing us on until wider-ranging solutions are available.  This is obviously more attainable for younger people, but there's no reason why people of my age (I call it upper middle age) shouldn't be living more years when they are healthy.  Lifespan would obviously be of little use without a decent healthspan.

We get a good discussion on the ethics of the situation - whether or not it is reasonable to want to extend life to the figures envisaged.  Most questions are answered but I think that my problem with a more crowded world would be the lack of space.  Adrian Cull suggests that we might all just need pods by that stage, but a pleasurable life for me means access to open spaces.  Others might and almost certainly will feel differently.

Despite there being quite a bit of science in the book it's easy reading.  Cull gives a glossary which is mercifully not hidden away at the end of the book as so often happens and I found this very helpful.  He's also good at telling stories to illustrate his points: I particularly liked the way he explained outrunning death and the way that older people can become 'classics'.  The next time that someone refers to me as elderly I shall explain that I'm a classic.

I regarded the discussions on the ethics and science of the subject as introductions.  I've bookmarked various points which I'd like to read up about (and there is a suggested further reading list available), but I liked this approach.  Had it been more detailed I think I would have found it overwhelming and I would not have got as much from it.  There's a basic common sense too with suggestions such as improving your diet rather than buying expensive therapies.  I'm all for that.

Then we move on to the tips. There are star ratings for cost, ease and impact.  Once you realise that 'cost' refers to affordability rather than price it makes more sense!  You get simple background details, practical actions which you can take and additional resources which you can follow up.  The tips are divided into categories and Cull suggests that you look at the areas which particularly interest you: I read through and then went back and concentrated on the ones which I thought would help, but whichever way you do it, it's user-friendly.

I've made some changes.  Others are planned.  Do I really think I'll live forever?  No, I don't, but what I do want is to be young for as long as possible and this book can help.  I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Shelve alongside [[Keep Your Health and Fitness For Life: Don't Let Age Be A Barrier by Stuart Roberts]].  You might also appreciate [[Life 2 the Full by Raymond Floodgate]] and [[Make Yourself Immune to Heart Attack by Simon Oxford]].

You can read more about Adrian Cull [[:Category:Adrian Cull|here]].

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[[Category:Popular Science]]