{"id":11172,"date":"2018-01-22T20:19:58","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T00:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chimeraobscura.com\/vm\/?p=11172"},"modified":"2018-01-22T20:19:58","modified_gmt":"2018-01-23T00:19:58","slug":"episode-253-john-leland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/chimeraobscura.com\/vm\/episode-253-john-leland","title":{"rendered":"Episode 253 – John Leland"},"content":{"rendered":"

Virtual Memories Show 253:
\nJohn Leland<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/virtualmemories\/Episode_253_-_John_Leland.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>

Podcast: Play in new window<\/a> | Download<\/a><\/p>

Subscribe: Spotify<\/a> | TuneIn<\/a> | RSS<\/a> | More<\/a><\/p>\n

“The wisdom of old age is something living with us right now.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>New York Times<\/em> reporter John Leland<\/a> joins the show to talk about his new book, Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old<\/a>. We get into his year-long project of profiling 6 people aged 85+, how it blew up his preconceptions about old age and became an elderly version of The Real World<\/em>, and what it taught him about living in the here and now. We also get into his history in journalism, his interest in The Beats, what it was like to arrive in NYC in 1977, the time he trained at a pro wrestling school, his decision to write a book treating On The Road<\/em> as if it was a self-help book, which New York Times building he prefers, our shared love of David Gates’ fiction, and more! Give it a listen!<\/a> And go buy Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old<\/a>\"\"!<\/p>\n

“As I neared the end of profiling these six people, I started to suffer separation anxiety. I’d gotten to know them, I’d gotten involved in their lives. I’d gone with them to jazz clubs, and to the podiatrist.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n