80: From Ben Bradlee to Lena Horne to Carl Reiner, Our Most Famous Eighty Year Olds, Reveal Why They Never Felt So Young
Eighty of Americaís most famous 80 year olds reflect on their journeys to the big 8-0 and describe the passions that keep them young. These luminous and famous octogenarians seize the moment to reveal the secrets of longevity andshare what is great about being 80, what is wrong with the young, what is wrong with the administration, what their days are like today, and what their lives were like in their prime. All were eager, from Mike Wallace and Lena Horne to George McGovern and Helen Thomas, to share their insights.Studs Terkel, 94, has broken his neck, had heart surgery at 93 and claims, ìI should be dead, but Iím not for some reason or another.î What reason might that be? ìFirst of all, I like being a troublemaker.íîLena Horne, 89, remains as politically engaged as ever: ìWell, Iím old and Iím still angry. And if there is a ëlionessí inside itís because not everybody had a grandmother like mine.îMaria Tallchief, 81, former prima ballerina maintains the same routine:ìI wake up in the morning and I do my pilates exercises. I still do my splits at my bedside before I say my prayers.îNo one spent much time talking about his or her health. One exception was comedy writer Bob Schiller who reported that his short-term memory was poor but his long-term memory was good.ìBut I may have that backward,î he added.ìI donít know if I told you that.îGerald Gardner is the author of numerous books on politics and film, including the bestselling series Whoís In Charge Here?Jim Bellows is the former editor of the New York Herald Tribune, the Washington Star and Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, managing editor of Entertainment Tonight and creator of New York magazine.