30 Lessons for Living: Unconventional Wisdom    by Karl Pillemer Order:  USA  Can Hudson Street Press, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Carrol Wolverton We've had the greatest generation, and now we have the wisest generation. Only it's not one specific decade, group, or time. It's our elder society, and every generation has one. 30 Lessons for Living is written by a sociologist who steps away from academia to write this book. It's full of wisdom shared from experience. By interviewing hundreds of elders, Pillemer and his assistants collected a list of recommendations for all of us. One lesson tells us is that people truly happy with their lives figure out a way to work for themselves. Autonomy is paramount to a sense of fulfillment. Intrinsic rewards outweigh financial ones. Working for the man does not. Pick your life partner with utmost care, he says. You must think alike to survive and thrive, and friendship is as important as love. Emotional intelligence trumps all other kinds. Happiness is what you create, not based on other's ideas. Not all those interviewed made the right decisions, but old age makes them willing to honestly talk about those decisions. Listen up, here, and you will find valuable lessons in life for all of us, regardless of age. It is, indeed, later than you think. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews