Rating: 
Summary: She's captured the "real" Anna Wilmot!
Review: When I met Neenah must have been the morning after she had camped under Anna's window. I too was awake early the August morning, waiting for Anna to come home from her morning row. It was the day after one of her many birthday parties, and I wanted to tell her how nice she looked on the tv. I hopped on my boat just as Anna was nearing the shore and cruised my way over there before she started up her hill.
Anna introduced me to Neenah, saying that Neenah was going to share my dear Anna with the rest of the world. And after reading this book, I'm here to tell you that Neenah has truly captured the real Anna.
I'll admit I originally only bought this book to read about my friend, but I found myself drawn to all of the Centenarians and the stories they had to share. In the mean time I learned things about Anna that I never knew. I never knew Anna's husband Fred. He had died before I was born! Anna was my favorite babysitter (when she was 70 something, and I was in grade school).
She is still in fine health all though her hearing is going and her knees are bad. She often calls me up to find out how my love life is going. Anna has promised to dance at my wedding, and I'm going to hold her to that. But she has told me that she's getting tired so I better get to it!!!And just remember this....
Don't eat the fish!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Concept/Author Fell Short
Review: When I saw the title of the book I was very excited. The whole concept of the book was so appealing that I could hardly wait to get started. After reading the first chapter the excitement faded. The concept of recording the views and experiences of centenarians is wonderful and worth the 3 stars that I give this book, however the author missed a great opportunity to really explore the ideas and views of this very small group of our population. Her lack of patience and willingness to give the time to allow these people to communicate and record thier life experiences is sad. As a reader I felt very cheated that she did not fulfill her obligation she gave in the title of the book. Who should really feel cheated is the centenarians who gave up precious time to an author who valued her own time more. She writes on more than one occasion that the time she spends with some of these people is wasted time. She doesn't really elaborate on things that myself as a reader really care about. For example what do you think about the world today and where it is headed. What is the secret to being married 50 plus years? What advice do you have for teenagers, baby boomers, women, men, etc? What is the most positive change in the world in your lifetime? What is the most negative change in the world in your lifetime? These are just a few examples the questions I would have liked answered. All we can hope for is that a more UNSELFISH author will take this idea and run with it.
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