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On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old
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Book Overview
From beloved and bestselling author Parker J. Palmer (Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, Healing the Heart of Democracy), comes a beautiful book of reflections on what we can learn as we move closer to the brink of everything.
Drawing on eight decades of life -- and his career as a writer, teacher, and activist -- Palmer explores the questions age raises and the promises it holds. Old, he writes, is just another word for nothing left to lose, a time to dive deep into life, not withdraw to the shallows. But this book is not for elders only. It was written to encourage adults of all ages to explore the way their lives are unfolding. It's not a how-to-do-it book on aging, but a set of meditations in prose and poetry that turn the prism on the meaning(s) of one's life, refracting new light at every turn. From beginning to end, the book is laced with humor as well as gravitas -- beautifully enhanced by three free downloadable songs from the gifted singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer, written in response to themes in the book.
Frequently Asked Questions About On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old
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How long does it take to read On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old?
It takes about 3 Hours and 23 minutes on average for a reader to read On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old. This is based on the average reading speed of 250 Words per minute.
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The recommended reading level for On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old is College Freshman and Up .
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How long is On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old?
On The Brink Of Everything: Grace, Gravity, And Getting Old is 168 pages long.
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Book Reviews (15)
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I appreciate the wisdom of this book. It is very relevant to me.
Derived From Web , Aug 6, 2020
The first time I opened it, an entire section fell out of my book! Hence, the lower rating than five.
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on aging
Derived From Web , Mar 4, 2020
The commentary on the 45th president is spot-on from a political viewpoint and not a moral and ethical viewpoint. The lack of morality in the current administration forces America to lose its soul.
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Recommended to buy:
Yes
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Author is worth the effort.
Derived From Web , Dec 1, 2019
Prompt - Service was excellent. I have not yet read the book, but I expect to find it excellent and thought provoking. This is an author who is worth devoting several hours in reading.
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Kindle version has no page or location numbers
Derived From Web , May 15, 2019
Since the printed version has no page numbers and the Kindle version lacks location numbers, reading passages together is difficult unless all readers use the same format.
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Why?
Derived From Web , Mar 15, 2019
Although there are some valuable insights here, I really don 't see the purpose of this rambling book.
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Being Centered While On the Brink of Everything
Derived From Web , Feb 25, 2019
Thank you Parker for the message, it is always wonderful to be in touch with you. In fact, whether vicariously through your writing like On the Brink I 'd Everything OR just good old fashioned '' dialogue on Facebook or even in person, it has been a blessing to share journeys! Please know that these journeys often intersect with undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Mary, with whom I learn and teach. When sharing your writings, students often comment on how connected they feel, especially when considering how to navigate a world so noisy and distracting. There is no doubt that while perched on the Brink of Everything, your recent work helps us all center at this Christian, Catholic, Benedictine University!
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A disappointing read
Derived From Web , Nov 14, 2018
I benefited greatly from Parker Palmer's. He has been one of my paper mentors. I felt marginalized by Palmer as he ranted about his anger associated with the last election. Mind you, I didn 't vote for Trump, but to have to read all Palmer's opinion on the guy left me irritated that I had to pay “to listen â€.
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Not as advertised
Derived From Web , Oct 21, 2018
This book promises to be an informative and useful perspective of moving gracefully into the later years of life. However, it is fatally flawed by three defects. The first is that it is written with the assumption that retirement will be buoyed by an income that allows activities beyond essential needs and that the retiree is in excellent health. Second, this book is not nearly as precisely written and carefully focused as previous Palmer books. There is way too much personal detail about things that I suspect most readers won 't find interesting. Lastly, and most important, the second half of the book is focused on Palmer's personal political perspectives, which add nothing to the book while straying from the theme and muddling the original message.
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Aging and living
Derived From Web , Jul 18, 2018
The book discusses aging, yes. It helps to align the thinking with a value. This book is a light in a culture filled with self-absorbed soon and fear. It is full of hope and direction. I use it to communicate with others.
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Yes
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An unself-conscious spiritual summing up in the author's elder years.
Derived From Web , Jul 16, 2018
The key characteristics of this book that lead me to award it a high rating are that it builds on the lifetime experience of a man who is nearly 80 and has served as a teacher, community organizer, founder of a non-profit organization and writer and lecturer. He has a wide range of experience and has learned a lot from it. While the book confronts squarely the challenges associated with aging and coming to terms with mortality, it does so with good humor and compassion for the human struggle, both personal and communal. Though I am much younger than the author and have found a different outer path in life, I found his insights relevant to me and, I think, people of many ages who feel universal, not age-bound. The book has the courage to admit the current political situation and the author has the courage to confront his own complicity as a citizen. I recommend this book highly to people who want to explore such things.
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