On Aging, Longevity, and a Life in Journalism

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:  

For more than 40 years, John Leland has chronicled the changing texture of American life, from youth culture to the “oldest old.” A longtime reporter for The New York Times and author of the bestselling Happiness Is a Choice You Make, John returns to 45 Forward to share new insights on aging, longevity, and what it means to live a meaningful life in today’s world. In this wide-ranging conversation, John reflects on how journalism—and his own life—have evolved over the decades, offering lessons on resilience, curiosity, and the power of storytelling to shape how we view ourselves as we grow older.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

In his 40-plus years in journalism, John Leland has gone from chronicling youth culture to writing about the “oldest old.” A graduate of Columbia College, he worked as a senior editor at Newsweek and editor-in-chief of Details magazine before joining The New York Times in 2000. In 2015, he wrote a year-long series following six people age 85 and up, which became the basis for his book “Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year among the Oldest Old,” a New York Times bestseller. As he wrote in the Times, “No work I have ever done has brought me as much joy and hope, or changed my outlook on life as profoundly.” He is the author of two previous books: “Hip: The History” and “Why Kerouac Matters.”

Contact: leland@nytimes.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-leland-544b037/