Extra Life

A Short History of Living Longer

By: Steven Johnson

Narrated by: Steven Johnson

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

“Offers a useful reminder of the role of modern science in fundamentally transforming all of our lives.” (President Barack Obama, on Twitter)

“An important book.” (Steven Pinker, The New York Times Book Review)

The surprising and important story of how humans gained what amounts to an extra life, from the best-selling author of How We Got to Now and Where Good Ideas Come From

In 1920, at the end of the last major pandemic, global life expectancy was just over 40 years. Today, in many parts of the world, human beings can expect to live more than 80 years. As a species, we have doubled our life expectancy in just one century. There are few measures of human progress more astonishing than this increased longevity.

Extra Life is Steven Johnson’s attempt to understand where that progress came from, telling the epic story of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. How many of those extra years came from vaccines, or the decrease in famines, or seatbelts? What are the forces that now keep us alive longer? Behind each breakthrough lies an inspiring story of cooperative innovation, of brilliant thinkers bolstered by strong systems of public support and collaborative networks, and of dedicated activists fighting for meaningful reform.

But for all its focus on positive change, this book is also a reminder that meaningful gaps in life expectancy still exist, and that new threats loom on the horizon, as the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear. How do we avoid decreases in life expectancy as our public health systems face unprecedented challenges? What current technologies or interventions that could reduce the impact of future crises are we somehow ignoring?

A study in how meaningful change happens in society, Extra Life celebrates the enduring power of common goals and public resources, and the heroes of public health and medicine too often ignored in popular accounts of our history. This is the sweeping story of a revolution with immense public and personal consequences: the doubling of the human life span.

©2020 Steven Johnson (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A surprising look at why humans are living longer.... Entertaining, wide-ranging, and - in light of COVID-19 - particularly timely.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Fascinating.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“To call this timely would be something of an understatement.” (The Toronto Star)

A Extra Life for every reader

Just reading this book will not only add to your knowledge base but will make your extra life more meaning full.

Fascinating but somehow grim?

This book traces the biggest advances in extending human life, especially in decreasing infant mortality, in public health, medicine and technology. But somehow he’s still pessimistic..?

A terrific book with lots of stuff I never knew

Johnson has done a wonderful job of telling why life expectancy as doubled since the mid 1830's. start with an English aristocrat who was based in Istanbul and learned the rest of the world had already discovered a cure for smallpox, which was then refined to the point that smallpox, once one of the major killers of mankind, has now been eradicated worldwide. Many other interesting stories, including the development of statistical methods that ended a cholera epidemic in London when traced back to a single well. Every chapter has dozens of stories I never heard before. And Johnson, unlike some other authors who insist on reading their own books, is a terrific story teller. Highly recommended.

A different perspective on our health

This book does an excellent job explaining the gradual progress towards a longer lifespan. Progress is so much more than a few great discoveries as you will see if you read this book.

Great

Great book very informative I really learned a lot thank you for the great research

Great book espeally for today

A hopeful dystopian story that offers many odeas on how to solve todays problemz - Climate change, Russia, energy, erc, etc, etc.

Must Read

Clear and concise. The juxtaposition of true heroes is well-stated. Alas, we are humans.

Couldn't get enough!

This book made me seek out a grad certificate in public health. I literally couldn't get enough of it. THANK YOU, Steven Johnson for spotlighting this subject matter!!!

Great book, but his personal opinion got in the way some

It was a great book, but he was very determined to make sure you knew his views on population and it’s effects on climate change. He seems to think that the more people there are the worst it’s going to be for the planet. And that if we didn’t have as many people then our lifestyle would be just fine. Instead of what we are doing is making climate change happen and that our switch to renewable energy will allow our population to grow without fear of destroying the earth in the process. Anyways, this book was supposed to be about what has happened not about his opinion on what will happen. But the history part of the book was fantastic, his prediction part wasn’t.

Profoundly interesting

I enjoyed this book. It held my interest with almost every word. A good read for the curious. There’s much to be learned about how far we’ve come in curing disease and possibly where we’re going. Fascinating stories and history I didn’t know. Highly recommended