Lighter as we go: virtues, character strengths, and aging

Introduction

Part I. Character, character strength, and continuity over time: 1. The oak tree and the U-bend: Age, well-being, and the experience of me'ness

2. A look at the grownup years: early, middle, and later adulthood

3. Character strengths and virtues

4. Older age in the olden days: A brief history of aging in the western world

Part II. The virtues. 5. The virtue of transcendence: Beyond the self

6. The underappreciated virtue of humor: You can't spell joy without the oy

7. The virtues of humanity and social justice: Do unto others

8. The virtue of courage: If I only had the nerve

9. The virtue of wisdom: Knowing what we don't know

10. The virtue of temperance: Moderation in all things (almost)

11. The virtue of passing on to the next generation: The bridge between past and future

Part III. Putting the virtues to work: 12. When older doesn't feel lighter: Loneliness and social isolation

13. The virtue of appreciating the cycle of life in elders

Appendix: Vintage readers book club readings.