We aspire to live in a country where old men are celebrated as vital elders but not demeaned if they become ill and dependent. We aspire to maintain health as well as maintain dignity and fulfillment in frailty. Old Man Country helps readers see and imagine these possibilities for themselves. The book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom, as he encounters twelve distinguished American men over 80 -- including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world's most famous heart surgeon. In these and other intimate conversations, the book explores and honors the particular way that each man faces four challenges of living a good old age: Am I still a man? Do I still matter? What is the meaning of my life? Am I loved? Readers will come to see how each man -- even the most famous -- faces universal challenges. Personal stories about work, love, sexuality, and hope mingle with stories about illness, loss and death. This book will strengthen each of us as we and our loved ones anticipate and navigate our way through the passages of old age.

Chapter One: What My Fathers Couldn't FindChapter Two: Setting Out on Life's JourneyPART ONE: AM I STILL A MAN?Chapter Three: George Vaillant and American ManhoodChapter Four: Red Duke, the Cowboy SurgeonChapter Five: Sherwin Nuland: The Old Man Who Was Young and StrongPART TWO: DO I STILL MATTER?Chapter Six: The Moral World of Paul VolckerChapter Seven: Denton Cooley and the Legacy of 100,000 HeartsChapter Eight: John Harper Gets by with a little Help from his FriendsPART THREE: WHAT IS THE MEANING OF MY LIFE?Chapter Nine: Hugh Downs: TV Broadcaster as Modern Day CiceroChapter Ten: Sam Karff and the Power of StoriesChapter Eleven: James Forbes: Old Man by the RiversidePART FOUR: AM I LOVED?Chapter Twelve: Dan Callahan: Love in the Old Age of EthicsChapter Thirteen: Walter Wink: Nonviolent Resistance and DementiaChapter Fourteen: Ram Dass and MeINTERLUDE: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?Chapter Fifteen: Gleanings for the Path AheadReferences