Mo Rocca, author of "Roctogenarians" in conversation with Lois Reitzes
First Baptist Church of Decatur
A Cappella:
From beloved "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent Mo Rocca, author of New York Times bestseller "Mobituaries," comes an inspiring collection of stories that celebrates the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life.
WABE, Georgia Center for the Book, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, and A Cappella Books proudly welcome the author to the First Baptist Church of Decatur in honor of his latest book, 鈥淩octogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs.鈥� Rocca will appear in conversation with Lois Reitzes, host of WABE's "City Lights."
Ticket options are as follows:
-Free admission (does not include a copy of the book); or
-Admit one for $32 (includes a signed copy of 鈥淩octogenarians鈥� which you will receive at the venue.)
Please note: Although tickets are non-refundable, if you cannot attend, your ticket still entitles you to a signed copy of the book. A Cappella Books will hold your book for one month from the event date. You may pick it up in-store or call us to request shipping.
About the Book
Eighty has been the new sixty for about twenty years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for social security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca and coauthor Jonathan Greenberg introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering鈥攂reaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records鈥攁nd in the case of one ninety-year tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!)
In the vein of "Mobituaries," "Roctogenarians" is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans鈥攕ome long gone (a cancer-stricken Henri Matisse, who began work on his celebrated cut-outs when he could no longer paint), some very much still living (Rita Moreno, the EGOT who鈥檚 still got it). The amazing cast of characters also includes Mary Church Terrell, who at eighty-six helped lead sit-ins at segregated Washington, DC, lunch counters in the 1950s, and Carol Channing, who married the love of her life at eighty-two. Then there鈥檚 Peter Mark Roget, who began working on his thesaurus in his twenties and completed it at seventy-three (because sometimes finding the right word takes time.)
With passion and wonder Rocca and Greenberg recount the stories of yesterday鈥檚 and today鈥檚 strongest finishers. Because with all due respect to the Golden Girls, some people will never be content sitting out on the lanai. (PS Actress Estelle Getty was sixty-two when she got her big break. And yes, she鈥檚 in the book.)
About the Authors
Mo Rocca is a correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning," host of the hit "Mobituaries" podcast, and host of "The Henry Ford鈥檚 Innovation Nation." He鈥檚 also a frequent panelist on NPR鈥檚 hit weekly quiz show "Wait Wait鈥on鈥檛 Tell Me!" and host and creator of Cooking Channel鈥檚 "My Grandmother鈥檚 Ravioli". Rocca is coauthor of the New York Times bestselling "Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving" and author of "All the Presidents鈥� Pets: The Story of One Reporter Who Refused to Roll Over."
Jonathan Greenberg is a professor of English at Montclair State University and the author of two books of literary criticism along with many articles and essays. He is also an Emmy Award鈥搘inning screenwriter who has written for children鈥檚 shows including "Rugrats," "Hey Arnold!," and "Arthur." He is the coauthor of "Mobituaries."
About the Conversation Partner
Lois Reitzes is an Atlanta NPR radio show host, best known for her work on WABE FM 90.1's "City Lights with Lois Reitzes" and "Second Cup Concert." She has been a host with WABE since 1979, making her the longest-running voice in Atlanta radio.
Doors open at 6:30pm.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.