The Music of Eighty: Learning in Old Age

Kitty Burns Florey is the author of 15 novels and two works of nonfiction. Despite "late-onset writer's block," she was inspired to write one more book when she began learning to play the viola da gamba, a string instrument that dates back to the 15th century.

Part memoir, part how-to guide, part meditation on aging and time, THE MUSIC OF EIGHTY: LEARNING IN OLD AGE is a charming and (mostly) light-hearted look at music, memory, cemeteries, friendship, writing, cats, dogs, the upside of downsizing, the downside of technology-and much more.

As Florey writes in the introduction, "Spoiler alert: in my 80s, I am not a fast learner." Confessing that playing the gamba is probably the hardest thing she's ever done, she gamely traces her progress (modest), her enjoyment of the challenge (major), and her insights into what it means to tackle something new in later life-and to persevere no matter what.