Seven Decades

”[An] insightful excursion into the biology, economics, anthropology, and sociology of aging. The book examines a topic of ever-greater import to our society and is a worthy read for scientists and those entering their later decades.”—Michael A. Goldman, Science“Building off his and others’ work with today’s subsistence communities, Gurven makes the compelling case that while the typical lifespan of the average person today has greatly expanded and our health has generally improved, there’s nothing particularly new about human longevity itself.”—Ed Cara, Gizmodo“Why did we evolve to live so long? This is where Gurven’s rich and readable book really hits its stride.”—Stephen Cave, Financial Times

Michael D. Gurven is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work has been featured in the New York Times and on NPR and the BBC.