Short History of Eternal Life : A Mortal's Guide to Immortality

Being Mortal meets Four Thousand Weeks in this exploration of the human pursuit of immortality that asks what our fear of death might have to teach us-and what we might gain by embracing it.

Humans have been seeking a cure for death since time immemorial. From the quest for the fountain of youth to cutting-edge longevity treatments, we have long sought a way to reverse time and stave off the inevitable.

In A Short History of Eternal Life, Finnish writer and biologist Tiina Raevaara traverses history, art, and science to explore humans' preoccupation with immortality. Flitting from vampires, stem cells, and Star Trek, to crossfit, cryogenics, and transhumanism, Raevaara guides readers through centuries of culture and scientific advancement with clear prose and a critical eye.

As Raevaara explores our collective anxieties and works to come to terms with her own mortality, she puts forth a radical proposal: perhaps the key to a life well-lived is not extending its limits, but acknowledging that, in time, it will come to an end. If we accept that our time on Earth is limited, each second becomes that much more valuable and beautiful. Mortality and meaning, Raevaara argues, are innately intertwined.

Combining the practical philosophy of Four Thousand Weeks with the sharp scientific curiosity of Lifespan, A Short History of Eternal Life is a peripatetic investigation of humans' age-old quest to vanquish death--and what we might gain when we stop trying.