An historic publishing event: the first book ever to scientifically evaluate ageing and offer the secrets to doing it successfully, from the director of the longest and most complete study of adult development in the world.

In an unprecedented series of studies, Harvard Medical School has followed 824 subjects - men and women, some rich, some poor - from their teens to old age. Harvard's George Vaillant now uses these studies - the most complete ever done anywhere in the world - and the subjects' individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age.

Dr Vaillant explains precisely why some people turn out to be more resilient than others, the complicated effects of marriage and divorce, negative personality changes, and how to live a more fulfilling, satisfying and rewarding life in the later years. He shows why a person's background has less to do with their eventual happiness than the specific lifestyle choices they make. And he offers step-by-step advice about how each of us can change our lifestyles and age successfully.

Dr Vaillant's definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better. It will receive massive attention, and with good reason: we have never seen anything like it, and what it has to tell us will make all the difference in the world.