In the preface to “Time’s Bounty: Rethinking Aging,” Philip Weinstein addresses a lifelong imbalance. A literature professor for more than 40 years, he has written previous books (nine in all) “as a scholar, and for other scholars” and “worked hard to keep my writing clear of my own experience.” After retiring and moving from an academic community to Aquinnah, Weinstein found himself part of a new cohort, sharing space “in the boat of life itself, as it moves through the turbulent last chapters.” (Interesting that his nautical metaphor leads to a literary one.) His new status triggered his curiosity: “What unexpected harvest has the passage of time brought forth? At 84, it is time to take the measure.”
Rest assured, this is no litany of the physical challenges we face in old age, neither organ recital nor joint declaration. Far from a cliché-ridden guide to aging, it is an invitation to examine and appreciate our new vantage.
“The Mother of Beauty,” the first of the book’s five sections, focuses on the possibilities of old age, the newfound freedom to pursue interests we only now have the time for. The payoff, the beauty, is insights and discoveries that were unimaginable when we were younger. Weinstein also looks into the script we follow at memorial services, where we avoid mentioning the flaws of the deceased, the flaws that make people more human, more interesting. His conclusion: “Our love brings them back to life — this time on our terms.”
The second chapter, “Less,” might have also been called “Loss.” First, the literal losses: We sleep less, we’ve lost physical stature, we’re noticed less, and we have less time left to us — what a deal! This in contrast to our distinctive cultural devotion to more and better — and that more is better. But wait –– does the accumulation of unimaginable and unrelatable wealth buy Sam Walton or Jeff Bezos more time on Earth? Even for them, as for the rest of us as we dwindle, loss is inevitable. Though the big rich can memorialize themselves via foundations and universities, there’s no escaping the fate they share with the most humble of us: the loss of life.
Before it’s all over, while we are still experiencing old age, we find that there are fewer distractions, fewer demands on us. We are open to more — new interests, new perspectives –– which Weinstein addresses in the book’s next section, “Dormancy.”
As Weinstein is the author of several books on William Faulkner, it’s no surprise that he would turn to “Go Down, Moses.” Here, the belated revelation of long-ago incest and rape explains present behavior, but only after removal of the cloak that kept earlier actions hidden. According to Weinstein, “One of the central dramas of our life … is coming to understand later what was really going on earlier.” With time on our hands, we also have “our best chance of figuring out who we were — and are.”
After being skirted up to now, death is at the center of the chapter “The Thing Itself.” Citing Shakespeare, Beckett, and Proust, among others, Weinstein reminds us of the prominence of death in literature. Also in music, art, philosophy, and religion, and no less in the dreams and fantasies of the rest of us mortals. Considering death is a gift when it sparks the imagination and fuels curiosity. As Weinstein puts it, “Destined to remove all breath, it breathes life into our creative endeavors.”
The ultimate chapter in “Time’s Bounty” is called “Free,” the ultimate reward in a book full of rewards. At 108 pages, the book packs a punch equal to tomes many times longer. Blending his extensive knowledge of literature with a willingness to share deep personal truths, Philip Weinstein has fashioned a true gem. And he’s only 84!
The Vineyard Haven library will celebrate the release of “Time’s Bounty: Rethinking Aging,” with a reading and reception at 5 pm on Thursday, Nov. 13. The event will be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, 130 Center St., Vineyard Haven. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library, with books available for onsite purchase through Bunch of Grapes Bookstore. Free and open to the public. No registration required. For more information, reach out to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or 508-696-4211.
This fellow is a gem! I met him a few years back at the Islanders Write Conference and for me, he just stole the show. I was just so intrigued by his knowledge, his writing and his charisma. Every time I saw him, he was surrounded by admiring writing fans. I remember going up to him during the break and asking him about one of his books and how I would love for him to write a book about one of the characters from his book. He seemed pretty taken back from that, but I told him it would make a fantastic storyline. Would love to see him speak or instruct at Featherstone again. A+
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