Shut Up and Live! (You Know How): A 93-Year-Old's Guide to Living to a Ripe Old Age

A fun, spirited celebration of life from a woman who proves you can live vibrantly no matter how old you are.

Marion P. Downs learned to ski at the age of fifty. On her fifty-first birthday, she stood at the top of a steep black diamond slope, afraid to go down the hill for the first time. She said to the instructor, "I can't do this! It's too steep for me. What can I do?" The instructor replied, "Shut up and ski!" And added, "You know how."

In the forty-odd years since that day, whenever Downs started to feel apprehensive about taking life by the horns, she'd remind herself to "Shut up and live! You know how." And she does. Now, at the ripe old age of ninety-three, Marion skydives, has participated in a mini-triathlon, and has competed in the Senior Olympics.

In this book, Marion tells readers what it takes to live vigorously into their nineties-how to deal with the changes aging brings, and how to triumph over its challenges. From how to stay fit and mentally active to hot topics like sex, Shut Up and Live! is filled with straight talk on the secrets to a long and healthy life. Entertaining and uplifting, this one-of-a-kind guide will inspire readers of all ages to live gloriously.

Marion P. Downs has been a maverick in the field of pediatric audiology for nearly sixty years. As a result of her work, 90% of all newborns in America are screened for hearing loss. She has retired many times, but none of them took. Instead, she has won several gold medals for tennis in the Senior Olympics, completed a mini-triathlon at the age of eighty-nine, and skydived from a plane at the age of ninety. She has been featured on NPR and lives in Boulder, Colorado.