In Mo Rocca and Jonathan Greenberg’s latest collective biography (after Mobituaries, 2019), Rocca turns his gaze to people (and animals) who accomplished great things after they reached a certain age. Roctogenarians: late in life debuts, comebacks, and triumphs (2024) features humorous, moving, and fascinating stories. Some subjects may be familiar (Frank Lloyd Wright and Rita Moreno), while others will be new yet potentially more compelling.
What a lineup of interesting characters and little-known facts—the authors expertly weave history, biography, and humor throughout these inspirational stories. From business folks to artists and writers, activists to athletes, and more, Rocca’s vignettes inspired me to look up several of the people profiled. These are stories of triumph that impacted the world—pick it up if you need a little pick me up. Mo Rocca narrates the audiobook, which is highly recommended.