Live forever

A Beginner's Guide to Immortality: From Alchemy to Avatars
by Maria Birmingham


SPOILER ALERT: As examples of immortal life, Birmingham mentions the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt and the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Both are excellent, but Birmingham gives away the endings! I can't believe the editor missed it.

Now for the review:

The philosopher's stone, the Fountain of Youth, cryonics, and digital avatars - some people will try anything to avoid dying. An interesting study of immortality, this book is a wide-ranging look at the various ways to cheat death, from using magical elixirs to finding magical places. It also looks at what scientists are doing to prolong life, like studying long-living animals, suggesting healthy lifestyle choices, and dreaming up technological interventions.

Wacky, yet fascinating, the book is a fast-paced page-turner that'll have kids pondering the meaning of life.