What People Are Saying About the Book…

To say thank you to everyone who helped or contributed to “Learning Later, Living Greater,” I mailed about 85 copies of the book out. Here are some of the comments. It certainly is nice to read them.

Harry R. (Rick) Moody, Ph.D., Director, Office of Academic Affairs, AARP…“All you need to know about learning in later life, here between two covers. Nancy Nordstrom has put it all together. Readable, comprehensive, and inspiring."

Hi Nancy. What a treasure! Your Opus Magnus is indeed a tremendous accomplishment and I am honored to be a part of it. I have already recommended it as a MUST READ to several people including a cousin in San Francisco who knows Marc Freedman. Thank you so very much for the copy I received. It is a tremendous source of inspiration and valuable information. Thank you again.

Dear Nancy, Yesterday I was surprised to find your new book in my mail box! Thank you for including my essay in your book. Of course, I am proudly circulating the book through Oak Hammock. One of the things that I find most valuable about your book is the vast section of resources. I will probably spend many hours looking at the many websites you have listed. You have certainly done a comprehensive survey of learning opportunities. I was delighted that my home community has been included.

Today I received my copy of your new book. Your book is wonderful. It is a treasure of resources and very user friendly. You truly tell "our story!"

We will watch for you and your son on the Today show! Seriously, if you have a little publication blurb, we might be able to put it on our website or newsletter, since some of our members are contributors. Now...after such a grand effort...go enjoy a glass of wine!
Thank you very much indeed - your wonderful book arrived first thing this morning - and I have not stopped reading all day!

You have assembled and joined together many memorable and valuable comments about 'Learning in Retirement'. I love Leonardo da Vinci's "Just as iron rust from disuse, even so does inaction spoil the intellect" He was one of the most remarkable men, ever.

I greatly enjoyed reading your own chapter "Up Close and Personal" because I could see the Austrian and Italian Alps through your eyes and words. We in Europe take much of the scenery and life around there for granted. My wife and I too love the mountains, the woods, the meadows, wild alpine flowers and, of course, not only the sound of church bells but perhaps equally, the ringing tone of cow and goat bells, when they are grazing on the alpine meadows in the summer. I am sure your book deserves and will receive the warmest of praises.

Nancy, Congratulations on the new Book!!! I will look forward to reading it. I just received a contract to work with Moose Lodge International to help with their older adult community here in Florida and develop a new one in Chicago area. Lifelong learning will definitely be a part of both – so your book in very timely. Thanks Again,

Thank you for the copy of LEARNING LATER, LEARNING GREATER that you recently sent us. We also appreciate the description of the Great Books Foundation that it includes, and thanks in advance for any new participants who join our program because of it. And good luck with this book, which looks like an immensely valuable resource for retirement age people.

Thanks so much for sending your book. It looks great – you and Jon must be thrilled! I especially love the intro you wrote – it gives it a nice personal touch.

The book looks really great. I know it will be successful. I am amazed at the number of groups there are throughout the country doing what we do here in Young Harris, Georgia.

Dear Nancy, I would once again like to thank you for including my essay in your book. The book was an extra bonus and, of course, unnecessary. It was a pleasure to have my essay included with others in this wonderful book.

Nancy: We were away for two weeks and upon our return and mixed among all the mail was your completed book. I look forward to reading it and want to thank you for including my contribution in such a prominent way. I did not expect it to be a separate piece. Osher and its older component The LIFE Society begins this week and I plan to let others know about your book at that time.

Many thanks for sending me a copy of your book, Nancy. I have read it with great interest and was pleased to see all the familiar names. I believe Tom is recommending the book in Signposts and I'm sure the word is spreading. Congratulations on having published such a challenging and encouraging book.

Next…The Bristol Marquee…

A New Web Site…

To go along with the marketing of “Learning Later, Living Greater,” we wanted to create a web site that would be the “go-to” site for information on lifelong learning for older adults.

Now, I don’t know the first thing about creating web sites. My son does to some degree, but he is extremely busy with all his writing commitments. So one of my daughters, Kathryn, graciously offered to help me get the ball rolling. As you can no doubt tell, this book has really been a family affair.

All through March and April I drafted content, developed a site map and pulled information together. Kathryn then took it and using Microsoft Publisher, along with her rudimentary knowledge of web site creation, developed a simple draft site. She then reached the limits of her technical ability. I now needed to find someone locally here in NH to help me bring it to fruition.

In early May I took the material to a printing company that also develops and hosts web sites for local businesses. One of their staff is the “web master.” We met several times, modified the complexity of the site and worked on content. Unfortunately, the man I worked with began having family issues and the time he had to work on my site became very limited.

May stretched into June and then into July. I was getting very nervous as the book was due out late in July. The printing delay of the book actually gave us more time to work on the site. In mid-August, the site finally went “live.”

But it lacked pizzazz! It wasn’t really interesting or a real “grabber.” Creative design is NOT one of my talents, to say the least! So my son stepped in and created a new “Home Page” for the site.

It’s fantastic! I really love it. Several weeks later he was finally able to modify the rest of the site and I got the emails working (something I figured out how to do). So now people can get in touch with me, which is very important.

Check it out when you get a chance – www.learninglater.com

Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.

Next – What People Are Saying About the Book

It’s Here…

My book arrived on Monday, August 21, 2006!

From my office I heard a truck lumbering up our mountain driveway, but because I was expecting the book to arrive by FedEx Ground, the UPS truck that pulled up didn’t excite me – I thought it was a sweater I’d ordered. But then, from the back of the truck a hand-cart with four cartons emerged and I thought, Yikes! It’s the book!

Hubby was busy vacuuming and didn’t hear my excited yells so I ran into the living room holding the book up for him to see. He gave me a big congratulatory kiss and exclaimed that it was thicker than he expected. I can personally attest to the hard work in all 307 pages.

Actually holding the book in my hand and seeing it in print for the first time was quite an experience. It certainly is different being the author instead of the reader. Although I’d seen the book in a PDF format on the computer, it still didn’t seem quite real. It sure does now, though!

I spent the afternoon stuffing envelopes – all the book contributors are getting a copy. And lots of other people that I know or have worked with in some capacity are also getting copies. I want to get the word out about the book as soon as possible as I really feel it has the potential to help people realize that our After-50 years can be the very best years of our lives.

Next – A New Web Site