Pitch

Hi, I'm Amanda Barusch, and this is my two-minute introduction.

I never planned to retire. I was going to be one of those perky old professors who mentor students, publish original research, and teach classes well into my 80s. When I even thought about retirement, I always figured I would do it successfully. In fact, I planned to be so good at it that I could write a book on aging. Well, it's a really popular topic. Things did not go as planned. A new boss came and announced to the world that I was in the twilight of my career. What followed was a couple of very difficult years that led me to conclude that I had no choice but to leave the job I had loved for over 35 years.

As I packed up my books, I realized I was really not aging well; I was aging angry. For the first few years after retirement, I studied anger. I read everything I could get my hands on. I met with experts on topics ranging from anger norms in ancient Rome to the latest techniques for anger management. I collected stories from hundreds of people who, like me, found themselves angry in later life. These older adults shared lessons they had gleaned from some of life's most difficult experiences. They became the basis of my new book, Aging Angry.

I would love to talk with you about anger or aging ... anything really. Please feel free to contact me via my website: amandabarusch.com. Thank you for listening.