My Interview with Tassilo Weber and Review of his book “Life Extension Design”

Life Extension Design: Redesign your life for optimal health, performance, and longevity in order to become part of the first generation to choose whether to age and die ... or not. by Tassilo Weber

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Tassilo Weber escaped death and decided to make it his mission to discover the secrets of life. After studying philosophy for 7 years he said he eventually found the concept of transhumanism and singularity as an answer to the purpose of life. After more life, business and coaching experience, he says:

"There is one question that guides my life: What is the potential? When I apply this question to my life in general, the answer is: life extension. When it comes to death, I’ve become an ironist in the sense of Richard Rorty: I have made my peace with death and accepted my own mortality. Still, I do anything I can to fight it and make aging and death optional in the future."

That's the basis for his book Life Extension Design.

Life Extension Design challenges readers to reconfigure their life to live longer. Weber presents a plan which is completely customizable and built off of what does and doesn't work for each individual as well as accommodating changes in the individual as well as within the field of modern science and medicine as time progresses. The book breaks down the reconfiguration process into bite-size chunks:

• An introductions to life extension and design thinking 
• The basic major categories for life extension including nutrition, exercise and metal health followed by suggestions and best practices.  
•  The next step involves experimentation to see what does and doesn't work for you as an individual.
• The next step includes orchestrating your life to manage an maintain the changes that worked in the experimentation phase as well. 
• The last section of the design is mastering the practice using a strategic approach for optimum long-term results. 

I had to opportunity to interview Weber and below are the results of the interview:

1. When do you think the Extension Revolution will become a widespread/mainstream/everyone is doing it Revolution? You note in the book that the Revolution is in its beginning stages. How long before you believe there is before it expands?

Well, aging is currently defined through 9 different factors (see "Hallmarks of Aging"), and there are various approaches tackling each of those factors at a time, and each successful therapy will approximately add 5-10 years to an average human lifespan. It will be a gradual process over many decades until many of these therapies will be secure and available to wider masses. A very promising first candidate are senolytics with Unity Biotechnology as the pioneering company, currently in human clinical trials. With a bit of luck, it will only be a matter of months or few years until the first therapy is successful. Give it another 5 years for broader availability. However, it's not just technology, it's also biology which has a way bigger factor of uncertainty in the form of unforeseen side effects. As a wider picture, some trustworthy, but overly optimistic forecasters like Ray Kurzweil predict the revolution to kick in around 2030. I would rather add 10 years to that, but also mention that there will be a lot of incremental changes to the average human lifespan from drugs like metformin or rapamycin before that.

2.  What does your value pyramid look like and do you think it differs from the average persons?

My values (in order) are: health, meaning/purpose, family/friends, adventure. I don't think this differs too much from the average person.

3. What do your nutrition and exercise routines look like? Are the examples in the book yours?  

Yes, they are the examples in the book, even though I'm constantly experimenting with new things; latest was that I kept track of my blood sugar for two weeks and adjusted my diet accordingly.

4. You touch on the significance of mental health. You mention the use of Zen meditation. Do you recommend anything in particular? 

I'm very practical about Zen, so I recommend Katsuki Sekida's book. 

5. How long do you think it will take the average person to master life extension skills?  

Mastery of life extension is a life-long learning and self-improvement process, always reacting to changes in oneself and science. Getting the basics in place depends on the level of self-discipline and determination, but most transformations take place within 3-12 months.

6. What do you think uniquely qualifies you to write the book on this subject matter? 

The main thing is that I really live this and that I am a professional coach; so I think I can teach this way of transformation that I've been through myself in an empathetic way. I also have a scientific expertise and I am well up-to-date with regard to the developments in the field.

If you are looking for a way to extend your life in a practical and methodical way that is fluid, I suggest picking up this book. I found it, at the least, an interesting read that will make you examine your life and routines, if nothing else, if you perform the exercises in the book.

Reviewing I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

A few months ago I read I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. I'm finally getting around to reviewing the book. No worries though, it's still fresh in my mind. I really enjoyed this thriller. I reached a certain point in the book that I had to pick it up and check the cover to make sure I hadn't inadvertently picked up a different book. It's just that good and the plot was just that unexpected to me. See my full review below.

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The novel begins with the story of an inexcusable, unforgiveable crime, a hit and run involving a young (very young) boy. Right then and there I almost put the book down. As a mother and ever since reading Jodi Piccoult's Nineteen Minutes it's hard for me to trust what might come next in a book that dares to take on such unspeakable atrocities. However, it was the raving reviews of the book that kept me reading. I felt like I needed to see and know what everyone else knew, and I was very thankful I kept reading. This book was nothing I expected after its opening. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh is a book worth reading. Maybe even reading twice, because I know I had to have missed a clue or two at first.

As I mentioned already, the book begins with a hit and run accident involving a very young boy. The main character, Jenna Gray's only hope of getting over the incident is to move to another town. The character driven novel is told from the perspectives of Jenna Gray, detective Ray and then Ian.

At first, the alternating perspectives between Jenna and Ray lead the reader to believe and feel that this is very much a normal police procedural novel. However, the introduction of the voice of Ian made me wonder if I was reading the same book. It was no longer a police procedural but rather a psychological thriller that I couldn't put down.

I started to pick up on some of the clues in the book, but I couldn't imagine the way everything would unwind. This book is brilliantly written and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a police procedurals and/or thrillers.

View all my reviews

Reviewing Within the Heart of Silence by James William Peercy

I recently read a book that I wouldn't have normally picked out for myself, but I'm glad I explored this title. Sometimes the soul needs a good cleansing and something to make you contemplate things. See my full review of Within the Heart of Silent by James William Peercy below. Within the Heart of Silence by James William Peercy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The images were stunning, and the poetry invoked emotion. I recommend this book.

This book is comprised of photographs by Jacqueline E. Smith paired with poetry by James William Peercy. The images are beautiful and the poetry is well written. The combination of the two offer a visual and written journey exploring nature, love and life. The book encourages readers to look outward to focus inward, to appreciate the beauty of nature around us and recognize it for its life, to love instead of hate and to live instead of exist.

Disclaimer - I was provided a copy of this book by James William Peercy through @TasteNonfiction in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Reviewing I'd Like You More If You Were More Like: Getting Real About Getting Close Me by John Ortberg

Something I have thought about from time-to-time is how I'd like this person or that person if they were more like me. It would make life easier if everyone saw things through the same lens. However, this isn't possible. We know from principals like 5 Love Languages that people communicate their love in different ways. The concept can be broken down to a much more basic level than even that to Walter Burke Barbe concepts of different learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic). Pastor John Ortberg, in his book "I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me: Getting Real About Getting Close" attempts to tackle ways in which people can build their intimacy with one another and with God. See what I thought about this book below.

I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me: Getting Real about Getting Close by John Ortberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The title is deceiving and the book was not what I expected. The book is intimacy with others and with God, but it does not, at least adequately, tackle how to better find intimacy with those who communicate their intimacy in different ways. In this book Ortberg explores, in a rather dry way, obstacles to intimacy, the reasons for fear of intimacy, the different way people experience intimacy and most notably intimacy with God.

I did not appreciate the I do this because I am a Christian style of writing as though someone who weren’t a Christian might have made a different choice, because I don’t feel that was true in every instance. Regardless, he backed up reasons for choices, decisions and intimacy with great biblical references.

This book is a great book for a Christian that is looking to deepen and improve their intimacy with their significant other and God, although it could be said that these principals could be easily applied outside of this narrow box. In general, I found the information helpful, but not my style. If I’m to read a book like this, I’d rather read the who, what, when, where and why and then be given information about why and how it aligns with the bible, more like "The Love Dare."

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.

View all my Goodreads reviews

Reviewing Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota

                I am sad to report that there was a book that I really didn't like, Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota. What makes it even more sad is that I really wanted to like it, especially since I was provided a copy of the book via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. Ugh! I did give it 2 stars, because the book is very well written. I simply didn't like...well, read my full review -

Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was described as "The Devil Wears Prada meets Primary Colors." I completely disagree! This book did not have the wit of the fun feel of either of those books. The book follows character Amanda Gallo as she climbs the career ladder nabbing the job of her dreams. Her personal life struggles mirror the book's real conflict: the ratings-driven news industry. Then it takes a dark turn, when then character Amanda starts voicing how she is "waking up," which is really just code for fictionalizing the 2016 Election, bashing liberals, and shoving a conservative agenda down the readers throat.

As a journalist myself, I appreciate and understand the honest behind the scenes of journalism story line.  However, I think it takes the character too long to realize that every story has more than two-sides. I mean, isn't the golden rule that every story has three sides (at least), Perspective A, Perspective B and the Truth.

What really drove me crazy about this book was the reference to real people and political situations. At this point in time, I began to feel like the opinion of the author via the main character, Amanda Gallo, was all that mattered. Anyone that didn't agree with Amanda Gallo is made to feel like an idiot, or like they are biased and not considering both sides of the story (even though it's clear to any outsider that Amanda's "Fair News" isn't fair and Amanda has her own opinions she can't help but spout). This book to me was simply nauseating, although well written.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

View all my Goodreads reviews

Reviewing Waiter to the Rich and Shameless by Paul Hartford

                I am extremely behind on my book reviews since surgery, but I'm back at it. I will begin posting about one a day until I'm all caught up. To start, I would like to share my thoughts about "Waiter to the Rich and Shameless: Confessions of a Five-Star Beverly Hills Server" by Paul Hartford.

Waiter to the Rich and Shameless: Confessions of a Five-Star Beverly Hills Server by Paul Hartford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Booktasters Nonfiction (@TasteNonfiction on Twitter) connected me with author Paul Hartford who provided me a copy of "Waiter to the Rich and Shameless: Confessions of a Five-Star Beverly Hills Server," and I'm thankful that they did. This was a raw, unfiltered, interesting read!

Paul writes about how he, a down and out musician, cuts his hair and becomes a waiter in a very posh restaurant in Beverly Hills, the "Cricket Room," which many suspect is the Polo Lounge. He writes in detail his encounters with celebrities such as Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Johnny Depp and even Donald Trump, including details about their clothing choices and even menu items and ingredients.

Beyond just the stories of his encounters is how the author grew up through his experiences. In the beginning he is a know-it-all and a bit of a pretentious, judgmental, cocaine loving, sexist jerk. Later, he is a married man that doesn't entirely sexualize women (I only say not entirely, because he still makes some word choices that most women would rather he didn't). He becomes frustrated by the overly corporate feeling of the restaurant he works at and how decisions being made from afar about the operations. I think his criticisms of the corporate decisions demonstrate how serious he takes his job and what the "Cricket Room" has come to mean to him and mirror his growing maturity.

View all my reviews

Reviewing in a dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware

I was genuinely excited to read “in a dark, dark wood” by Ruth Ware. There has been a lot of positive talk about her second and third novels, but I wanted to start with her debut novel, “in a dark, dark wood.” I wasn't sure what to expect. Her books are described as psychological crime thrillers. I'm not sure how much of a thriller this book was. It was rather....well, read my full-review below to find out.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Near the end of what was supposed to be a fun, relaxed weekend in the English countryside at a bachelorette (Hen) party for Clare, Lenora wakes up in a hospital bed badly bruised, confused, a bandaged head and memory loss. The book and plot unfold as Nora remembers the events of the weekend. Then, the book delivers a predictable twist for an unclimatic ending.

What Nora uncovers for the reader is that she had fallen out of touch with her old best-friend, Clare, and decides both out of curiosity and guilt for not staying in touch that she will attend her Hen night. We also learn that Nora is still distraught over a relationship she had when she was 16. Why? Because there is this great, predictable, reason for the life-altering breakup. You know, the kind every sexually active sixteen year old fears. At the beginning of the night Clare tells Nora that she is going to marry none other than the ex-boyfriend that Nora has spent the last ten years so distraught over. One would think this was a big teenage drama was over, but the big foreseeable secret reason for the break-up is left looming chapter after chapter while Nora tries to piece together the events of a horrid Hen night with completely awful characters.

The characters in the book largely left me feeling quite annoyed. They were immature, judgmental and overly dramatic. The worst character of all was Clare's new best-friend, Flo. If I could have reached through the pages and slapped her, I would have. The reader has to suffer through nearly 23 chapters of this crazy annoying character to get to any meat and excitement, but that excitement is more like a one large wet, limp noodle than a great climax.