FT Business Book of the Year

Best business books

All the books longlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award

The 100-Year Life by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott

The 100-Year Life

If turning 100 becomes normal, then the authors predict “a fundamental redesign of life”. This book shows what that might look like. — Read the complete FT review

Synopsis

Does the thought of working for 60 or 70 years fill you with dread? Or can you see the potential for a more stimulating future as a result of having so much extra time?

Many of us have been raised on the traditional notion of a three-stage approach to our working lives: education, followed by work and then retirement. But this well-established pathway is beginning to collapse – life expectancy is rising, final-salary pensions are vanishing, and increasing numbers of people are juggling multiple careers. Whether you are 18, 45 or 60, you will need to do things very differently from previous generations and learn to structure your life in completely new ways.

The 100-Year Life is a wake-up call that describes what to expect and considers the choices and options that you will face. It is also fundamentally a call to action for individuals, politicians, firms and governments and offers the clearest demonstration that a 100-year life can be a wonderful and inspiring one.