Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer
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- Create Date：2021-06-26 08:50:56
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Steven Johnson
- ISBN：0593395697
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Summary
As a species we have doubled our life expectancy in just one hundred years。 All the advances of modern life--the medical breakthroughs， the public health institutions， the rising standards of living--have given us each about twenty thousand extra days on average。 There are few measures of human progress more astonishing than our increased longevity。
This book is Steven Johnson's attempt to understand where that progress came from。 How many of those extra twenty thousand days came from vaccines， or the decrease in famines， or seatbelts？ What are the forces that now keep us alive longer？ Behind each breakthrough lies an inspiring story of cooperative innovation， of brilliant thinkers bolstered by strong systems of public support and collaborative networks。
But it is not enough simply to remind ourselves that progress is possible。 How do we avoid decreases in life expectancy as our public health systems face unprecedented challenges？ What current technologies or interventions that could reduce the impact of future crises are we somehow ignoring？
This book is Steven Johnson's attempt to understand where that progress came from。 How many of those extra twenty thousand days came from vaccines， or the decrease in famines， or seatbelts？ What are the forces that now keep us alive longer？ Behind each breakthrough lies an inspiring story of cooperative innovation， of brilliant thinkers bolstered by strong systems of public support and collaborative networks。
But it is not enough simply to remind ourselves that progress is possible。 How do we avoid decreases in life expectancy as our public health systems face unprecedented challenges？ What current technologies or interventions that could reduce the impact of future crises are we somehow ignoring？
Reviews
Connie
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Excellent book。
Derek Pankaew
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Pretty boring， but accurate historical record of humanity's health advancements。Read 50% of it。 Pretty boring， but accurate historical record of humanity's health advancements。Read 50% of it。 。。。more
Yes_but192
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This is a must read book if you want to know why we are leaving longer。 If you look around those seat belts on your car， the vaccination you received at your childhood or the enough food you get before you go to bed-- every things counts for the 20000 more days you live now-- than on 19th century。
Andrea Engle
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This intriguing book studies the impact made on life expectancy by such things as vaccines， pasteurization， antibiotics， and increases in Public Health awareness and infrastructures … contains an excellent Bibliography … forecasts a possibility of impeding the aging process … cutting-edge …
Maria
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One of the best books I've read recently。 Honestly， maybe it would have been hard to write a mediocre book on this subject， since the data are just mind-blowing and the stories are so fascinating。 I highlighted a good ¼ of the introduction。 My only complaint would be that I think his thesis that these huge leaps were the work of many people， or networks， was reiterated enough throughout the book that it should maybe have been in the subtitle （and perhaps reiterated a couple fewer times）。 I would One of the best books I've read recently。 Honestly， maybe it would have been hard to write a mediocre book on this subject， since the data are just mind-blowing and the stories are so fascinating。 I highlighted a good ¼ of the introduction。 My only complaint would be that I think his thesis that these huge leaps were the work of many people， or networks， was reiterated enough throughout the book that it should maybe have been in the subtitle （and perhaps reiterated a couple fewer times）。 I would probably read a version of this book organized different ways a few more times - maybe academic vs。 government vs。 private industry， or his "ways of seeing， ways of counting" breakdown at the end。 Just fascinating， inspiring， sobering stuff。 。。。more
Lisa
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I have liked this author’s work since his book about John Snow and the epidemiology of the cholera outbreak in 19th C London。 This book drew heavily on his previous work and expanded it into many ways that science has increased life expectancy。 It is a comprehensive list of advances that the author has cleverly grouped into concepts。 He included vaccinations; pasteurization; chlorinated water; germ theory and sanitation; scientific methodology development with RCTs， epi and stats; regulatory bod I have liked this author’s work since his book about John Snow and the epidemiology of the cholera outbreak in 19th C London。 This book drew heavily on his previous work and expanded it into many ways that science has increased life expectancy。 It is a comprehensive list of advances that the author has cleverly grouped into concepts。 He included vaccinations; pasteurization; chlorinated water; germ theory and sanitation; scientific methodology development with RCTs， epi and stats; regulatory bodies including WHO， CDC and FDA; penicillin; auto and industrial safety; and famine reduction using advanced agrology methods。 He synthesized all the information into future prospects of longevity and the morality of health discrepancies between wealthy and poor countries and communities。 He pointed out that the antivax crazies are not new to the present but quacks and anti science factions have always been around。 My personal rating system usually awards no more than three stars for nonfiction since I am not the content expert to know what was accurate or complete。 But I rate this higher because it is comprehensive， well organized， and an excellent reading experience。 。。。more
Kathy
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This pro-science book is packed with smart details regarding the primary advances and innovations that led to a doubling， if not tripling， of the human life span: from inoculations to seat belts to advances in farming。 It also points out the disparity existing in treatment when taking into account systemic racism and existing poverty。 Timely。 Textbooky。
Amy Herbert
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Whoa。 I highly， highly recommend 'Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer'。 I listened to this on audio and it was so engrossing that I found myself just sitting still listening。Steven Johnson outlines eight of the biggest innovations that have helped humans add around twenty thousand days to the average lifespan in the last one hundred years。 The author talks about the large scale advances such as vaccines， public health movements， and drug discoveries that have added to our years of life， Whoa。 I highly， highly recommend 'Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer'。 I listened to this on audio and it was so engrossing that I found myself just sitting still listening。Steven Johnson outlines eight of the biggest innovations that have helped humans add around twenty thousand days to the average lifespan in the last one hundred years。 The author talks about the large scale advances such as vaccines， public health movements， and drug discoveries that have added to our years of life， however， this book also focuses on the social movements and non-professionals who helped propel scientific discoveries into useful， widespread real life solutions。 Instead of the usual focus on one seemingly isolated discovery， Johnson shows us how no discovery happens in isolation， but is really the sum of other discoveries and 'the adjacent possible'。 Please read this one folks， it is fantastic。 。。。more
Sean Owen
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"Extra Life" sets out to explain how global human life expectancy doubled in the past 100 years。 First Johnson clarifies the common misunderstanding that it's that individual people are living longer。 It's actually that because so many fewer people are dying young average life expectancy has increased。 Take a walk through any old graveyard in a small New England town and you'll be struck by the sheer quantity of graves of children。 The idea of most children safely making it to adulthood is fairl "Extra Life" sets out to explain how global human life expectancy doubled in the past 100 years。 First Johnson clarifies the common misunderstanding that it's that individual people are living longer。 It's actually that because so many fewer people are dying young average life expectancy has increased。 Take a walk through any old graveyard in a small New England town and you'll be struck by the sheer quantity of graves of children。 The idea of most children safely making it to adulthood is fairly new。You might be expecting the book to be anecdotes of medical inventions， but as Johnson makes clear these aren't the real heroes in the story。 While antibiotics and vaccinations play roles it's ultimately more prosaic things like clean drinking water， sewage systems and public safety authorities that deserve the credit。The book the evidence presents creates a massive rebuttal to libertarians and those advocating for small government。 Progress does not often come from private industry pursuing profit。 Often， as with auto safety， they have to be dragged kicking and screaming。 Instead， progress comes from public health authorities， public record keepers， university research institutes， and the work of dedicated activists pushing for action。It's an easy interesting read and some of the successes like smallpox going from dreaded killer to non-existent stand as some of the greatest human achievements。 。。。more
Jonathan
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Exceptional， as always， from SJ。 His clear-eyed perspective of change and innovation - the critical role of unsung， non-technical contributions， and the reality of multiple causes for any monumental effect - is unique and refreshing。 There are many wonderful nuggets and anecdotes interspersed within a rich narrative that brings great clarity to our history of human life expectancy。
Brian
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Always interesting summary of major advances in prolonging life: Penicillin， vaccines， pasteurization， seat belts。 More to come。
Carmen212
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Wonderful book filled with so much nformation。 In the last 100 hundred years the human lifespan has doubled。 Doubled。 In 1880 the average lifespan was 40 years， in 2010 it was 80。Here are just some of the reasons: pasteurization of milk， chlorination of water， tracking cholera and zeroing in on specific sites as the Broad Street well in London and then separation of water from waste in the sewer system。， The ability to treat cholera in countries where public health is almost non-existent and loc Wonderful book filled with so much nformation。 In the last 100 hundred years the human lifespan has doubled。 Doubled。 In 1880 the average lifespan was 40 years， in 2010 it was 80。Here are just some of the reasons: pasteurization of milk， chlorination of water， tracking cholera and zeroing in on specific sites as the Broad Street well in London and then separation of water from waste in the sewer system。， The ability to treat cholera in countries where public health is almost non-existent and locals traveling about in crews teaching villagers how to boil water， add salts and create electrolytes。 Variolation and vaccination。 Polio vaccine。 Antibiotics。Johnson is a terrific writer。 I've read two of his books。 Each section has an unsung hero or heroine， and political obstacles。 I will read this again。 。。。more
Miguel
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Nice documentation of the pathways that were developed to extend total lifespan in the recent path。 The author describes the ‘most meaningful categories of changes’ that have occurred; some of these were not very surprising （working toilets and sewage systems）， but some were new to me （use of oral rehydration therapy to treat Cholera）。
Benita
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I first learned of this book from an article by the author in the New York Times。 （If you want to just read the article， you will get the gist of much of the book in a succinct form。） I found his overview of the many things that have contributed to a lengthening of our life expectancy full of unexpected and expected items。 Of course vaccines and antibiotics， of course sanitation。 But statistics， and soil science？ Having read the book， those are now rating an "Of course！" from me。 Johnson writes I first learned of this book from an article by the author in the New York Times。 （If you want to just read the article， you will get the gist of much of the book in a succinct form。） I found his overview of the many things that have contributed to a lengthening of our life expectancy full of unexpected and expected items。 Of course vaccines and antibiotics， of course sanitation。 But statistics， and soil science？ Having read the book， those are now rating an "Of course！" from me。 Johnson writes in a way that is understandable and engaging for the non-specialist， and has helped me look at the world in very different ways。 He does a good job of playing up the roles of the unsung in spreading the widespread adoption of the results of scientific breakthroughs。 I （like many， I suspect） knew of Fleming's discovery of penicillin， but had no knowledge of the international effort to figure out how to mass produce it during World War II， an effort on par with the Manhattan Project。 I do wish he had included Florence Nightingale in his discussion of the role of data analysis in improving life expectancy， but that is a small quibble with an excellently told story。 。。。more
Karen
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Interesting book about how our lives have been extended from large societal trends like vaccination， plumbing， fertilizer， and seat belts。 This book is the basis of the 2021 PBS series with same name as book， EXTRA LIFE: A SHORT HISTORY OF LIVING LONGER。
Tyler
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I don't know how Steven Johnson manages to keep finding stories from history that are so important to our society but are virtually unknown。 The scientists and their collective breakthrough has spared humans much misery and extended life spans。 It's amazing to me that much of this coalesced within the last 70 years and it's not common knowledge， let alone something I've never heard of。 I guess a tragedy averted is just not going to be a good story compared to a tragedy。 These stories all fit a t I don't know how Steven Johnson manages to keep finding stories from history that are so important to our society but are virtually unknown。 The scientists and their collective breakthrough has spared humans much misery and extended life spans。 It's amazing to me that much of this coalesced within the last 70 years and it's not common knowledge， let alone something I've never heard of。 I guess a tragedy averted is just not going to be a good story compared to a tragedy。 These stories all fit a theme of incremental progress that suddenly explodes into a massive breakthrough。 He constantly makes us realize it's rarely the one lone genius that solves a problem but the lone genius actually had a large amount of background knowledge to build on。 Quick read but that is just dense enough to actually have some depth that will stick with you。 。。。more
Dave Reads
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In “Extra Life，” science and technology writer Steven Johnson shares what he describes as ‘one of the greatest achievements in the history of our species。” It was the rapid increase in the human lifespan。 In 1880 the average person would live until the age of 40。 By 2010， that number increased to 80 years。 We gained an “Extra Life。” He writes about medical advancements， including vaccinations against smallpox and other diseases， scientific advances like what caused people from getting sick from In “Extra Life，” science and technology writer Steven Johnson shares what he describes as ‘one of the greatest achievements in the history of our species。” It was the rapid increase in the human lifespan。 In 1880 the average person would live until the age of 40。 By 2010， that number increased to 80 years。 We gained an “Extra Life。” He writes about medical advancements， including vaccinations against smallpox and other diseases， scientific advances like what caused people from getting sick from cholera or unpasteurized milk， and understanding ways of keeping us safe （wearing seatbelts）。Among the critical points of the book:-tPeople in the shortest-lived countries today will， on average， outlive those of your grandparents’ generation。-tToday， more than 99 percent of children in rich countries survive， and more than 96 percent worldwide。-tA handful of medical and other breakthroughs have extended human life expectancy and decreased child mortality。 -tPeople were living longer not because of medical interventions but because of an overall improvement in the standard of living， thanks largely to agricultural innovations that put more food on the table。This is a fascinating book that celebrates our past understanding and makes us wonder what the future will hold。 。。。more
Popup-ch
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Over the past century-and-a-bit life expectancy in the west has almost doubled。 Why？Mostly it has to do with reduced childhood mortality， which in turn owes a lot to 19th century inventions of vaccination and pasteurization。 Improved sanitation and chlorination of water are not far behind。What the book doesn't cover， （or rather - only covers in an epilogue） is what people now do with this added lifetime。 Many are postponing having children， and it would be interesting to read more about how heal Over the past century-and-a-bit life expectancy in the west has almost doubled。 Why？Mostly it has to do with reduced childhood mortality， which in turn owes a lot to 19th century inventions of vaccination and pasteurization。 Improved sanitation and chlorination of water are not far behind。What the book doesn't cover， （or rather - only covers in an epilogue） is what people now do with this added lifetime。 Many are postponing having children， and it would be interesting to read more about how healthy people are in old age now compared to a century ago。 。。。more
Kathleen Gray
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Interesting and informative。 Johnson has pulled together essays on the multiple ways progress has allowed us to live longer。 Vaccines and antibiotics are obvious ， yes， but some of these are things I hadn't thought about， such as auto safety。 You might be familiar with some of the individuals he highlights but others are lesser known （and sent me down the rabbit hole of Wikipedia）。 I treated it as a collection and read it a section at a time。 Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 A timely read。 Interesting and informative。 Johnson has pulled together essays on the multiple ways progress has allowed us to live longer。 Vaccines and antibiotics are obvious ， yes， but some of these are things I hadn't thought about， such as auto safety。 You might be familiar with some of the individuals he highlights but others are lesser known （and sent me down the rabbit hole of Wikipedia）。 I treated it as a collection and read it a section at a time。 Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 A timely read。 。。。more
Joan
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Sloppy scholarship， I expected better。Steven Johnson promulgates class-based myths about vaccination history， despite the fact that The Royal College of Surgeons， The Lancet and The Wellcome Trust have repudiated the story。 Twenty-two （22） years before Jenner’s supposed insight a humble farmer， Benjamin Jesty， performed vaccination with cowpox。 He presented his results publicly; Jenner took Jesty’s pilot experiment and rigorously tested it。 Well done Jenner。In the 1700s， Jenner， as a member of t Sloppy scholarship， I expected better。Steven Johnson promulgates class-based myths about vaccination history， despite the fact that The Royal College of Surgeons， The Lancet and The Wellcome Trust have repudiated the story。 Twenty-two （22） years before Jenner’s supposed insight a humble farmer， Benjamin Jesty， performed vaccination with cowpox。 He presented his results publicly; Jenner took Jesty’s pilot experiment and rigorously tested it。 Well done Jenner。In the 1700s， Jenner， as a member of the gentry， could appropriate the ideas of others with impunity — In 2021， careful historians give credit where it is due。https://www。thelancet。com/journals/la。。。www。nature。com>articles Putting Smallpox Out To Pasture 。。。more
Erikka
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I can’t say enough about Johnson’s books。 He has such a unique way of thinking about the world， like Malcolm Gladwell。 This was a lovely little book about why we’re living longer， what adjacent possibles led to huge leaps in life span， and what work we have left to do。 It’s well researched， has excellent citations， and provides ample food for thought。 I really enjoyed this and discussing it with my husband。
Laura Hill
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