Introduction and Chapter 1 review

Most people wish to live a long and healthy life. Through the introduction and first chapter of the book, the authors believe they have fond the signs of what leads to a longer, healthier life. They use the data collected by a Stanford professor, Dr. Lewis Terman, to make these distinctions. By looking at the  entire lives of Terman’s subjects, they could view the entire picture of how these subjects lived their lives. The data was able to provide evidence that the authors believe debunk many of the myths we believe today on how to lead healthier lives. Myths such as, “take it easy and don’t work so hard and you will stay healthy” or “Worrying is bad for your health.”(Friedman xii) Chapter 1 gives a brief set up of the study through two of Terman’s subjects, Patricia and John. Terman asked many different questions to the mothers and teachers of John and Patricia, that were mostly not used till the Longevity Project. The authors came up with two hypotheses on individuals they believed may live healthier and longer lives. They hypothesized that “highly conscientious individuals might stay healthier and live longer…We predicted less healthy fates for the moody and troubled.”(Friedman 8)