Before I turned 40, Shirley Hodes, who was then about to turn 105, gave me her take on when "middle age" begins, and it was not at all what I expected.

Far from their dour reputation, the Middle Ages were a period of massive social change, burgeoning nationalism, international conflict, terrible natural disaster, climate change, rebellion ...

Her answer delighted me: "I think 'middle-aged' is when you start collecting ... After retiring at age 70, she audited classes at her local college, camping out in the front row so she could ...