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Can Virtue Make Us Happy?
The Art of Living and Morality
Otfried Hoffe
Northwestern University Press, 2010

Can one be happy and free, and nonetheless be moral? This question occurs at the core of daily life and is, as well, a question as old as philosophy itself. In Can Virtue Make Us Happy? The Art of Living and Morality, Otfried Höffe, one of Europe’s most well-known philosophers, offers a far-reaching and foundational work in philosophical ethics.

As long as one understands "happiness" purely as a feeling of subjective well-being, Höffe argues, there is at best only an accidental unity between it and morality. However, if one means by "happiness" the quality of doing well in the sense of one’s own successful existence, then one must include actions that undoubtedly have a moral character and are named virtues. He uses clear and general language to present what one understands by "happiness" and "freedom" while illuminating the blind alleys in the history of philosophy as well as the difficulties raised by the issues themselves. What has priority: good ends or right action? Is freedom always anarchy? Is it possible to think of a freedom enhanced by morality? Is "morality" only a pretty word for stupidity? Does humanity have a good or a bad character? Is there such a thing as evil? Höffe offers us enlightened philosophical reflection and foundational orientation but no simple formulas; this is precisely what is at stake because anyone who wishes to live a self-determined life rejects any and all formulas.

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Carnal Aesthetics
The Art of Living in Latinidad
Mariana Ortega
Duke University Press, 2025

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Class Of '66
Living in Suburban Middle America
Paul Lyons
Temple University Press, 1994
In the midst of the Vietnam war, sit-ins, counter-culture, and campus rallies, the 1966 graduating class of a South New Jersey coast high school came of age on the margins of political and cultural upheaval. Rather than presenting the stereotype of Sixties youth scene, this study reveals this group to be conservative teenagers shaped by mainstream loyalties to God, Country, and Family. These "Coasters"—white, middle-class, suburban baby-boomers—were spectators of rather than participants in the decade's activism. Yet, even as they were missed by the powerful currents of the times, their lives were touched by those currents more than is suggested by the stereotype of Richard Nixon's "Silent Majority."

Paul Lyons interviewed 47 members of the class of 1966, recording recollections of their school days, politics, work, family life, community, and expectations for future careers and family. Each chapter is complemented by personal profiles of individual "Coasters." Removed from both the urban experience and that of the elite suburbs, these teenagers disprove popular cultural assumptions that all baby boomers, with few exceptions, went to Woodstock, protested against the Vietnam War, engaged in drug experimentation, or joined the hippie counter-culture. Instead, Lyons' study explores how their then relative ambivalence to political and cultural rebellion did not preclude many "Coasters" from indirectly incorporating over the years certain core Sixties values on issues of race, gender, mobility, and patriotism.

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Close to Me, but Far Away
Living with Alzheimer's
Burton M. Wheeler
University of Missouri Press, 2001

Each day Burt Wheeler is plagued by the same question. When did it happen? If he could pinpoint the beginning, then he might begin to make peace with himself. He vividly remembers when the doctor diagnosed Kee, his loving wife of over fifty years, with "Alzheimer-type dementia." But, as hard as he tries, it's impossible for him to determine when his wife's dementia started. He remembers her bout with depression, but that, he thinks, was surely due to her breast cancer. There was their dream vacation to Greece when Kee seemed so tired and indifferent. There were the unopened books, when reading had always been such a source of pleasure to her. And, he recalls, the gradual personality changes with friends, and even with family.

Wheeler started writing this book as a form of self-therapy when he found himself thrust into the role of caretaker to his wife--a role for which he felt unprepared. He wrote in memory of the very special woman his wife had been—a wonderful mother, charming and gracious, as well as a deeply respected psychotherapist. She was also his best friend, and he loved her. So, to some degree, this is a love story—a story about two people who have shared life's ups and downs for over fifty years. It's also about commitment.

In Close to Me, but Far Away, Wheeler provides insight into what a caregiver's day is like, as he shares his most intimate thoughts with us. The book provides a window into the author's personal life as he seeks to confront his own ineptitude and the occasional despair he feels as he deals daily with Alzheimer's. He also touches on the question of what keeps him going through times of exhaustion and frustration. Part of his answer lies in holding tenaciously to memories, and part lies in what he believes is a human's extraordinary capacity to continue plodding along simply because he must. Wheeler also believes in rejoicing in the beauty that can be experienced, and he believes in humor, humor achieved only by distancing ourselves from the events that so deeply engage us. And, of course, there is also the indefinable nature of love.

Alzheimer's is a terrifying and horrible disease, as much for loved ones as for the patient. Those who are caregivers or friends of Alzheimer's patients or caregivers will empathize with Burton Wheeler's story. And some might receive comfort from his words or learn from him. Because Alzheimer's is a disease that could affect anyone, Close to Me, but Far Away is a story that should be read by all.

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The Complete Cardinal Guide to Planning for and Living in Retirement
Hans "John" Scheil
Tupelo Press, 2016
The financial complexities we face in retirement can be daunting. The landscape of Social Security, Medicare, insurance, benefits, investments, and planning for long-term care presents many choices, challenges, and opportunities. The Complete Cardinal Guide gives you the tools you need to understand how to make informed decisions that are right for you. The purpose of this book is to guide you through the major retirement options that retirees face. It explains simple and effective strategies you can put in place now, with the help of professionals, to make your retirement financially successful. Author and founder of Cardinal Retirement Planning Hans “John” Scheil, a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL®), calls upon his 40 years of experience in the business to answer the following questions in depth, and he illustrates each with real-life stories: At what age should I start receiving my Social Security check?, What’s the best way to supplement my Medicare coverage?, Can I receive long-term care and stay at home? How do I afford it? ,How should I handle my IRA and/or 401k accounts?, What’s a smart investment strategy for financing my retirement years?, How do my income taxes change after I retire?, What if I live longer than my retirement savings last?, What’s the best way to transfer my life insurance and other assets to my children and grandchildren?, How do I ensure my survivors are OK after I die?,How should I approach choosing financial and legal professionals to help me plan my retirement?
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The Complete Cardinal Guide to Planning for and Living in Retirement Workbook
Hans "John" Scheil
Tupelo Press, 2017
In 2016, Leapfolio published the Complete Cardinal Guide to Planning for and Living in Retirement. The Guide provides an overview of the major problems that retirees face and the simple strategies they can implement to make their retirement financially successful. The Guide fulfilled Cardinal’s expectations and proved to be a success, as they sold or distributed more than 6,000 copies in the past year. But they also learned that the Guide isn’t quite sufficient by itself. So they’ve created this Workbook to offer additional examples of real-life situations, products, and strategies, and guidance to help people prepare to discuss retirement planning with a professional advisor.
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Coyote at the Kitchen Door
Living with Wildlife in Suburbia
Stephen DeStefano
Harvard University Press, 2010

A moose frustrates commuters by wandering onto the highway; a cougar stalks his prey through suburban backyards; an alligator suns himself in a strip mall parking lot. Such stories, which regularly make headline news, highlight the blurred divide that now exists between civilization and wilderness.

In Coyote at the Kitchen Door, Stephen DeStefano draws on decades of experience as a biologist and conservationist to examine the interplay between urban sprawl and wayward wildlife. As he explores what our insatiable appetite for real estate means for the health and well-being of animals and ourselves, he highlights growing concerns, such as the loss of darkness at night because of light pollution. DeStefano writes movingly about the contrasts between constructed and natural environments and about the sometimes cherished, sometimes feared place that nature holds in our modern lives, as we cluster into cities yet show an increasing interest in the natural world.

Woven throughout the book is the story of one of the most successful species in North America: the coyote. Once restricted to the prairies of the West, this adaptable animal now inhabits most of North America—urban and wild alike. DeStefano traces a female coyote’s movements along a winding path between landscapes in which her species learned to survive and flourish. Coyote at the Kitchen Door asks us to rethink the meaning of progress and create a new suburban wildlife ethic.

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