The Fifth Season
Creativity in the Second Half of Life
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The Fifth Season
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Narrated by:
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Mark Nepo
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By:
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Mark Nepo
About this listen
Now in his seventies, poet and philosopher Mark Nepo explores the rhythms of aging in the second half of life.
As the years go by, the question for each of us becomes more and more real: What does it mean to age? Despite the limitations that come as the body wears down, Mark Nepo believes that there are many gifts to inhabit by aging. So much is gained and so much is shed along the way.
As Mark began to reflect on the gifts and challenges of this process we’re all immersed in, he realized, more than ever, that we are called to live a creative life as we age. We are led to what the Chinese call “the fifth season”—that moment in late summer when the glare of the sun fades so that we can see clearly the true colors around us.
The Fifth Season offers Mark’s wise and gentle insights on growing older, helping listeners identify the second half of life as a turning point, a time of integration and transformation that guides us in making sense of our experiences. All seasons lead to this season; all experiences lead to this understanding of experience.
In truth, Mark writes, we each must face living and dying from the inside of the one life we are given. But we can share the journey, which is the purpose of this book, to be a companion in your effort to enter the fifth season of your life.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press Essentials.
©2025 Mark Nepo (P)2025 Macmillan AudioCritic reviews
"Mark Nepo has a gift. Once again, he combines insight, perspective, and poetry with such propulsive force that it lifts the soul. I will pull this book off my shelf again and again." —Melinda French Gates
"In much of our world, aging is thought of as a disease to avoid. But as Mark Nepo beautifully shows, aging can be a process of transformation and expansion. The Fifth Season is an essential guidebook for how to explore your inner world, embrace the many gifts of aging, and live more fully." —Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
"The path of becoming an elder is a sacred one. Aging, like dying, cannot be avoided—though our youth might believe otherwise. Mark’s invitation to age in a sweet, sacred, and conscious way is a delight, as he encourages us to closely examine our gifts, our myths, and to walk this path with courage. He illuminates the wisdom that cannot be forced, but only reveals itself with time. This book reminds those in the aging chapter of life that they are valuable and valued. What an incredible journey he has mapped out, weaving together the wisdom of so many wise elders. Want to feel good about aging? Read The Fifth Season." —Rev. Dr. Michelle Wadleigh, author of Shadow Work
“Illuminating, encouraging, heartening: a hymn to aging that is grounded in simplicity as well as truth. I am thrilled and inspired by it.” —Dr Stephanie Dowrick, Ph.D., D.Min, author of Your name is not Anxious