--- product_id: 521045977 title: "The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man" price: "671265₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/521045977-the-book-of-charlie-wisdom-from-the-remarkable-american-life store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man **Price:** 671265₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man - **How much does it cost?** 671265₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/521045977-the-book-of-charlie-wisdom-from-the-remarkable-american-life) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description One of our nation’s most prominent writers discovers the truth about how to live a long and happy life from the centenarian next door in this “original and highly readable account of a splendid American life” ( The Wall Street Journal ). When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship—and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlie’s sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the desertcart as a guest of Peru’s president. David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlie’s resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change. As a gift to his children, he set out to tell Charlie’s secrets. The Book of Charlie is a “genuinely original, formula-shattering” (Bob Woodward) gospel of grit—the inspiring story of one man’s journey through a century of upheaval. The history that unfolds through Charlie’s story reminds you that the United States has always been a divided nation, a questing nation—a nation of Charlies in the rollercoaster pursuit of a good and meaningful life. Review: A remarkable life lived in a remarkable century! - Sydney M. Williams The Book of Charlie, David Von Drehle August 27, 2023 “Throughout his life, Charlie never imagined things to be any worse – or any better – than they really were, for he had learned at an early age that life is never as sure as we might think, nor as hopeless as it might appear.” The Book of Charlie, 2023 David Von Drehle (1961-) This is not about Charles I, II, or III. It is not about Charles Martel, or John Steinbeck’s Poodle. It is about an ordinary man and his extraordinary life. It is also a history of the changes that transformed people’s lives during the Twentieth Century, told through the life of Dr. Charles Herbert White. If you get an adrenalin rush when your plane goes ‘wheels up,’ if you thrill to a train whistle in the night, or if you the open road says to you, adventure!, you will love the story of this man on his way to 109. Von Drehle begins by noting that his children once asked him to write a book just for them. He was stymied, felt incapable. The world had advanced so much from when he grew up. What lessons could he impart? Then one summer morning, in 2007, he opened the door of the house he and his family had just moved into in Kansas City. Across the road was an elderly man washing a car, his girlfriend’s car, a plum-colored Chrysler PT Cruiser. Charlie was bare-chested, dressed in old swimming trunks. He was 102. He was a remarkable man, Charlie: “He had decided many years earlier how he would face the world…He understood that, whether we sail to a new continent or simply travel from one day to the next, we are always headed into the unknown. Charlie had learned to treat the unknown as a friend…” Born in Galesburg, Illinois, Charlie grew up in Kansas City at a time of disruptive innovation. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 song “Kansas City,” originally sung by Gene Nelson in Oklahoma, was about that change. The show was based on Oklahoma becoming a state in 1907, two years after Charlie’s birth. The lyrics illustrate what his formative years witnessed: “Everything’s up to date in Kansas City; They’ve gone about as fer as they can go. They went and built a skyscraper seven stories high, About as high as a building ought to grow.” When Charlie was eleven his father, a minister, was killed in a freak elevator accident in one of those buildings. His mother, to make ends meet, took in borders, some of whom were doctors, which decided Charlie on a career in medicine. Musical, as well as adventuresome – his trip to Los Angeles in a Model T Ford with two friends in 1923, and his return by hopping freight cars is worth the price of the book – he taught himself the Saxophone and played it to pay his way through Northwestern Medical School. As a doctor in World War II, he studied and then, in private practice, pioneered the field of anesthesiology. As for his long life, Von Drehle writes: “Charlie accepted his fortune and lived in the moment.” “What began among the horses and wagons of Galesburg, Illinois,” the author writes, “more than a century earlier, came to a close in a world transformed.” His book is a beautiful rendition of a long life well lived. Review: Mildly entertaining - A friend recommended this, and we are both natives of Kansas City. I was interested in whatever history of the city I might learn. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it (not much KC history). Charlie was an interesting character who had gone through some pretty unusual and potentially devastating experiences in his young life, then chose a career that demanded his full time and attention, and still he managed to maintain a positive outlook throughout his 109 years. Von Drehle is an excellent story-teller and writer. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #35,476 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #92 in U.S. State & Local History #129 in United States Biographies #182 in Happiness Self-Help | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,280 Reviews | ## Images ![The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/712Btc+fSnL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A remarkable life lived in a remarkable century! *by S***S on August 27, 2023* Sydney M. Williams The Book of Charlie, David Von Drehle August 27, 2023 “Throughout his life, Charlie never imagined things to be any worse – or any better – than they really were, for he had learned at an early age that life is never as sure as we might think, nor as hopeless as it might appear.” The Book of Charlie, 2023 David Von Drehle (1961-) This is not about Charles I, II, or III. It is not about Charles Martel, or John Steinbeck’s Poodle. It is about an ordinary man and his extraordinary life. It is also a history of the changes that transformed people’s lives during the Twentieth Century, told through the life of Dr. Charles Herbert White. If you get an adrenalin rush when your plane goes ‘wheels up,’ if you thrill to a train whistle in the night, or if you the open road says to you, adventure!, you will love the story of this man on his way to 109. Von Drehle begins by noting that his children once asked him to write a book just for them. He was stymied, felt incapable. The world had advanced so much from when he grew up. What lessons could he impart? Then one summer morning, in 2007, he opened the door of the house he and his family had just moved into in Kansas City. Across the road was an elderly man washing a car, his girlfriend’s car, a plum-colored Chrysler PT Cruiser. Charlie was bare-chested, dressed in old swimming trunks. He was 102. He was a remarkable man, Charlie: “He had decided many years earlier how he would face the world…He understood that, whether we sail to a new continent or simply travel from one day to the next, we are always headed into the unknown. Charlie had learned to treat the unknown as a friend…” Born in Galesburg, Illinois, Charlie grew up in Kansas City at a time of disruptive innovation. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 song “Kansas City,” originally sung by Gene Nelson in Oklahoma, was about that change. The show was based on Oklahoma becoming a state in 1907, two years after Charlie’s birth. The lyrics illustrate what his formative years witnessed: “Everything’s up to date in Kansas City; They’ve gone about as fer as they can go. They went and built a skyscraper seven stories high, About as high as a building ought to grow.” When Charlie was eleven his father, a minister, was killed in a freak elevator accident in one of those buildings. His mother, to make ends meet, took in borders, some of whom were doctors, which decided Charlie on a career in medicine. Musical, as well as adventuresome – his trip to Los Angeles in a Model T Ford with two friends in 1923, and his return by hopping freight cars is worth the price of the book – he taught himself the Saxophone and played it to pay his way through Northwestern Medical School. As a doctor in World War II, he studied and then, in private practice, pioneered the field of anesthesiology. As for his long life, Von Drehle writes: “Charlie accepted his fortune and lived in the moment.” “What began among the horses and wagons of Galesburg, Illinois,” the author writes, “more than a century earlier, came to a close in a world transformed.” His book is a beautiful rendition of a long life well lived. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mildly entertaining *by W***E on May 29, 2025* A friend recommended this, and we are both natives of Kansas City. I was interested in whatever history of the city I might learn. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it (not much KC history). Charlie was an interesting character who had gone through some pretty unusual and potentially devastating experiences in his young life, then chose a career that demanded his full time and attention, and still he managed to maintain a positive outlook throughout his 109 years. Von Drehle is an excellent story-teller and writer. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very pleased with this purchase! *by P***, on January 13, 2026* David Von Drehle renders a marvelous volume! The Story of Charlie is inspiring, enthralling, and challenging--all in one! The actual "story" of Charlie almost brought me to tears. Von Drehle reminds us that "resilience" is still in fashion, and the "size" is usually adjustable to the person needing it. I absolutely love this book. I'll be buying copies for friends, and their children. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/521045977-the-book-of-charlie-wisdom-from-the-remarkable-american-life](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/521045977-the-book-of-charlie-wisdom-from-the-remarkable-american-life) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-14*