Ageing Well by James Middleton Murray is a unique how-to book on losing weight ... well sort of. It’s really a how-to book on eating healthy and exercising regularly—losing weight is a by-product of the two and not necessarily the only result of the diet and exercise advice offered in the book. Following knee replacement surgery on both knees, Mr. Murray knew he had to lose weight and he needed to get back in shape, or everything he’d gone through prior to the surgery would have been for naught.

In his first book, Mr. Murray has scored a hit that very few first time authors can claim. I mentioned Ageing Well as unique because the author’s narrative lacks the professional medical jargon and platitudes many authors of these kinds of books use. Instead, the reader is treated to a down to earth, next door neighbor conversation style discussion the ins and outs of proper diet and exercise to live longer and healthier. Between the nitty-gritty that Mr. Murray carefully explains, he often jumps on a side road to tell you of a life experience or personal story that may or may not have direct implications to the topic at hand. After personal experience, and as a long-time resident of Europe with many trips to the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, I can fully vouch for the Mediterranean diet discussed in Ageing Well; it’s my primary diet. If you want to live longer, healthier and happy, read this book, follow the advice offered by Mr. Murray. You and your loved ones will be glad you did.

Ageing Well is based on James Middleton Murray’s experiences of avoidable ill-health plus the stories of some of his relations and friends, many of whom died prematurely. He was sixty-nine at the time of writing this book and had been shocked two years previously by excessive weight gain. He also discovered that his blood pressure and cholesterol levels left him in danger of developing type two diabetes. Previously proud of his physique, painful knee replacements caused him to reassess his lifestyle. In Ageing Well, he shares his personal story in detail, together with his extensive research into the basis of every change he has made. He sets out a programme of action that has worked for him, backed by daily affirmations, which are designed to motivate the reader into attaining good health, improved memory, and extended quality-life expectancy.

I approached Ageing Well with great interest; James Middleton Murray suggests that his programme is not necessarily for the elderly. Embarking on it at any age is a plus: children living in a home where adults follow its precepts are likely to be adopt a healthy lifestyle. Many of Mr Murray’s suggestions are predictable: eat more vegetables, drink two litres of water daily, and alcohol in moderation. The argument against illegal drugs is indisputable. I am concerned about Mr Murray’s encouragement to cease relying on prescription drugs. With the agreement of doctors, yes: based only on his research it should be considered extremely carefully; necessary drugs save lives. The secret of achieving the health benefits, of which Mr Murray is living proof, lies in the affirmation: set a goal and write it in the PRESENT TENSE, as if it was already achieved. However, it is necessary to understand the incredible changes that can be made possible and I recommend that you read Ageing Well at least once.

Ageing Well was written for both males and females on a subject that is important to both: how to stay healthy, feel fit and live to a ripe old age. But the audience who will most identify with James Middleton Murray's style and outlook on life is definitely middle-aged to older men, or as he would call them, "blokes." Why? Because Murray writes as he most likely talks, man to man or bloke to bloke over a beer or two on a Saturday afternoon at an Aussie pub. As one reads and conjures up a visual image of the author, the picture that comes to mind is very much that of the one illustrated on the colorful cover of Ageing Well: a somewhat muscly, but once overweight bloke who is opinionated, but only because he believes so firmly in what he's saying, and who is, above all else, positive and really quite funny.

As a young man, Murray had prided himself on his toned, fit body that obviously appealed to the ladies, and by the sounds of what he writes in his intro about the females in his life, his virility and charm were important to his self-esteem. If you skip those several pages of intro, you'll miss one of the most enjoyable parts of Ageing Well. But after some career setbacks that Murray tried to deal with by overindulgence in alcohol, he ballooned to a very unhealthy 106 kilos that came with the usual dangerous issues: high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Carrying all that weight around also took a toll on his knees, long ago damaged from jogging on hard surfaces. Thankfully, following the advice of his doctor for a double knee replacement, during which time Murray's weight began to drop, once recovered from the surgery, he embarked on the eating and exercise program he espouses in Ageing Well. Today he is intent on living life to the fullest with the help of his much younger wife who, incidentally, contributes some great healthy recipes for all who read this book.

Much of what Murray has to share is found in the popular eat and get well books on the market today, and at the end of Ageing Well, the author includes a list of the books he referenced. But why this book will appeal a lot more to others like Murray is the first-hand, very conversational style he uses, that "bloke to bloke" way he has of getting his points across. He shoots straight from the hip when it comes to staying healthy, and he's absolutely right in what he suggests readers do. He also doesn't hold back on the nitty-gritty, especially when it comes to the effects of weight and lack of exercise on a guy's sex life. That latter aspect will prompt female readers to smile. But it will make male readers think twice about the subject that sometimes means more to them than their health. And it shouldn't, because as Murray reminds us, if you don't have health, it's pretty hard to enjoy sex!