Dr. Andrea Gilats, Ph.D. Photo: University of Minnesota Press

By Haley Brickner - Boreal Community Media - June 5, 2025

On June 7, author and educator Andrea Gilats, Ph.D., will speak about her latest book, Radical Endurance: Aging Well with Courage and Class (University of Minnesota Press, 2024), at Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais. The event offers a chance to hear directly from the author about her reflections on growing older with strength, self-compassion, and joy.

Gilats brings a rich and varied background to her writing. With a BFA in drawing and painting and nearly three decades of experience directing lifelong learning programs at the University of Minnesota, Gilats transitioned into writing later in life. Radical Endurance is her third book, following earlier titles on grief and yoga. “My reason for writing is to connect, to share, and to hopefully lift one’s spirits,” she said in a recent interview with Boreal Community Media.

The inspiration for Radical Endurance came from a personal turning point just before her 75th birthday. “I suddenly realized I was moving from being older to being old,” she recalled. “And I struggled with that.” The book reflects her desire to redefine aging not as decline, but as a new phase rich with freedom, creativity, and self-defined health.

Gilats challenges ageism directly, encouraging readers to resist stereotypes around getting older. She points out that ageism is so deeply woven into our culture that many people don’t even recognize when they’re experiencing or perpetuating it. “We can resist ageist behavior by gently calling it out,” she said. “And by not being guilty of it ourselves.” 

This need to recognize and push back against ageism also ties closely to what Gilats sees as a broader societal responsibility: fostering inclusion and belonging for people of all ages. Inclusivity, she believes, should be a guiding principle for how we care for one another as we age.

To support well-being in later life, Gilats encourages a holistic approach that includes movement and creativity. A longtime yoga teacher, she credits gentle practices like yoga with helping to maintain mental and physical health. “Yoga is a pathway toward peace of mind,” she said. “It keeps your mind focused, and that’s a beautiful way to stay healthy.” She notes that even light physical activity can have a powerful impact, and that some form of movement is essential as we age. Equally important, she says, is staying mentally engaged through creativity and learning. “We are all born to be creative,” she said, describing even small acts like working a puzzle or tending a garden as meaningful forms of mental engagement and joy.

The core message of Radical Endurance is one of both realism and optimism. Aging, she explains, brings new uncertainties—but it also opens the door to freedom. Freed from many of life’s earlier responsibilities, older adults can find space to create a life that feels rich and fulfilling. “We have the ability within ourselves to define whether we’re living our healthiest life,” she said. “We are more vulnerable than we used to be,” she added, “but even with that, it is possible to be very, very happy in old age.”

Andrea will present at Drury Lane Books on June 7 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Learn more here.