Encore tells the stories of Ryder, Speedling, Chambers, and other encore career pioneers who are not content, or affluent enough, to spend their next thirty years on a golf course. These men and women are moving beyond midlife careers yet refusing to phase out or fade away. They are searching for a calling in the second half of life, crafting a new phase of work that offers not only continued income but the promise of more meaning - and the chance to do work that means something beyond themselves. As their numbers swell, these individuals stand to transform the nature of work in America. They also hold the potential to create a society that balances the joys and responsibilities of contribution across the generations - in other words, one that works better for al of us.
Marc Freedman is founder and CEO of Civic Ventures. A former visiting fellow of King's College, University of London, a frequent commentator in the national media, and the author of both Prime Time and The Kindness of Strangers, Freedman spearheaded the creation of The Experience Corps and The Purpose Prize. He lives in San Francisco.