73 is a collection of revealing short stories tackling head on the reality that when old age hits you can either fall down or hit back. That's the essential theme of the book, facing up to the difficulties of growing older and staying actively involved in the flow of life rather than idling on the sidelines.

The stories in 73 are funny and heartbreaking and every emotion in between. The characters ring true: older readers will know they aren't alone with their feelings and experiences; younger readers will realize their parents and grandparents aren't completely nuts!

It's clear that the author, Howard Englander, has no interest in early bird specials. In a culture that regards people in their seventies like old cars ready for the junk heap, his heroes and heroines refuse to look at the odometer. "I want readers to know and feel what it's like to grow old, struggling to resist becoming irrelevant in a youth-oriented society. How do you maintain your self-esteem after your career comes to a close and you've moved your desk from the corner office to a corner of the converted second bedroom?" Englander says. "That's the challenge."

What stands out is the cumulative impact of the twenty stories taken as a whole - the realization of just how precious life is and the importance of living every moment to the fullest. Readers can buy the book on-line by going to amazon.com.

Englander is currently working on a follow-up to 73, entitled 75.