For many of us, turning to a good book can bring comfort when times are tough and wisdom when confusion is rampant. And as we get older, none of us knows precisely what will happen to our bodies or minds. While we may have been at the side of loved ones as they’ve grown old, we’ve never been precisely the age we are now, so turning to learned authors and experts is one way to scope out what may lay ahead.

And from some recent articles, you’ll see that there are plenty of books to turn to. For those looking for positive inspiration on how to make the most of your later years, author Nicci Gerrard, a journalist with extensive knowledge of dementia, offers up several inspirational titles in a recent article in The Guardian. Or, take a look at the recent piece by editor Rosa Inocencio Smith from the Atlantic, who highlights a number of book recommendations dealing with such topics as menopause and invisibility in older women and what she calls “an existential reading list” for middle-aged men.

Perhaps the most provocative recent review of relevant literature comes from essayist Arthur Krystal, writing in The New Yorker, in an article titled, “Why We Can’t Tell the Truth About Aging: A long life is a gift. But will we really be grateful for it? (You can also listen to an audio version of the article.) Krystal muses about the spate of books offering the upside of aging yet suggests that these optimistic narratives of pro-aging writers don’t, “line up with the dark story told by the human body.” Or, maybe these writers have learned a lesson from their work: no one wants to read about the perils and pitfalls of aging, so better to spin a positive narrative of what’s to come.

But for those who don’t want to know what’s to come, good or bad, and would rather turn to books to escape and immerse yourself in another world, pull out your Kindle and read the Guardian’s recent list of the 100 best books of the 21st century.