When columnist David Von Drehle and his family moved to the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, in 2007, he met his neighbor, Charlie White, who at that point was 102 and still going strong. This book chronicles Charlie's life against the backdrop of the twentieth century and its revolutionary changes in science, technology, medicine, and culture. Born in 1905, Charlie learned early on about the unexpected chaos of life. His father died in a tragic accident, leading his mother to take in boarders to earn money. Some were missionary healers, who inspired Charlie to pursue a career in medicine. Charlie began his medical career in a time before penicillin, when removing a patient's tonsils was still the cure for many ailments. Von Drehle tells Charlie's history interspersed with background on concurrent major events and historical figures. Throughout the book, he highlights lessons from Charlie's experiences: resilience, lifelong learning, and appreciation for the current moment. The Book of Charlie looks at universal truths through the lens of one man's long life.