The "Third Part" of Life

Li ZenghongHeilongjiang Northeast Digital Publishing & Media Co., Ltd. · ChinaSep 2025

2.3

Word count: 114K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

This book challenges the notion that retirement means decline and focuses on the possibilities of life's "third act." With the first two acts as groundwork, it draws on examples such as Jane Fonda and Momofuku Ando to show that one can reinvent oneself after retirement. More than a guide to later life, it encourages readers to break through age limits, plan their third act, and achieve fulfillment and happiness. It is suited to anyone attentive to the later stages of life.

Editor's review

This book's value lies in recasting "retirement" from an endpoint into a starting point. Framing life as a "third act" and treating the first two as groundwork, the author draws on figures such as Jane Fonda and Momofuku Ando to show that one can still reinvent oneself and keep creating value after retirement. It is not a simple guide to old age but a recalibration of how we think about age: it neither dodges the limits of body and reality nor treats age as a reason to stop growing. The writing balances encouragement with planning, suited to readers who need a sense of direction at a life transition. By opening up the possibilities of the "third act," the book helps readers turn vague anxiety about later life into a concrete life design. Read it as a mirror: consider which constraints come from outside and which from self-imposed limits, then draw actionable cues from the examples. The overall tone is positive without being glib—a useful reminder for replanning life after midlife.

Who it's for

A good fit for

People about to retire or recently retired who want to redesign the rhythm of their lives
Middle-aged readers who want to think ahead about the direction and focus of life's second half
Readers sensitive to age anxiety who need a positive perspective to adjust their mindset
Those who care about quality of life in old age and are willing to actively design their later years

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic pension policy or financial planning tools
Those who prefer rigorous academic argument and have little patience for inspirational writing
People in serious health or caregiving difficulties who need professional medical guidance

Reading tips

Start with the chapter in the table of contents defining the "third act" to grasp the book's framework before moving to the examples.
When reading cases such as Jane Fonda and Momofuku Ando, jot down insights that correspond to your own situation.
After each chapter, write one sentence about a small thing you could try in your own "third act."
Read it with family or peers and discuss the changing roles that come with retirement.

About the publisher

Heilongjiang Northeast Digital Publishing & Media Co., Ltd. China · Founded in 2012

Heilongjiang Northeast Digital Publishing & Media Co., Ltd. has long worked in digital publishing and general-interest reading. Public information about the company is limited, but its 432 in-house titles indicate a diverse publishing profile. Health books emphasize practical use, such as Easy-to-Apply Traditional Chinese Medicine Remedies. History and urban culture are represented by titles including Reading Cities: Decoding the World's Historic and Cultural Cities and Coal Town Memories: The Golden Years of Northeast China. Biography and figures titles include Run Run Shaw: Meticulous in All Matters, Diligent and Dedicated and Cao Cao: A Biography. The list also covers Eastern philosophy, social fiction and fortune-telling, as seen in Mindset for Breaking Through and A Century of Hutongs. Authors such as Liu Zhidan, Xu Ran, Ni Baozhen and Xing Yuanchao form part of its author resources, giving the press a profile that stays close to general readers and balances knowledge with readability.

版权信息
前言
上篇人生第一部
一、第一部宣言
中篇人生第二部
二、第二次宣言
下篇人生第三部
三、第三部宣言
四、60岁——真正自由的选择
五、重新选择的智慧
六、向死而生的挑战
七、精神的寄托
八、“玩”出生命精彩
九、逆转生命之大观

FAQ

Is this book mainly about retirement planning or about adjusting mindset?

Both, but the emphasis is on a shift in perception. It first breaks the fixed notion that "retirement means decline," then uses examples of people to show that one can still reinvent oneself after retirement, and goes on to guide readers in planning the direction of their "third act." Mindset is the starting point, concrete planning the endpoint; treat it as a thinking framework rather than an operations manual.

Is it meaningful for younger readers who are not retired to read this book?

Yes. The book discusses the division of life stages and breaking through age limits; younger readers can use it to think ahead about the focus of life's second half and reduce anxiety about age. However, most examples center on post-retirement situations, so younger readers need to adapt them to their current stage rather than copy them directly.

Are the examples in the book the author's personal experiences?

According to the materials, the book uses public figures such as Jane Fonda and Momofuku Ando to support its points; these are not records of the author's personal experience. Readers should treat these cases as inspirational references rather than replicable templates for success, and adapt them to their own circumstances.

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About the author

Li Zenghong Author · Chinese · 1952

Li Zenghong, born on September 6, 1952 in Shuangcheng, Heilongjiang Province, is a self-taught specialist in internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine and a psychologist. He is chief health education expert at the Heilongjiang Health Society and an advocate of self-healing medicine. Long focused on where health and psychology meet, he has published 31 works collected in the library, spanning health, medicine, applied psychology, and inspirational growth. His writing is known for making practical knowledge accessible, translating ideas such as TCM health preservation, body-constitution identification, and balance and moderation into everyday methods ordinary readers can apply. Representative works include Du (Degree), Self-Care for Insomnia, Self-Healing Therapy for Depression, Know Your Body Constitution Before Pursuing Health, and The Golden Section of Health: Health Preservation Lies in Balance and Moderation. Other titles, such as Ten Major Misconceptions About Health Preservation and Treating Illness, Are You Happy?, and Play: A Transcendent State of Life, address happiness and life philosophy. Public information on his biography is limited, but his subjects show a commitment to combining medicine with psychological adjustment to help readers improve sleep, mood, and lifestyle.