KEEP MOVING

Dick Van Dyke is a Hollywood icon and New York Times bestselling author of My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business. He has received the Theatre World Award, a Tony, a Grammy, and four Emmy awards, as well as the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013. He lives in California.

“Van Dyke tells a wonderful story about himself and his times. And — in an often surprisingly relevant manner — our times. We’ve always liked the performer — it’s hard not to like Dick Van Dyke — but this will make you admire him.”—Playbill

“In my opinion, ‘Luck’ has little to do with Dick Van Dyke’s life. It is, rather, his innate kindness and talent that have had an extraordinary effect in shaping the man. And what a fascinating self-portrait he’s given us in this book.”—Mary Tyler Moore

1. Even though Dick Van Dyke is nearly ninety years old, he says he does not act or even feel old. How do you think a positive outlook can affect your behavior? Do you agree with Dick that there is no need to “act your age”?

2. Dick speaks briefly about how his father was “genetically poised to live a long life,” and yet dies at seventy-six. How do you think his father’s outlook differed from Dick’s? How is his father’s death revisited when Dick is fighting for his own life? Which of Dick’s other family members influenced him profoundly?

3. Dick has described himself as a “worrier,” but in his older years, he says that his worrying has been a “waste of time.” Why should older people worry less, in Dick’s opinion?

4. Dick and his brother Jerry have both followed similar paths in life, yet Jerry has a more pessimistic attitude towards aging. Consider Jerry’s thoughts on the dog Rocky’s health. In what way is Jerry’s attitude towards Rocky ironic?

5. Dick reveals that he has been asked to perform several times on “Dancing with The Stars.” Why does he refuse?

6. Which tips in this book can be adapted universally for healthy aging? Does Dick provide any advice that would benefit only a few?

7. How do you think this book will benefit an aging demographic? Do you think Dick’s thoughts and advice on aging will help younger readers prepare for old age?

8. How did the philosophy of “Keep Moving” influence Dick’s life following Michelle’s death?

9. Dick’s lighthearted narrative takes a more serious term when he speaks about his encounters with ageism. Have you seen ageism elsewhere in literature? Has there been a time in your life where you encountered ageism?

10. Having been born in the 1920s, Dick has seen a great deal of history unfold. How does his connection to history influence his conviction that the young should communicate more with the old?