When Toni Morrison died on Aug. 5, the world lost one of its most influential literary voices.

But Morrison wasn't a literary wunderkind. "The Bluest Eye," Morrison's first novel, wasn't published until she was 39. And her last, "God Help the Child," appeared when she was 84. Morrison published four novels, four children's books, many essays and other works of nonfiction after the age of 70.

Morrison isn't unique in this regard. Numerous writers produce significant work well into their 70s, 80s and even their 90s. Herman Wouk, for example, was 97 when he published his final novel, "The Lawgiver."

Such literary feats underscore an important point: Age doesn't seem to diminish our capacity to speak, write and learn new vocabulary. Our eyesight may dim and our recall may falter, but, by comparison, our ability to produce and to comprehend language is well preserved into older adulthood.

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