By Galen Holley

Daily Journal

TUPELO - A native Southerner who achieved much success in the fields of business and journalism visited Tupelo this week to promote his newest book about retirement.

James Autry, former president of the magazine division of the Meredith Corporation, which publishes "Better Homes and Gardens" and "Ladies' Home Journal," among others, signed copies of his latest book Thursday at Reeds' Gum Tree Bookstore.

Autry described his book, "The Spirit of Retirement: Creating a Life of Meaning and Personal Growth," as a recommendation not to view retirement solely in terms of money.

" 'Retirement' is essentially used an economic term, not a life term," said Autry, who wants to use the book to help change the way people talk about later life. "Retirement is one of the hardest and most widely misunderstood things in the world."

The visit was a homecoming for Autry. Although he now resides in Iowa, he was born in Memphis and still has family in Benton and Tippah counties.

After graduating from Ole Miss and serving in the Air Force, Autry began his career as a newspaper writer in Tennessee. He started at the Meredith Corp. in 1960 and worked his way up to overseeing a $500 million operation.

One of many

"The Spirit of Retirement" is Autry's 10th book in series that includes insights about business, leadership and spirituality. But his prose isn't the standard jargon of corporate America.

Not many office memos contain iambic pentameter and free verse.

"Management has an emotional side that lends itself to poetry," said Autry, adding that his first book, "Nights Under a Tin Roof" was a collection of his verse stylings. A number of his subsequent books, such as "Love and Profit: The Art of Caring and Leadership," are interspersed with poetry.

Since retiring in 1991 Autry has settled down with his wife, Sally Pederson, former lieutenant governor of Iowa, but his intellectual curiosity and need to be productive haven't ebbed. That, he said, is partly what the book is about.

He said life has taught him that work brings tremendous meaning to people's lives, and those who make the smoothest transition to retirement are those who immerse themselves in volunteerism and other meaningful endeavors.

"It's important throughout one's life to work at creating a life of meaning, which includes one's occupation," said Autry. "That helps make retirement less of a seminal event and more of a natural progression."

Contact Daily Journal religion editor Galen Holley at 678-1510 or galen.holley@djournal.com.