Based on responses to a questionnaire and interviews with 327 faculty from research universities, liberal arts colleges, a comprehensive university, British universities, and a longitudinal study concerning the transition to retirement, this study examines academic retirement experiences. An introductory chapter gives background information on the evolution and methodology of the study. The second chapter examines the process of preparing for retirement, including professors' feelings about approaching retirement, perceived changes in behavior of colleagues and students, retirement timing, and reactions to institutional retirement plans. Chapter 3 looks at the decision of where to live after retirement and explores reasons for staying in or leaving the pre-retirement community. The fourth chapter describes professors' evaluations of the retirement experience, positive and negative, and offers suggestions for others who are soon to retire. Two subsequent chapters examine activity patterns in retirement, ranging from continued professional activities such as teaching, research, creative work, consulting, or working in professional organizations to leisure and nonprofessional service activities. Interinstitutional and cross-national comparisons are made throughout. The final chapter examines common themes and patterns, with implications for faculty development and use of older faculty. (MSE)