Tag Archive: Aging
Two Old Broads: Stuff You Need to Know That You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know by Dr. M. E. Hecht
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had high hopes for this book. After all, Whoopi. Need I say more? I hoped for sassy and smart. And I hoped she’d do her own narration. Instead, listed for narration are Devon O’Day and Jackie Schlicher. I don’t know that I heard two different people. They both sounded like teens to thirty years old and spoke without a feeling of relating to the information given.
About that information. We old broads already know most of the suggestions given. We’ve lived long enough to figure it out. The author didn’t get how those with disabilities and low income can follow much of that advice.
Okay, there might be a thing or two to learn, but I wish there were far more discussions about aging while female.
I can remember reading everything about menstruation at twelve. I couldn’t get enough of pregnancy and giving birth. We did have Our Bodies Ourselves to learn about our biology and psychology. But then we are left in a desert of drying parts. Try figuring out what your private bits should look or feel like after a certain age. Go ahead Google it! All you find is a bunch of porn. Not helpful!
So I guess I’m happy someone has done something. Please more. And if Whoopi, please let it be Whoopi!!!!
The Delany Sisters’ Book of Everyday Wisdom by Sarah L. Delany
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m so behind on my reviews. Sorry. I finished this over a week ago. It was my hardback read. At least it didn’t take nearly a year like my last ‘real’ book. I think the font, paper color, size of page worked out pretty well for my crazy eyes. And I loved the sisters and their stories.
How does one live so long as the Delany Sisters? (Well over the century mark.) They tell us what they think works, at least for them. They even include their favorite recipes from soap to cobblers. Since I don’t like to cook, those weren’t for me but other readers will love that. My favorite parts were reading how the sisters related to each other, their family and the world at large.
Since it was an easy read for me, it will be quite a fast one for those with better eyes. Maybe you’ll glean some good advice for your own life.
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A friend recommended this book to me. She and I are fascinated by languages. I think that was why she thought I would love this book. She was right.
I went looking for the book on Amazon and found the Kindle version a bit too pricey for my book budget. So I went to Audible and found I had a credit sitting there waiting for me to use. I was so glad I did! Suzanne Toren is a great voice for Aaliya Saleh, the woman living alone in Beirut, Lebanon.
Look, this book wasn’t nail-biting excitement or in anyway stress inducing. But I loved hanging out with Saleh. This is the reason I love books. It is a chance to travel to other places and get inside other people’s heads. This book is a perfect example of both of those. And it left me wanting to start doing my own translations for my own edification. I have plenty of books in other languages. I plan to pull out a notebook and just get busy.
I want to read this again and have the Kindle version to read along with the Audio. It helps me internalize the story better. Even so, the narrator kept the story very interesting and age appropriate. By the way, the fun of this book was it was about an aging woman. Stories of this type are rare! I don’t think it would matter what gender or age you are this story has something for everyone to relate to and learn from. Enjoy.
Grannies, Guns and Ghosts by Madison Johns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Though I am giving this book a separate review, I am actually reading the boxed set with books one through three. I want the credit toward my reading goal of individual books while having the convenience…
That went nowhere. On to the actual review.
Ghosts. Really? Sigh. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I won’t get into it. This was a shorter book than the first one, maybe a novella rather than a novel. I was glad. This book felt less put together than the first. Editing is badly needed.
What did I like? I like Agnes and Eleanor. Those crazy ladies are fun even though they get into more trouble than they solve. There is a lot of humor in spite of the story being about murders. I am so glad someone has taken the time to write stories about senior womyn. For that reason alone I plan to read all these Senior Snoopers.
In fact… I’m off to read the next book.
Armed and Outrageous by Madison Johns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Though I am reading the three-book boxed set, I think it is fair to give a review of each individual book. Since I did buy both, and as I want to encourage writing for seniors, the reals ones not the ones in twelfth grade in high school. Besides, it doesn’t hurt my reading goals to review individually. 😉
It is so exciting to actually read something that includes people, womyn, who are not teens. Was it as well-written as I would like? Not so much. I would give this three and a half stars. This needed more editing. And did we have to fall into the trap of the romance? I like when womyn can think for themselves and stand without a man coming to their rescue. Agnes did that for the most part, but she got all weak kneed and girlie when the man of her dreams comes into view. I loved Eleanor, the ninety-something sex crazed side-kick better than the main character. She pulled no punches and got what she needed from the world.
That world is Tawas, Michigan. I’ve never been there so it seemed like another country, to me. The author did make it sound like the kind of place I’d like to visit sometime.
I love how Madison Johns, the author, captures all kinds of senior citizens within this book. She laughs at some who seem like they would enjoy the joke while holding respect and sympathy for those not so blessed or able. And I love how Ms. Johns addresses fem issues. You wouldn’t think that the issues would be so strong once womyn were no longer in the work force, but it seems to affects us all a lot more. Ms. Johns doesn’t draw attention to these issues, but rather, states them as is and moves on, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions.
The tags ‘mystery, thriller, suspense’ are the most accurate. Chic-lit or cozy mystery seem too light for the contents. Rape, murder, and sex-trafficking are some topics involved which are dealt with in a serious manner. I found that fact a little too much to deal with. I don’t like reading stories that are too realistic. I get that on the news. Give me a good sci-fi or fantasy to get lost in, any day. But all in all this was a good read and I will continue the series with delight. Go, Seniors!
Tapestry of Fortunes: A Novel by Elizabeth Berg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Road trip!
Look, I see a lot of negative reviews of this book. That’s sad because this one actually met my goal. It is a story about older women (sixty and younger) written by a female author. It was a fun read. A great read for someone who is rather stuck at home during the winter. I got my travel bug up and ready for being a vagabond. At least the older females were thought of!
Could the book have been deeper? Yes. In fact just as it all seemed to be fun the story took a turn and ended. It was as if the author didn’t know what to do with a bunch of women having an adventure. Sure, there was drama, but bits that I wanted to explore got left by the wayside. Too bad. The worst part? When at 50% read the book ended. BOO!
Well, the second book in this bundle was a bit of a surprise. Who expected one more book? Open House wasn’t as good as Tapestry of Fortune. The woman was younger (in her forties). It was an agonizing tale of divorce and all the emotions attached to that. I still found it interesting and found myself rooting for the main character. But this all brings up why I prefer sci-fi and fantasy. If I wanted real life, I’d live it! Oh, wait, I already do! In both of these books I was disturbed by the hokey romantic notions. Can’t a woman just find herself and enjoy all the relationships in her life? Do they have to be looking for the ‘one’? Geez! There is nothing wrong with sex or romance. It just left behind the growth of the woman.
Senior Blogging?. Glad to know I’m not alone!
Darswords 
You must be logged in to post a comment.