This book is about the menopause. It made me laugh so much in certain parts
It’s funny and wise. It also acts as a self help guide
Perfect for women of a certain age

Most recently Jenny Eclair is most well known for being one of the "Grumpy Old Women" tv and stage show and the podcast also called "Older and Wider". This book is an A to Z of the menopause that doesn't shy away from
the bits of the menopause considered too personal to share with others. Jenny covers pretty much everything you might need to know about the physical and psychological effects of menopause, and how you might consider dealing with them yourself. With her usual wit, the book contains personal anecdotes, stories about friends and family but also really useful information. There's definitely lots of laugh out load moments and the books is really readable.

Hopefully I have a few more years to go before I reach menopause myself, but I found this a great read and will definitley reccomend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.

This is an anecdotal guide to menopausal issues and I read it with an open mind as it is of personal interest. Funny in places, it is a light take on a very serious subject.

This book was like a listening to an older sister. It was funny but also contained a surprising amount of useful information. I have a medical menopause book that explains symptoms in a scientific way, but its a little short on humour. In complete contrast, this book had me nodding in agreement, shedding a few knowledgeable tears and not quite fearing full menopause as much as I was. Any women over 47 should read this book. It gave some good serious advice about looking after yourself whilst experiencing the peri and full menopause but it was interspersed with funny anecdotes and relatable jokes. Love, love, loved this book. Thank you Jenny Eclair.

Brilliant! Not really any other words for it! This was a hilarious, laugh out loud guide to the wonderful menopause journey. Aside from being so funny, it really does give some good advice on how to make the journey easier and more comfortable.

Everyone about to set out on this journey and everyone that is already on it, should have a copy of this book!

Highly recommended to all and well deserves the 5 stars.

Thank you Quercus Books and Netgalley.

I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did. I’d normally choose a non -iction on how to cope with menopause. But Jenny Eclair made me chuckle in places (always a good thing no matter what age you are) but it also openly and honestly touched on topics you might not come across on social media or when talking to your mum about menopause. Worth a read, if only to know you’re not struggling alone.

As someone struggling with the emotional/psychological aspects of the M this is both comforting and humorous. All other information I've come across is dry, cold and quite frankly condescending. I had no idea my debilitating nostalgia/sentimentality was part of it.

5☆ A Fantastic and Relatable Read!

So I went into reading this book open minded as I have just started what I believe to be peri- menopause, I am definitely getting the hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings so I think that pretty much ticks those boxes and this all started at 38! (Only just 39 now)

Ok so YES I'm younger than the average woman who starts menopause but that's for another time!
What I will say is I haven't Laughed so much reading a non Fiction book and nodded my head in agreement nearly the whole way through!

There is so much taboo about womanly subjects but lets face it menopause is going to happen at some point, and Jenny Eclair makes sense of it. Us women should be sticking together, sharing our stories as believe me when your body is flushing that heat is like nothing I've ever experienced before and it's pretty dam scary.

Jenny gives a run down from A-Z of Menopausal subjects.
She talks frankly and openly about all kinds of things from feelings, emotions, the effects on your body and the effects on those around you, mood swings, sex, vaginal dryness, medication, crafting, her battle with eating disorder, amongst other things.
Not only does she talk about emotional issues, she also keeps her witty humour which I loved!

I applaud her for not being afraid to tell her story in order to help others feel like they are not alone.
If you read one Non Fiction book this year then let it be Older and Wider.
This book isn't just for the older woman it's for all women and men who want to understand more!

This is a really funny and honest account of what it is like to be a menopausal woman (and I should know because I am one!)

Jenny Eclair is a well known English comedian, actress, and writer. Her voice comes over loudly in the book as she tackles the tricky subject of menopause with incredible warmth, humour, and empathy.

The short A-Z type chapters are cheery and informative, delivering helpful tips, facts, and anecdotes in a relatable fashion.

Jenny has the inspired idea that dogs should be available to menopausal women on the NHS. In fact, she says that she hankers for a miniature smooth-haired dachshund. Actually, this is exactly what I got for my fiftieth birthday. Sadly, he refuses to listen to me and is extremely grumpy!….. (luckily he is very cute too!)

I liked that Jenny points out the advantages of reaching this stage of life and that it isn’t always just hot flushes and brain fog. She tells women to be kind to themselves and embrace entering a different chapter of life. The use of humour and incredible straight-talking make this book a ‘must have’ for all women.

I have read many books on the subject and felt that ‘Older and Wider’ is one of the best due to the excellent witty writing and relatable style.

Entertaining (and educational) look at the A-Z of the menopause. Jenny Eclair shares her own experience in her usual witty way whilst encouraging people going through 'the change' to talk about it. Blast through the taboos! The only thing that grated was the talk of specific dress sizes. Hopefully this book will get people talking!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This book made me laugh and smile, loved it. Great storyline and great characters. Would recommend to others.

Jenny Éclair is your wise friend who is there to put her arm around you when you need a hug, but is also there to give you a good talking to as well, telling you to put your big girl pants on and just get on with it!
This was a refreshing look at the Menopause with laugh out loud moments and times when you think 'that's me!'
A funny and wise read.

I was enjoying this gentle and amusing view of the Menopause, until I came to a section where the author deems to give advice, and it's clearly incorrect. Forward from that I saw the book in a different light and afraid I stopped reading. The author gives an amusing view of symptoms and discusses ideas and strategies to survive. However, the above made me realise that this is one persons uninformed guide to our lives. If there was one obvious (to me) mistake, how many others were there, where I didn't have full knowledge of any discrepancies? I expected better research.

As I progressed through Jenny Eclair’s hilarious and illuminating memoir of her own menopause experience, I was convinced we must be sisters in another life. By the time I got to the end, though, I realised that actually we women are all sisters with shared experiences at all stages of life. Thank goodness we are living in the 21st century with all the medical and technological advances on our grandmothers’ and even our mothers’ days.

Things I’ll take away from this are the muffin tops, the excess wind, the dandruff legs, the need for a cardi at all times, Lakelanditis, but most of all the acceptance of ourselves as we are now. I have already spent a happy hour browsing gardening porn - roses online for my new garden reading nook - and am about to order some M&S black pull-up trousers, thanks Jenny. Brilliant book, can’t recommend it highly enough.

A reassuring, snort-inducing read! The 'JE' quotes at the beginning of each section are the best bits, but most of all this made me feel like someone had crawled into my own brain and tried to explain its workings to a third person. From the static/electric pulses I'm sure my stress can cause, affecting any surrounding technology; to the anger, the heat and the downright bloody-mindedness that is me - it's all here!

JE tries to offer helpful suggestions, non-judgementally and her attempts at this differ in success. (But who has the answer, really?) From an odd 'one off recipe' (for when you've given up trying to think of what everyone else is oing to eat for the billionth time) to differing medications - as she says - we're all different.

But this did succeed in letting me know there's a lot of us out here, all suffering in similar fashion and it's about time we all shared and talked more loudly about it! P.S. Never attempt to chop a raw butternut squash, ever! - Throw it in the oven, whole, in its skin for an hour: 'Knife through butter'!

‘... she accidentally catches sight of what looks suspiciously like her mum standing just three feet away. Only her mum lives two hundred miles up the M6. Once she realizes that she is, in fact, staring at her own reflection and that she has turned into the doppelganger of her mother in her furious fifties, the truth of what is happening will hit her. Of course, this is it.’

Finding myself at the start of this journey, I was keen to read what I could to educate myself. Jenny (an English comedian, author and actor) has written a comprehensive A-Z of well researched information (she clearly states she is not a doctor) on menopause. Considering half of the world’s population will experience this, it was refreshing to find a book that was informative, relatable and funny - able to shine some light into an otherwise taboo subject.

‘We only get one go at life, and considering the menopause can drag on for a decade of your allotted time on this planet (plus an extra couple of years for the peri-menopause) it would be a shame to waste that time by being permanently down. So, with that in mind, let’s put a positive spin on the menopause...’

This is a book everyone should read - female/male, young/old - as a book such as this is long overdue. There are some serious discussions, however being written by a comedian, there is much fun and laughter as Jenny brings her hysterical interpretation to some of the facts, fads and fascinations. She is most candid in sharing her own experiences and this is really helpful to those of us who, let’s be honest, have no idea. Her down to earth approach makes it relatable and accessible from an understanding of what can occur and how to try and stay on top of things.

‘One of the most interesting revelations about the menopause is that, for many of us women, it’s a time of discovering who we really are, what we really like and what we really can’t be bothered with.’

The range of issues is truly comprehensive and I just love Jenny’s fun, yet no nonsense approach. She makes a lot of sense. Physical, social and emotional concerns are all here from HRT to mood swings to taking up a new hobby. It was a relief to read and realise that there are many women who feel exactly like you do - we just don’t talk about it. Apart from the humour and information, what I truly appreciated was Jenny’s insight into finding the silver lining on this otherwise grey cloud. The glass needs to be viewed as half full as women of this age can find themselves liberated from the confines of society's images and expectations and instead embrace just happily being themselves.

‘We might as well start pleasing ourselves at this stage in our lives and that’s why it’s really important to know what makes us tick more happily as time goes by.’

I cannot recommend this book highly enough for its funny yet wise offerings. There is just so much here that it will keep you coming back as a guide and reference to the many helpful ideas suggested. Jenny’s honesty helps put things into perspective from practical ideas to confirmation that this is really just the beginning.

‘The menopause is a definite chapter in your life. Not only does it mark the end of the young you, it also heralds in the dawn of a new you and what this new you is going to be is very much your decision to make.’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Oh my goodness what an absolute hoot this book was. As someone who is going through the menopause, there were so many things I could absolutely relate to in this book.

Jenny has brought her own unique and individual comedic style to a subject that used to be such a big taboo. I can remember hearing women muttering in hushed tones about “going through the change” and looking slightly embarrassed about it. I am so thankful that we now live in a society where a natural process that women go through is being discussed.

Jenny explores all aspects of the menopause, what worked for her and what other alternatives there are. She also makes some very valid points about growing older and being middle-aged. I love her advice about owning up to your age, as she says “own it” so, therefore, don’t let it own you.

This is such a fabulous book and in some ways should come with a warning that it shouldn’t be read in public as you may get some strange looks. I snorted, sniggered and laughed out very loudly as I was reading it. In fact, scrap that, yes read it in public and when someone asks you what you are reading you can tell them its Jenny Eclairs book all about the menopause!

This is a book that came along at just the exact right time for me. Yes, I am menopausal and there are times when I can really relate to some of the symptoms. For me at the moment anxiety is a big issue as I am not only dealing with this natural body change but also as we are in the midst of a pandemic. I have the help of my happy pills, professionally fluoxetine ( anti-depressants), to help and they have done just that.

What I liked about Jenny’s approach was that not everyone is the same, that people will experience different things and some options work better for some than others, hence me and my fluoxetine. She also mentions a few times that if you are unsure about any symptoms or things don’t feel quite right then you should seek advice.

This is a great book to read and it should be something that anyone coming up to “that age”!!!! should take the time to read, as well as those like myself who are going through (whispers dramatically) “the change”!!!! or those that have been through and survived the “Big M”!!!!

The menopause happens, you deal with it and find the best course of action for you to deal with it. So if you are feeling stressed, furious, or sobbing maniacally in a dark corner then instead of picking up a large bar of chocolate or a bottle of (**insert name of favourite tipple**), or a large stabby knife, pick up Older and Wider by Jenny Eclair and you will soon realise that you are not alone, millions of women have done it and survived it.

A brilliant book that I would absolutely recommend. I am Yvonne, I’m 49 and I am menopausal.

Jenny Eclair feels like a wise, exuberant and witty best friend who performs the much needed service for women and girls in informatively looking at a topic that often gets little coverage, the menopause, that often leaves us reeling, unprepared and all encompassing in its effects. In doing so, she gives us an insight into her life and her personal experience of the menopause, it can feel like the end of the world, the end of life as we know it. However, she takes a practical commonsense perspective in that it offers the opportunity to move on to a new phase in our lives. A phase where you can have the confidence to be who you are, life will not be the same, but there is no escaping the fact that you have to get on with it, and there is the consolation of various things getting better, and as she says, who wants to go back to all the doubts and insecurities of being in your early twenties? Not me.

The important point to understand is that menopause symptoms vary from woman to woman, but are likely to include hot flushes, loss of libido, mood swings, foggy brain, increasing facial hair, added weight and tummy bulges, hair loss, anxiety, depression and bouts of rage that are likely to terrify your family. Being held hostage by our hormones is no fun, it is no surprise that when they begin to go haywire, that we begin to malfunction. Eclair goes in some detail on how we might come to terms with the issues that arise from the menopause, like whether to HRT or not, and life advice that may prove to be invaluable to many a woman, such as healthy diets, exercise, and taking up hobbies such as arts and crafts. She includes a list of tips for men on how to support women through the menopause.

Eclair throws an entertaining light on a much ill and misunderstood, yet critical phase of women's lives, the menopause, and she does it with style and panache. It will resonate with so many of us who have experienced it, whilst providing a valuable guide for those it will hit in the future, allaying many fears and anxieties. This is not a substitute for medical information, but it is the next best thing and kudos to Jenny for writing this necessary and easy to read book. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.

My thanks to Quercus Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Older and Wider: A Survivor’s Guide to the Menopause’ by Jenny Eclair in exchange for an honest review.

From Introduction: 'If you're after an in-depth medical or psychological insight into the menopause, I'm afraid you've opened the wrong book - I'm not a doctor . . . However, I am a woman and I do know how it feels to be menopausal, so this book is written from experience and the heart and I hope it makes you laugh and feel better.' JE

I felt that Jenny Eclair has succeeded brilliantly in delivering on this premise. Even though I have passed through the menopause there was still plenty within that I could relate to. I wish that a guide like this had been available to me though I muddled through.

Still, I was pleased that I had managed to discover the oh so practical M&S elasticated waist, pull up trousers all on my own. I just about live in them.

‘Older and Wider’ is full of down-to-earth advice presented in a witty style. It made me keen to read her other works and I also plan to check out her Older and Wider podcasts.

It is the kind of book that I expect will have a broad appeal. It’s certainly one that I will be recommending widely to friends and family.

As Jenny Eclair says in this book: this is no one-size-fits-all menopause. There is something for everyone, though, in this sort of guide book to living with the menopause and coming out the other side. Eclair brings warmth and sincerity to this book. I laughed a lot. The joke with the Pringles can is worth the cover price on its' own.