Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Strong start!!! Hooked me instantly. Apparently there are other “whisperer” books but this was my first encounter with one of them, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every part of this, and loved all the “old ladies” that the author developed friendships with.
The one thing I would say is that the writing of all the stories in the present made understanding the chronological order a little confusing. We were warned about that at the start and I still did like it despite that.

So heartwarming, wholesome, emotional, and like the title says it’s chock full of wisdom. The last chapter I had to read slowly as it made me very sad. But!!!! I dont know if this counts as a spoiler I don’t think so as it’s in the acknowledgements, we get to see pictures of everyone and put a face to the name! With dates, too. Zelda and Marge are pretty much exactly as I pictured them. Will definitely be suggesting this to everyone.

In this deeply personal and heartwarming book, acclaimed journalist Melinda Blau confronts the stereotypes surrounding life's later chapters, drawing from unexpected friendships with the remarkable women she affectionately dubs "my old ladies." Through intimate storytelling and candid reflections, Blau peels back layers of societal judgment to uncover the hard-earned wisdom and resilience that come with the unfolding of years

From the very first chapter, this book intrigued me. I had not read the blurb- I chose the book because of its title and the cover, so I was expecting a fictional story.

I was pleasantly surprised when I understood what really this book was about. Author Melinda Blau has many friends- ladies who are 15-25 years older than her. In this world where youth is valued the most and where aging is dreaded and hated, befriending an older person seems not so normal. But Blau shows how her friendship with each of the nine ladies she adores has shaped her, helped her through tough times, and ultimately change the way she viewed her own mortality.

The nine ladies- Ruth, Henrietta, Zelda, Lois, Sylvia, Marge, Betty, Elyss, and Annie, were such an inspiration. As I read on, I understood the author's fascination and love towards these amazing women. Though each were with varying personalities, passions, and experience, they had a lot in common. Their independence, compassion, wisdom, open-mindedness, and their zeal for life.

By the time I was done with the book, I had a deep longing for my own 'old' friend.

Melinda Blau's unique writing style was very effective in painting the picture of her Wisdom Whsperers. Except that the timeline was confusing throughout her narrative, the message she wanted her readers to know was expressed clearly- old is NOT bad. Aging need not be miserable. And old people are not dumb and naive.

This is a thought provoking and heart-touching work to change our perspective towards aging and admire the life we live. Do give this book a try and find your own Wisdom Whisperers.

I adored this book! I wanted my very own gaggle of elders to teach me all about the world and what they've seen, done, and experienced. I could feel each of their personalities on the screen and I LOVED it.