This book is such a unique concept - a 94 year old writing about the final fifth of our lives (80 - 100). The author writes beautifully, eloquently, and is extremely intelligent. We think we know what it'd be like to be an old person, but as she describes the intricacies and the reality of living it, we see we have no idea actually.

The only thing I didn't love was it's very obvious this person and her family are very financially secure, very well supported with lots of help. There is immense privilege here that shows aging as an interesting journey to reflect upon, whereas someone poor with no support would experience aging as increasing levels of hell.

But I enjoyed the well written thoughts and personal exploration on a stage of life very few people even make it to.

The author's "voice" is as strong as ever in her nineties, as she shares the challenges, joys, and sorrows of living in the Final Fifth (80 to 100 years old.) Her latest book is full of wit and candor, charm and truth, reflecting her feisty spirit that gives me hope about old old age. Highly recommended!

Beautifully written, Judith Viorst shares her personal thoughts at 94 years old on how she and others have adjusted to living in retirement.

It’s been well vocalized: you spend years raising kids and working hard and finally you get to retire and your body starts to fail. Then there’s downsizing from what you’ve worked hard to get. This is what has been called the golden years.

Judith is forthright of how difficult this can be starting with health concerns. She and her husband, Milton Viorst, lived in a stunning home in Cleveland Park, DC for years. What’s not to love with seven bedrooms, five cozy fireplaces and a large wall for books. Much of this had to go when they downsized into a two-bedroom apartment at a close-by retirement center. I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been to let go of memorable items.

Judith gave several examples of how people treat seniors differently such as speaking slower and louder. She notes that loneliness can be a problem. Then, there was the harsh reality when her husband died in 2022. Becoming a widow, she said, changed her in complicated ways.

Most of the points are helpful on what can happen in retirement. Yet, not everyone has the luxury she’s had of financial security which allows greater choices of where to live with conveniences. She also has another benefit of having a family that is there to help.

She included insightful poems throughout the book related to her experiences. Friends from the retirement center gave her their thoughts on soul-searching wisdom. Overall, no one wants to think about aging, but since we must, it’s good to have the guidance of honest, inspiring and meaningful words.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 1, 2025.