On Being 40(ish)

I was so excited to read this, as I have just turned 40. I did enjoy some stories, but others, not so much! Some of them I think were a little far fetched for me. But it was an enjoyable read, none the less!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Admittedly, I am not the age that the subject of the title of this book. I am not even 30 years old. But I devoured these fifteen vividly candid essays about women who have hit this milestone of life and their perspectives about their unique experiences that molded them into the women they've become and who they are becoming. Reading this book was equivalent to talking to a mentor who doesn't have it all figured out, but has learned enough to know what's on the horizon. This book is a delightful reminder that life doesn't end at 40, in a way, it is just a new phase of life.

An interesting collection of musings by different women authors on their experience of staring down the barrel of the big 4-0. As with all compendiums, it is inevitably a mixed bag of tales, and on average the good outweighs the bad. Maybe I was able to dismiss their musings a little too much, as I'm currently staring down the barrel of the big 5-0, and therefore found some of their concerns about the aging process a little trivial. Or maybe the aging process has actually helped with my self doubt and constant worry with what other people think.
I did have a few knowing moments, remembering how I once felt the way the writers do. I guess I'm no longer the target audience. Here's hoping they do a follow-up On Being 50(ish) and quickly, as I'm running out of time! Definitely worth a read, as there are some really great pieces in this collection.

This essay collection, edited by Lindsey Mead, features the 40(ish) experiences of 15 women writers. These essays cover a range of age related topics: friendship; adulthood; no longer being the youthful ideal of beauty; age and illness; and coming into competence in work and life. This collection leans toward an American middle class bent. The writers range in age and experience from late 30's to early 50's, which makes this less of a meditation on turning the big 4-0, and more collective wisdom about mid-life, which I think makes it's appeal much broader than the title implies. Catherine Newman's recounting of her relationship with her best friend over the years -- told through the clothes they wore -- stands out as a must read.

For those of us that are around this age (ahem), you will enjoy reading the 15 different essays by female writers. The essays actually cover ages late 30s into the 50s, and I found most of the essays very relatable. By this age, all of us have experiences that connect us together as women, whether they are stories told about love, friendship, aging parents, and fashion trends. I see it as a celebration of the knowledge that we have acquired throughout our lives.