Customer Reviews

The Art of Growing Up: Simple Ways to Be Yourself at Last

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I first picked-up *The Art of Growing Up*, I randomly opened it and the first line my eyes fell on said "Decide once and for all never to apologize for your age". I knew then that I was going to like this book.

A small and elegant little tome filled with gentle and playful reminders that there is poetry in ageing if only we use the wisdom of our years to accept it, as well as dance with it. The more we fret over the years we rack up, the harder we make things on ourselves. Just because you are a woman of a...ahem....certain age...doesn't mean you can no longer embrace whimsy, swathe yourself in color, seek out adventure, or dream big dreams. It is a time to write your own myths, savor your gifts, revel in your mysteries, and stop dwelling on clich?s.

This book is sprinkled generously with lovely black and white photographs that include women of all ages and contains ten chapters all beginning with "The Art of....". Each chapter ends with a list, which thrills a consummate, and sometimes rather obsessive, list-maker like myself. A couple of my favorite lines are: "Use long words around short people. Teach a five-year-old to say 'facetious'" and "Be the designated observer of both grief and wonder".

This would make an excellent gift for women friends, even those still in their twenties - give them a taste of what they have to look forward to rather than dread.

I love this book:-) I keep it in my handbag and read and reread it every chance I get. I have ordered copies for all of my friends ( especially male friends) to help them get more enjoyment from there lives....I will be 60 in June and this book has helped me look forward to that big birthday with pleasure.

For those of you who are approaching a milestone birthday, this book is a must. I purchased this book and read it on my own birthday, and found myself embracing my new age. I found every page inspiring. And while the book is not very long, it's packed with wisdom.

In addition to making the reader feel better (not older) the book is beautifully written. The photographs are also quite lovely.

Generally, when I read a good book, I loan it to all my friends..but this one's different. I'll keep this one right on my shelf, so I can reach for it again and again.

As so many other young women, I dread growing old and losing IT (if I have it, otherwise losing the possibility of ever getting IT). However, after reading this book I felt much calmer on the subject. The author speaks to the reader like a friend, and teaches that there are many ages in a woman's life, where different styles and attitudes are appropriate. Old can be chic! Young does not necessarily equal chic!

Véronique Vienne's third "Art" book, on the subject of aging and being yourself, didn't connect with me the way her first two did.

In "The Art of Growing Up," the author keeps to the formula that worked so well in "The Art of Doing Nothing" and "The Art of Imperfection," both of which I liked very much. There are ten chapters, with essays featuring the interplay between Ms. Vienne's delightfully quirky perspectives on modern society and anecdotes of a historic/scientific nature. Each chapter is augmented by a list of "keepsake" words of wisdom, and interspersed with great sepia duotone photos by her daughter Jeanne Lipsey (whose contributions have taken over impressively from those of Erica Lennard in the first two books).

While Ms. Vienne offers quite a collection of poignant things to say about aging, her style of wit--that of melding scientific explanations with downright funny comments about how we go about our lives--seemed much more humorous when dealing with our foibles and goofy mannerisms than it does with the more serious topic of growing older. It appears like the author is striving to show us how our younger years weren't as good as we thought, and how "aging" really means "arriving," "knowing," "succeeding," etc. In other words, the experiences we had when we were young pale in comparison to what we're going through now. True for many, but I, for one, feel blessed by the formative years of childhood through early adulthood, and never want to forget these times. Maybe aging doesn't bug me as much as it does others (perhaps I don't feel old enough yet!). Oh, and on the subject of "being yourself," Ms. Vienne's writing shines much more brightly in "The Art of Imperfection," my favorite of her "Art" books to date.

Overall, there are lots of likeable thoughts in this book. The chapter on "The Art of Laughing," followed by the Mae West quotes, is a classic. The photography is fantastic ... again. For many readers, this book will be of some comfort, plus a nice source for passing words of wisdom concerning adulthood and aging to your family and friends. As for me, I don't think I was in the target audience this time around.

This book is for women of all ages. As soon as we realize our own importance and comfort, we can share this book's humor. I am 35 years old and still not a mother, but I would love to have children, and one day have this book read to me. Oh, how I wish to tell all my friends of this book!

Once upon a time, I owned this shirt that said, "I may grow older, but I refuse to grow up!" I thought I would never give up that shirt. I wanted to stay a child forever. Now, at a youthful 26, it was only a year ago that I started to accept that I was going to "grow up." When I was thirteen, this was a bad thing.

Like all of Veronique Viennes books, she shows you the good side of things that are seen by society as bad. (getting older, imperfection, doing nothing.) I have finally learned that getting older is great! It does get harder of course because there are so many more decisions to make, but I wouldn't trade that for wisdom, intelligence, and the fact that I am the one who gets to make those decisions!

The pictures in this book were taken by her daughter, Jeanne Lipsy, a photographer and camera assistant in her own right. They are black and white in style with a brown tint that brings an old fashioned look to it.

I think her next title should be "the art of eating ice cream while laying in bed and reading books and watching movies." :)

We need to teach young women that "old" and "young" are just attitudes, not numbers! Read this book!

to me, this book is not about growing old, it's just about changing. we are all constantly in states of change, growth, learning and relearning and it's important to let our authentic selves shine. so whether you're 15 or 85, we can all learn more about being ourselves.

This is the first book I have read by Veronique Vienne and I will surley read more. I am 43 and many of the things Ms. Vienne wrote about I believe. It will be a book I will refer to often. I plan to give copies to my "40 and over friends" I'm not sure my younger then 40 friends will apprecitate just yet, or maybe its just that I want to keep this book special between the 40 and over crowd. The photography by her daughter Jeanne Lipsey is done beautifuly. I woud love to have some of her prints even.

An elegant, beautiful and inspirational little book. I read it and turned around and bought copies for all of my friends.