Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word [Paperback]

Linda Kelsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2009

As Hope Lyndhurst-Steele approaches her 50th birthday, although she "has it all"--top magazine job, wonderful husband, loving son, many friends--fifty still feels like a four-letter word.

But she doesn't know just how low she can go.

When she returns to the office after her holiday break, she's informed by senior management that the "having it all" woman is OUT--and Hope's out along with her. As she starts spending her days at home, her relationship with her usually patient husband Jack starts to become strained, and her teenage son is more interested in chasing after the local trashy single mom than spending his last year at home with his own mother. And Hope's own mother, who she never got along with, has cheerily announced that she's got six months left to live. Hope is relieved when a solo trip to Paris wakes up her long-dormant libido, but when she returns, she finds that her husband is giving her more space than she'd like--he's moved out.

As Hope wonders if she'll be able to make it to fifty-one with her sanity and her family intact, she discovers some interesting truths about herself and her age--and even if 50 is not the new 30, it could be that the best is yet to come. (2009)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hope Lyndhurst-Steele has it all—a wonderful, loving husband; a great son; a job she loves as a magazine editor; and a lovely house in London. After her much-dreaded fiftieth birthday, everything she has come to rely on disappears. She is dismissed from her job and replaced with a younger, smarmier editor; her 18-year-old son starts dating the single mother down the street; and her husband leaves her. No wonder Hope is in a funk. And there is worse news on the horizon. Her mother announces at dinner that she is dying. How we cope with adversity offers great insight into people. Hope’s method is sleep, food, and huge doses of self-pity until she starts to wake up and realize that her life is not over, and that just maybe being 50 is the right place for her to be. Kelsey, a magazine editor herself, creates a witty foray into one woman’s psyche as she accepts her age and proves that there is, indeed, life and adventure after the 50-year milestone. --Patty Engelmann

Review

"Kelsey, a magazine editor herself, creates a witty foray into one woman's psyche as she accepts her age and proves that there is, indeed, life and adventure after the 50-year milestone." (Booklist Patty Engelmann )

"A first novel that offers a uniquely British twist on the erosion of a middle-aged woman's confidence . . . Hope's candid, sardonic voice and the author's biting wit elevate the book." (Kirkus )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: 5 Spot; Original edition (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446195901
• ISBN-13: 978-0446195904
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,909,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MIDLIFE MAKEOVER, April 30, 2010

By 

Laurel-Rain Snow "Rain" "Rainy Days" (Fresno, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word (Paperback)

What happens to a successful woman who suddenly finds everything falling away--and just after her fiftieth birthday? Is it all over for her now?

When Hope Lyndburst-Steele celebrates her fiftieth birthday, she is hoping to minimize the numbers, even as she pretends that it's just another birthday. She has a handsome husband, a wonderful son, and a great career. So why does she have this feeling?

Almost as if she has turned her fears and anxieties into reality, just by thinking about them, she still cannot believe it when her boss tells her that the magazine she has headed for more than twenty years is going in another direction. And her services are no longer needed. Nice severance package, though. Small consolation for Hope, who reflects on her life and her past choices even as the other shoe drops, and her husband Jack leaves her.

Most women go through some kind of reflective experience as they approach major birthdays. But Hope has to really make some changes. Following her journey as she slowly, very slowly, transforms her life is the most satisfying aspect of this story. Of course, before she begins that journey, she has to wallow for awhile...but then she begins again.

Exciting new things could be right on the horizon, but then, more devastating news comes to her as she struggles. But what Hope learns is that making over one's life is more important than face lifts, exercise, diets, or whatever. Changing her insides will ultimately bring her the happiness she seeks.

Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word is funny, heartwarming, and very down-to-earth, revealing the characters' flaws and strengths--they felt just like real people that I might meet on my own journey. Which is why this story definitely earned five stars from me.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This book was okay, March 6, 2009

By 

Tina "Tina" (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word (Paperback)

I was thrilled to be able to get a copy of Fifty is not a four letter word, written by Linda Kelsey. As I, myself, am not yet 50 years old! however, I find myself looking for chick lit that now features 40 and 50 year old characters.

First of all, this is not really chick lit - which kind of disappointed me right off the bat. This is my mistake since I obviously did not read the book description. Having said that, however, and once I got over the whole 'darn, this is not a chick lit' thing - I did sit down and read through the book.

This book is extremely well-written. Author Kelsey has a keen way of developing and growing her characters and is very good at positioning in a way that tells us that these people are all flawed, yet we find ourselves liking them despite these flaws. The strength in this book is definitely the strongly written characters and their development.

The storyline, however, is both typical and full of angst - which kind of made this book more difficult for me to enjoy. Hope, our main character seems to be dealing with too many things at once and although this may be reflecting reality somewhat, I was hoping to read a little more uplifting storyline, one where the main character enjoyed 'smelling the roses' a little bit and was not so angst ridden.

I did enjoy this book so I rated it 3 stars.

5.0 out of 5 stars My Mom Loved It, February 13, 2012

By 

dmooney - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word (Paperback)

I purchased this book for my mother's 50th birthday last year and she loved it. Like similar reviews, it took her a little while to get into the story, but once there, she dived straight in. In fact, she read the the second half of the book in one day. I recommend this book as a great present for anyone turning 50.