Fifty on Fifty: Wisdom, Inspiration, and Reflections on Women's Lives Well Lived [Hardcover]

Bonnie Miller Rubin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

Hillary Clinton. Faye Dunaway. Linda Ellerbee. Jane Fonda. Sue Grafton. Donna Karan. Diane Keaton. Linda Ronstadt. Christine Todd Whitman. What do these high-profile women have in common? In some way, they have changed the world; they are also about to or have already turned 50. Through lively personal interviews and revealing biographies, these role models (and 41 others) eagerly share the extraordinary experiences and wisdom gained during a half-century of life. Featuring elegant black-and-white portraits of each subject, this unique collection provides a glimpse into the private thoughts of some of this century's most provocative women.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bonnie Miller Rubin has been a journalist for 20 years and is currently a reporter for the Chicago Tribune. She has also written for Good Housekeeping and lives in Hornwood, Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; 1st Edition, 1st Printing edition (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446523690
• ISBN-13: 978-0446523691
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,394,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fifty Fabulous Fiftyish Females Feel Fifty, March 18, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fifty on Fifty: Wisdom, Inspiration, and Reflections on Women's Lives Well Lived (Hardcover)

I love this book!

In our society, role models for women outside the family are often hard to find. This book takes fifty women around age fifty who have been very successful professionally, thumbnails their lives, and captures the essence of what they have learned.

The advice spans their entire adult lives, so the book is helpful for young women . . . as well as fiftyish ones. Although clearly aimed at women, I thought most of the advice was equally applicable to men.

Ms. Bonnie Miller Rubin conceived the book and conducted the interviews from which the material is drawn. She thought of the book in one epiphany. While "trying on bathing suits . . . I was swamped by the feeling that I was not managing the aging process very well." "Yet . . . others seemed to be doing quite splendidly." " . . . I decided to pick the collective brains of other women." "Each woman had accumulated some dings to the heart . . . ."

She shares a number of overall impressions. " . . . [T]here was less anxiety at fifty . . . ." She noted that they were "more attuned to their surroundings . . . ." " . . . [T]he need to nurture others was palpable." As to what is next, they list "meaningful work, enduring relationships, good health, and inner contentment."

The women are all quite famous, and only two were unknown to me. They are heavily drawn from the entertainment world, so the issue of continuing attractiveness shows up strongly. That seems very appropriate for a book about women turning fifty, given the historical perception that a woman is in some ways her appearance (that's not my perception, though!). Some are still fighting aging with exercise and diet, while others have sworn off plastic surgery. A few revel in the knife.

As general role models, that appearance connection is a little problemmatical in using this book as a sole source of guidance for young women. That's the only significant drawback to the book.

Space does not permit me to quote everyone, but let me share a few:

Gloria Allred: "The only person I can depend on is me." " . . . [E]ach of us has a responsibility to help improve the status of women."

Carol Bellamy: "You never know what's going to happen next, so be prepared."

Linda Bloodworth-Thomason: " . . . [D]on't whine."

Sarah Brady: "My advice is to learn to adjust."

Dixie Carter: " . . . [I]t's never too late to go after what you want."

Hillary Rodham Clinton: "I know the important of hanging tough, of persevering."

Jane Curtin: " . . . [K]eep in touch with children."

Linda Ellerbee: "We are already rewriting the definition of 'old.'"

Nora Ephron: "It irritates me to read all those Pollyannish things about life after menopause."

Nancy Friday: "We live in the age of the empty package."

Annette Funicello: "Don't take anything for granted."

Phyllis George: "I know that you have to be a self-starter."

Ellen Goodman: "Probably the most important skill you learn is how to listen."

Sue Grafton: "So train yourself to listen to that small voice that tells us what's important and what's not."

Valerie Harper: "This preoccupation [with outward appearance] is a barrier to expressing ourselves as human beings."

Lauren Hutton: "So plow ahead. When breeding shuts down, I think brains get much better, much sharper."

Erica Jong: "What I find amazing is this need to give something back."

Donna Karan: "The best part of getting older is that you know yourself better."

Diane Keaton: "I have no interest in going under the knife."

Letty Cottin Pogrebin: "I'm trying to change age obsession into time obsession."

Stefanie Powers: "I know the importance of uncontrollable curiosity."

Lynn Redgrave: "The year I turned fifty was actually one of the most satisfying of my life."

Diane Sawyer: "So I try to slow down, appreciate life more . . . and not let the little things defeat me."

Donna Shalala: "There are so many mountains to climb before I reach sixty."

Christine Todd Whitman: " . . . [Y]ou've got to take opportunities as they open up."

Because the book is aimed at 50 rather than 35, it doesn't have as much to say about balancing career and family as it might.

After you read this book, ask yourself whether you define yourself by your age. If so, does it spur you on . . . or discourage you? Then think of the most inspiring thing that you can say about your age. It might be something like, "Imagine that I only began the most successful things in my life after reaching the age of . . . ."

Read about inspirational examples and think inspiring thoughts to create a life that makes you feel wonderful . . . despite the aches and pains!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A real disappointment, December 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fifty on Fifty: Wisdom, Inspiration, and Reflections on Women's Lives Well Lived (Hardcover)

What a great idea... gathering the collective thoughts and wisdom of fifty women who have reached fifty and beyond. Unfortunately, Bonnie Miller Rubin missed the mark and has gathered together a collection of bland, simplistic and superficial statements from fifty celebrities including Suzanne Somers and Tammy Faye Bakker.

Open any page and you'll see what I mean... "Another thing I've learned is you have to pay attention to what's authentic." "When you're going through a really tough time, you need to have good women friends." "Plastic surgery is certainly a big topic for all of us girls out there over forty, isn't it?" "I learned that I can't do anything about the length of my life, but I can do something about its width and its depth." "Change keeps you young."

Don't waste your money, buy this book instead: "On Women Turning 50: Celebrating Mid-Life Discoveries," interviews and photography by Cathleen Rountree.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I found a great gift for Mother's day!!, April 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fifty on Fifty: Wisdom, Inspiration, and Reflections on Women's Lives Well Lived (Hardcover)

I was looking for something for my beautiful wife's 50th BDay. She was very nervous about this particular passage for reasons that I thought were silly. She's looks great for any age and this book showed her that 50 is just a number that doesn't mean the end of anything - just the start of everything!!