Customer Reviews

Life Begins at Fifty: A Handbook for Creative Retirement Planning

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As my own writing sometimes includes advice columns, an editor recommended I read "Life Begins at Fifty" as a primer on how to make a wide range of sometimes complex topics easily accessible for the lay reader. It proved an excellent direction. Mr. Hansen has obviously covered the waterfront for a long time, and the breadth of his knowledge and the manner in which he integrates and conveys his subjects provides a stark contrast to most of the platitudes and off the shelf advice readers are subjected to. My spry 82 year old mother found the book a fascination and said that if she'd had access to it decades ago it would have significantly influenced and changed a number of her decisions. I know the book will prove an interesting tool for me, as it prods me toward topics I know I should be thinking about but keep putting off. One of the most evident virtues of the book is that Mr. Hansen never seems to be fighting a rearguard action as Father Time starts piling on, but instead clearly views the last half of life as when things really get interesting, a viewpoint readers of his book are likely to embrace.

As a reporter in the field of aging it is my business to keep up with the plethora of books on the subject, and mature-market pioneer Mr. Hansen's "Life Begins at 50'' is still for my money one of the very best comprehensive guides available for anyone seriously contemplating the myriad issues of growing older -- and better -- in America. As the oft-dubbed "guru" of the aging field, Mr. Hansen's 30 years as an award-winning publisher, journalist, author, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and travel writer provides the reader with concise, insightful and authoritative information. To Mr. Hansen aging equals opportunity, and this philosophy is woven throughout each crisply written chapter laced with anecdotes, stories of inspirational people, life-plan options and hard-hitting facts. "Life Begins at 50'' is not only a fun read but also an indepensible how-to reference that pulls back the curtain of mystery on everything from Social Security and wellness to longevity and creative aging.

I found this book to be very well written and full of valuable information about enjoying life well into one's mature years. I will soon be fifty and now I am thinking about how nice it will be as opposed to dreading growing old. This is a source of inspiration for me. This book helps one to understand the value of growing older and reinforces the idea that growing older is a great opportunity. This book has much to offer those in middle age as well as those in late adulthood. I would especially recommend this book to those in the baby boom generation as they approach fifty.

As a 61 year old woman who suddenly found herself unemployed, it was time to take stock of what I " wanted to be when I grew up". Was I emotionally, and financially ready to retire-what questions did I need to ask myself? Leonard J. Hansen's book-"Life Begins at 50-a Handbook for Creative Retirement Planning" turned out to be just the resource I needed. Many retirement planning books focus on finances, but Hansen talks about the whole person- health, where to live, do I want a new career, my finances, travel, and even volunteerism. I particularly liked his chapter on transitions-the changes that will occur in our lives when we retire, and how to prepare for them in an exciting, but realistic manner. Included in the book are worksheets on the different topics to help the reader see just where they are. Hansen encourages his readers to see themselves as"mature adults" with a fulfilling journey still before them and his book is the tool to set them on the right path. Even though the book was written a decade ago,it is still very much up-to-date in its message. I would recommend it to anyone looking at retirement planning.

There are a lot of books on "retirement" out there. There are very few like this one. I was delighted with the way it laid out every aspect of these special years of one's life. Unlike so many other texts I found on the booksellers's shelves, this one--at least to me, someone who was fast approaching fifty at the time--was downright practical. I wasn't interested in all the academic mumbo jumbo a lot of the other books contained. I just wanted a down-to-earth, practical handbook that would guide me through this potential minefield of bureaucratic and oftentimes nonsense that comes with government activity. It was obvious to me at first reading, that here was a person who was writing from his own experience, combined with an authoritative background in this very specialized field. I'm sure glad I found it!

This concisely written book covers every aspect of aging and retirement. It is well indexed to find just the topic you need, when you need it. I especially appreciate the health and fitness information. Having just turned 50 myself, this book was the most valuable gift I received! I expect to refer to this book for sound advice many times in the course of my upcoming years.

At 48 I began looking ahead for my future as a 'senior citizen'. Mr. Hansen's book was recommended by a friend as a good resource. I found it to be practical, informative in an easy to read style. It is now a valued addition to my personal library.