Customer Reviews

The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has indeed encouraged me to re-envision my life for the years ahead. The essays by women who are successfully aging are short. There is room after each essay for journaling, answering specific question about the essay. This has made it possible for me to explore my beliefs about aging. I have made the book my own and have actually written on every page. The wide margins encourage note taking. Usually I will write in pencil so my material can be erased. In this book my comments are in ink. I have claimed the book as my own.
It is a book that I will give to my friends who are stuck in the myths of aging.
After reading this I know that I do not have to age like my Mother or Grandmother. My age now is 68 and I know now that I have many fulfilling years ahead of me.
This is the first interactive book i have seen on aging.

This book is well timed for the crossing over of us baby-boomer women into the seemingly formidable midlife threshold. It is a fun read that entices its reader to accompany-and, years hence, to revisit-it into a ripe and rich old age that (we like to think) makes the young-and-promising positively tremble with eager anticipation and even a little envy.
As our youth recedes, we gain in wisdom-or so we fervently hope. This book provides a nice direction on topics to start cogitating about, if we aren't already saying "me too" at their very mention. Both held true for this 50-something reviewer.
The journaling pages add a new dimension to the author's musings and down-to-earth advice about how aging affects cultural attitudes, relationship to self and others in our lives, and logistical concerns. The think-and-do format seems designed for those of us (such as myself) who whittle away seeming eternities in waiting rooms ripping out and filling in self-diagnostic tests from women's magazines. This book is written with avid readers of women's magazines in mind.
This format helps with journaling, an increasingly valuable skill to those whose need for verbal processing exceeds the capacity of even our closest friends, therapists, not to mention our sanity.
Ms. Blair offers much practical wisdom on stress management, the more than occasional need to say "no", how to prune out obsolete junk and simplify-even how to sell your house and create a more comfortable and manageable living space for yourself. The author takes some of the sting out of certain unpleasantries-such as the death of loved ones, working retirement, parenting "old" children, employers' prejudices against older workers-by articulating and describing them, and creating a guided journal entry. Her tone is warm and motherly without being scolding or condescending. I would have liked more information on the logistics around the deaths of parents, but no reviewer can have everything.
It works best to take in this book as a self-paced mini-course, pausing at your leisure to dialogue with the author by filling in the journal entries as you journey through it. Though the content builds on itself, the table of contents' organization and the self-contained coherence of each chapter makes for a nice nibbler too.

Picture sitting down to tea on a warm sunny porch in early spring with your favorite Aunt. She's honest, witty, full of important information delivered with love and affection which helps pave the way for your continuing growth and development. With The Next Fifty Years, Pamela Blair has officially become one of my favorite aunts, gently guiding me through the challenges of midlife with grace and humor. The essays, on every topic imaginable, are beautifully written and punctuated with fabulous quotes from women only. At the end of each essay, wonderfully thought-provoking questions transform this book into an interactive conversation where my journaled responses become part of the journey. Order this book, put the kettle on and pull up a cozy chair - you'll be glad you did!

This is a winner! Wise, pertinent advice for all women who are
aging- every topic covered to enable graceful, joyful, healthy,
sexy aging with ample opportunity to record personal thoughts.
Includes a useful format for workshops. Is is an outstanding
all inclusive compendium for all women. Buy it today!

Excellent read. I bought several books on "turning 50 etc." This is the BEST. I'm sending it to my girlfriend, who turns 50 in April. It is a book about reality and the future and real people. Read it you will see you are not alone.

The Next Fifty Years is witty, smart, thoughtful, down to earth and yet
spiritual in it's gentleness. A perfect interactive workbook for my
midlife and older clients who are always looking to find and accept
their truth, improve their self esteem and be supported. Thank you,
Pamela Blair for your helpful guidance.

I liked this workbook. It is comprehensive and divided into four sections: Thoughts, Cultural Attitudes and Myths about Women Aging; Who we are, Who and What We Live With; and Looking Forward. In her introduction, Blair suggests that we skip sections which do not apply to us. All of her short essays are followed by space in which to respond to questions such as "how does this feel?" or, more specifically, asking for a response to the issue addressed.

There were sections which did not pique my curiosity and I did read through those quickly. However, on a whole, the issues addressed are those which we, as women in the second half of life, should be thinking about. Her style gives us an opportunity for reflection, but does not ask us to spend hours thinking and writing. One could work through a section or even a few pages, put it down, pick it up and still follow the flow of the concepts.

Blair's book is intended to be used as a personal journal but could be used in a discussion/writing group following the study guide in the back or any other format deemed fitting for a group of women. It is well written researched and easy to follow.

The titles of her essays are enough to entice one to read. For example: Myths to Not Live By, Changing Tempo, Aging Can Be Fun? Ages and Stages and An Attitude of Gratitude. There is a long bibliography and a study guide. Her writing is pleasing and her flashes of humor and mini-stories about herself keep The Next Fifty Years from being a dry workbook. Blair feels that "we have an assignment to make clear our role in society: to inscribe the possibilities of age on the guideposts to the future."

by Judith Helburn
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Thought-provoking, comprehensive, and chock full of pertinent information, Pamela Blair's book is an invaluable guide for the woman crossing over to midlife.
The reader can explore every aspect of what lies ahead for her as an older woman in 150 short essays that range from cultural attitudes and myths about aging women to such practical matters as health, finances, and relationships.
The author poses questions at the end of each essay to which the reader can respond to by journaling right in the book, making it a highly personal experience.
As an added bonus, a study guide is provided at the end of the book for women who wish to meet in discussion groups using The Next Fifty Years.
This book is the perfect companion for the woman who wants to better understand and enter in celebratory fashion midlife and beyond.

- Chloe Jon Paul

I ordered this book a few years ago and only now getting around to reading it, perhaps the book is showing its age! I'm finding the quotes and references for other reading more useful than the actual content. I'm about halfway through, a lot is not applicable to my situation, so skipping chapters. A little predictable and conservative for me. Halfway through, and not finding a lot of new material. I'm 68, happily married and fit, (blessing) so found a lot more inspiration and interesting content in Younger Next Year for Women.

I recently picked up "The Next Fifty Years" by Pamela Blair, PhD and I just love its bite-sized wisdom and wide array of interesting topics. I am quickly approaching midlife and it has been a soothing companion on my bedside table reminding me that aging is full of gifts and opportunities.