Women at the Well : The Many Voices of Menopause [Paperback]

Marielena Zuniga (Author), Frances Schwabenland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2001

In this compelling book, women share their firsthand stories of what it's like - physically, spiritually and emotionally - to experience menopause. And what they tell us is both heart-warming and heart-rending. They share their struggles, what has helped and what hasn't and the plea that menopause is a normal biological process. Most of all, they want other women to know that they are not alone. Informative and highly readable, these 33 narratives take us into the personal lives of these ordinary and extraordinary women. Women at the Well: The Many Voices of Menopause is a well of life-giving wisdom, support and hope for all women - and their loved ones.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frances Schwabenland, M.Ed., M.S., has a Master's degree in counseling psychology and is a practicing marriage and family therapist in the Philadelphia area. With a Master's degree in education, she has worked as an educational consultant in the publishing and corporate world. Presently, Ms. Schwabenland is an educator working with adolescents. Marielena Zuniga, M.S., has written for newspapers, magazines and corporate publications for the last 25 years. A freelance writer in the Philadelphia area, she specializes in women's issues and health topics. Ms. Zuniga has a Master's degree in counseling psychology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corp (April 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738857963
• ISBN-13: 978-0738857961
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,003,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review (City Line News, Narberth, PA), July 23, 2001

By 

Alison Savett, Editorial Staff - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women at the Well : The Many Voices of Menopause (Paperback)

Add another book to your summer reading list, especially if you, or someone you know, is going through menopause. "Women at the Well: The Many Voices of Menopause" is a compilation of personal stories from women throughout the nation and beyond. Edited as well as collected by both Marielena Zuniga and Frances Schwabenland, the book is not only incredibly touching but enlightening for those who have not yet experienced menopause.

Published by Xlibris 2001, the 33 first-person stories of varying perspective give the reader insight as to what has, or hasn't helped each one of these women through menopause. While hundreds of books have been written by doctors and other experts, these women are clearly the experts solely by virtue of their experiences.

Ginger from Jacksonville, Florida, tells in her story of physicians who didn't take her symptoms seriously and instead told her they were all stress related. Helen of Petaluma, California, mentions fatigue and weight gain in her story. And in each of the 33 tales, there is always one thing, if not more, that differs from all other stories.

Physical issues are not the only matters discussed in this book. Spiritual and emotional hardships are brought about in many of the narratives. Cheryl, from Decatur, Georgia, told of her arduous times when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin disease and the following remission. Catharine of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, shared her metaphoric comparison to Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," stating that there was "nothing in the wizard's black bag for me."

While many of the thoughts expressed in this book are heart-warming in parts, many have heart-wrenching details that every person, not just women, can relate to.

Each woman in her story gives the reader not only a great insight into her life but also into who she is and how she dealt with both perimenopause and menopause.

A great many thanks are owed to Schwabenland and Zuniga for their efforts in sharing the once taboo topic of menopause.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars menopause in different voices, July 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Women at the Well : The Many Voices of Menopause (Paperback)

This book gives first-hand accounts of the many different physical and emotional symptoms of menopause. The voices sound a warning note, in that many women talk about the inadequate and downright ignorant responses by the medical profession, but they also tell how "the change" has been positive and empowering. Given the taboos and mis-information surrounding this subject, the book is timely and important.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for women, July 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Women at the Well : The Many Voices of Menopause (Paperback)

This small book holds your attention from start to finish. The stories of 33 women's experiences with menopause are refreshing in their honesty. The mystical veil that has surrounded this episode of a woman's life is lifted, somewhat, as we laugh and cry with each of these women that are willing to share their private joy and pain. This book is packed with educational information as well. Any woman who is currently going through menopause, perimenopause, or is post-menopausal will relate to many of the stories.