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TOP 1000 REVIEWERon April 19, 2016
There’s definitely a spiritual and/or religious bent to some of the book, but (as a non-religious person) I did not find it overwhelming or annoying. Cameron acknowledges spirituality apart from religion, and spirituality is not the focus of the book. It’s more of a tool in a toolbox that she presents.
“Morning Pages” are the first tool that Cameron teaches us. She tells us to write three pages every morning, by hand (no computer), stream-of-consciousness style. She provides many anecdotes showing us how people have learned surprising things about themselves (and their relationships, jobs, etc.) through this exercise. I’m a fan of freewriting in general, and although I usually see writing teachers advocate it in smaller amounts, I can see how forcing yourself to fill all three pages would probably bring a lot more to the surface.
Her second tool is memoir. You divide your age by the 12 weeks the course is meant to last, and write about that many years each week, starting from the beginning. Again, it’s meant to bring things to the surface, make connections you might not have come up with otherwise, etc. For some people the memoir becomes a purpose and project unto itself.
Weekly ‘artist dates’ act as a refueling method. Choose something a little interesting, special, or deliberately out of your comfort zone, and go do it alone. Go to an aquarium or zoo. Enjoy a trip through an art gallery or museum. It’s meant to jolt us out of our inertia and boredom; she calls it ‘assigned play’.
Then there’s something particularly easy: walking (twice a week, for at least twenty minutes at a time).
Each week in the book comes with questions to ask yourself, plenty of examples from her students, and tips to get around things that may be blocking you. Cameron presents ways to deal with distractions, drama, and ‘crazymaking’ people.
I like the book well enough that I bought a copy for a recently-retired person I care about. Sure, it has that ‘new age’ feel to it, but I think that works well in this case, and in my opinion doesn’t change whether or not it will work for you. This is about finding and fulfilling your dreams and goals, one step at a time.
NOTE: Book provided free by publisher for review
“Morning Pages” are the first tool that Cameron teaches us. She tells us to write three pages every morning, by hand (no computer), stream-of-consciousness style. She provides many anecdotes showing us how people have learned surprising things about themselves (and their relationships, jobs, etc.) through this exercise. I’m a fan of freewriting in general, and although I usually see writing teachers advocate it in smaller amounts, I can see how forcing yourself to fill all three pages would probably bring a lot more to the surface.
Her second tool is memoir. You divide your age by the 12 weeks the course is meant to last, and write about that many years each week, starting from the beginning. Again, it’s meant to bring things to the surface, make connections you might not have come up with otherwise, etc. For some people the memoir becomes a purpose and project unto itself.
Weekly ‘artist dates’ act as a refueling method. Choose something a little interesting, special, or deliberately out of your comfort zone, and go do it alone. Go to an aquarium or zoo. Enjoy a trip through an art gallery or museum. It’s meant to jolt us out of our inertia and boredom; she calls it ‘assigned play’.
Then there’s something particularly easy: walking (twice a week, for at least twenty minutes at a time).
Each week in the book comes with questions to ask yourself, plenty of examples from her students, and tips to get around things that may be blocking you. Cameron presents ways to deal with distractions, drama, and ‘crazymaking’ people.
I like the book well enough that I bought a copy for a recently-retired person I care about. Sure, it has that ‘new age’ feel to it, but I think that works well in this case, and in my opinion doesn’t change whether or not it will work for you. This is about finding and fulfilling your dreams and goals, one step at a time.
NOTE: Book provided free by publisher for review
on August 28, 2016
SUMMARY: 3 stars. (1 star deducted for large amount of content derivative of Ms. Cameron's previous _The Artist's Way_. Another star deducted for lack of true "midlife" perspective in book, despite title.)
I agree with the many reviewers who've written that this book is "not about midlife." While many reviewers quite rightly note that this book cleaves to Ms. Cameron's _The Artist's Way_ so closely that there is little room for the author to delve into the promise of the book's subtitle -- "Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Midlife and Beyond" -- I was just as troubled to find that the "midlife" content promised in the title is all but nonexistent in the book.
To amplify, despite the book's title, it does little to explore "midlife" -- i.e. the period that U.S. medical authorities and government agencies alike place between about age 45 and age 60 or 61 -- and instead focuses so completely on folks in their 60s and up that the inclusion of "midlife" in the book's title is downright baffling.
When I purchased the book, I understood -- and welcomed -- the fact that the book was going to be especially germane to seniors, retirees chief among them. However, the book's title also led me to believe that folks in true "midlife" would find themselves represented in the book's pages too -- albeit to a lesser extent than retirees and seniors. Instead, when the book arrived yesterday, I discovered that folks within this true "midlife" demographic are scarcely mentioned in the book.
This is a bummer -- especially since wide swaths of the true "midlife" demographic are especially ripe for Ms. Cameron's attention. For example, as economists and sociologists have noted, folks who are now in their mid- to late-50s are one of the U.S. demographics that were hardest hit by the 2008-2009 economic downturn. Such exigency has forced many of these folks to reinvent themselves professionally and personally at a time in their lives when they thought they'd be enjoying a career pinnacle and/or planning for imminent retirement. Faced with age discrimination in hiring at the same time, many of these folks have become entrepreneurs or otherwise thought outside the box about employment. Given that such reinvention and adaptation are right in Ms. Cameron's wheelhouse, folks within the 50 to 59 portion of the aforementioned "midlife" curve could have added much to the book's case studies. Instead, folks in their 50s are almost wholly absent from the book.
Similarly, folks in their mid- to late-40s -- i.e. the time in which folks enter into true "midlife" in earnest -- often find that either inner changes or the practical realities of job transitions, empty nests, etc. prompt the very sort of re-evaluation and re-calibration that Ms. Cameron wrote her book to acknowledge and assist. Yet -- much like their brothers and sisters in the 50-59 demographic -- folks in their mid- to late-40s are all but invisible in this book.
A book in which Ms. Cameron applies the lessons and strategies of her _The Artist's Way_ to seniors is a focus that I applaud. Alas, Ms. Cameron muddies the waters by foregrounding "midlife" in her title so prominently that prospective buyers might reasonably expect the book to give at least cursory attention to folks in true "midlife" as medicine and government define it.
If I were a senior/retiree (I'm 45), the author's seeming reluctance to use the words "seniors" and/or "retirees" in the book's title would give me pause. If the final decades of one's life ("seniors") and/or one's retirement ("retirees") can comprise one's most creative and fulfilling life chapter -- as I believe and as Ms. Cameron purports to believe -- then why not include "seniors" and/or "retirees" in the book's title instead of foregrounding a younger, "midlife" demographic that comprises not even a fraction of the book's true focus? Strange.
I agree with the many reviewers who've written that this book is "not about midlife." While many reviewers quite rightly note that this book cleaves to Ms. Cameron's _The Artist's Way_ so closely that there is little room for the author to delve into the promise of the book's subtitle -- "Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Midlife and Beyond" -- I was just as troubled to find that the "midlife" content promised in the title is all but nonexistent in the book.
To amplify, despite the book's title, it does little to explore "midlife" -- i.e. the period that U.S. medical authorities and government agencies alike place between about age 45 and age 60 or 61 -- and instead focuses so completely on folks in their 60s and up that the inclusion of "midlife" in the book's title is downright baffling.
When I purchased the book, I understood -- and welcomed -- the fact that the book was going to be especially germane to seniors, retirees chief among them. However, the book's title also led me to believe that folks in true "midlife" would find themselves represented in the book's pages too -- albeit to a lesser extent than retirees and seniors. Instead, when the book arrived yesterday, I discovered that folks within this true "midlife" demographic are scarcely mentioned in the book.
This is a bummer -- especially since wide swaths of the true "midlife" demographic are especially ripe for Ms. Cameron's attention. For example, as economists and sociologists have noted, folks who are now in their mid- to late-50s are one of the U.S. demographics that were hardest hit by the 2008-2009 economic downturn. Such exigency has forced many of these folks to reinvent themselves professionally and personally at a time in their lives when they thought they'd be enjoying a career pinnacle and/or planning for imminent retirement. Faced with age discrimination in hiring at the same time, many of these folks have become entrepreneurs or otherwise thought outside the box about employment. Given that such reinvention and adaptation are right in Ms. Cameron's wheelhouse, folks within the 50 to 59 portion of the aforementioned "midlife" curve could have added much to the book's case studies. Instead, folks in their 50s are almost wholly absent from the book.
Similarly, folks in their mid- to late-40s -- i.e. the time in which folks enter into true "midlife" in earnest -- often find that either inner changes or the practical realities of job transitions, empty nests, etc. prompt the very sort of re-evaluation and re-calibration that Ms. Cameron wrote her book to acknowledge and assist. Yet -- much like their brothers and sisters in the 50-59 demographic -- folks in their mid- to late-40s are all but invisible in this book.
A book in which Ms. Cameron applies the lessons and strategies of her _The Artist's Way_ to seniors is a focus that I applaud. Alas, Ms. Cameron muddies the waters by foregrounding "midlife" in her title so prominently that prospective buyers might reasonably expect the book to give at least cursory attention to folks in true "midlife" as medicine and government define it.
If I were a senior/retiree (I'm 45), the author's seeming reluctance to use the words "seniors" and/or "retirees" in the book's title would give me pause. If the final decades of one's life ("seniors") and/or one's retirement ("retirees") can comprise one's most creative and fulfilling life chapter -- as I believe and as Ms. Cameron purports to believe -- then why not include "seniors" and/or "retirees" in the book's title instead of foregrounding a younger, "midlife" demographic that comprises not even a fraction of the book's true focus? Strange.
on April 22, 2016
This book is very much like the Artist Way. It was a waste of money if you have her other books. More of the same,morning pages, etc.
on May 2, 2016
When I saw that the author was coming out with this new book, I ordered it right away. I did The Artist's Way about 20 years ago and liked it but didn't want to do it again. Although the tools are very similar, she adds "memoir" and walking has more emphasis which is appropriate for us elders who are about to retire or are already there. After a serious illness earlier this year, I was ready to reclaim my creativity and have been at it since. I am still working but part time which gives me enough time to do everything I want to do.
She also includes lots of stories by people who are in the midst of the transition and it helps to see how others deal with it. Cameron herself is in her 60's so she can relate to us as well.
I have also done The Prosperous Heart, a book about changing one's relationship to money and she places more emphasis on spirituality in that one.
This book is not just for older people but for anyone who wants to regain or refresh their creativity
She also includes lots of stories by people who are in the midst of the transition and it helps to see how others deal with it. Cameron herself is in her 60's so she can relate to us as well.
I have also done The Prosperous Heart, a book about changing one's relationship to money and she places more emphasis on spirituality in that one.
This book is not just for older people but for anyone who wants to regain or refresh their creativity
on October 27, 2016
I wish I'd read the other reviews before getting this. I didn't realize that it's really for people in retirement. I'm mid-forties and consider that "mid-life". I love The Artist's Way and some of Julia's other material, but I didn't get into this book because I'd have to re-frame alot of what she writes for my season of life. Hoping to find someone to gift this to.
on June 16, 2016
I bought this book to review when I was on a 2 week vacation retreat during my 67th birthday. Although it is a 12-week process, I want to extend it and work on each chapter for more than a week. The Memoir exercise has been so insightful. Sometimes it was a painful process to go through a particular period of my life but in the end, I was able to understand why I have the beliefs and growth I have today and am able to ask the questions: What was important to me then and what was important to me now? How have I changed? Why are my preferences now? What kind of woman do I want to grow into? This book is a wonderful tool for self assessment and evaluation. I own all of Julia Cameron's books and this one is another winner.
on April 29, 2016
Julia Cameron's books are great self-help guides with a spiritual angle. This one is no different. It's targeted to the middle aged or even retired market, but even works for those experiencing an early midlife crisis.
For those who aren't familiar with Julia Cameron's books, they're a week-by-week program to introducing change in your life by getting rid of old mental habits. One of the key components is her daily pages - 3 hand written pages per day. You'll get out what you put in. Do the exercises and it will change your life.
For those who aren't familiar with Julia Cameron's books, they're a week-by-week program to introducing change in your life by getting rid of old mental habits. One of the key components is her daily pages - 3 hand written pages per day. You'll get out what you put in. Do the exercises and it will change your life.
on August 11, 2016
This is simply a repeat of all her other books. I almost returned the book because I wanted something fresh and new. For those who haven't read The Artist Way this is a fine book. It didn't help me solve the problem I'm having with retirement.
on May 12, 2016
Julia. Julia. Julia. I should not blame you for biting me so many times with the same book only slightly revamped and renamed. I should blame myself for being so dumb. I loved, LOVED The Artist's Way.... the first time... but really? how many times can I fall for those morning pages regurgitated... Sorry. I am generous with the second star.
