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fbroom's review against another edition
I really wanted to love this but I was kind of bored halfway through. Some essays I had fun reading were 1, 2, 6, 11, 13 and 15.
01 | Same Life Higher Rent MEGHAN DAUM
02 | Soul Mates: A Timeline in Clothing CATHERINE NEWMAN
03 | It’s a Game of Two Halves VERONICA CHAMBERS
04 | What We Talk about When We Talk about Our Face SLOANE CROSLEY
05 | Why I Didn’ t Answer Your Email KJ DELL’ANTONIA
06 | Became an Actress at Thirty-Nine JILL KARGMAN
07 | Inheritance and Tip of My Tongue JENA SCHWARTZ
08 | Adaptation of Life KATE BOLICK
09 | There’s a Metaphor Here ALLISON WINN SCOTCH
10 | The Breathtaking Potential of the Attosecond JESSICA LAHEY
11 | The People Who Got Me Here JULIE KLAM
12 | Tried That, Doing Me SUJEAN RIM
13 | I Don’ t Have Time for This SOPHFRONIA SCOTT
14 | Youth Dew LEE WOODRUFF
15 | Quantum Physics for Birthdays
01 | Same Life Higher Rent MEGHAN DAUM
02 | Soul Mates: A Timeline in Clothing CATHERINE NEWMAN
03 | It’s a Game of Two Halves VERONICA CHAMBERS
04 | What We Talk about When We Talk about Our Face SLOANE CROSLEY
05 | Why I Didn’ t Answer Your Email KJ DELL’ANTONIA
06 | Became an Actress at Thirty-Nine JILL KARGMAN
07 | Inheritance and Tip of My Tongue JENA SCHWARTZ
08 | Adaptation of Life KATE BOLICK
09 | There’s a Metaphor Here ALLISON WINN SCOTCH
10 | The Breathtaking Potential of the Attosecond JESSICA LAHEY
11 | The People Who Got Me Here JULIE KLAM
12 | Tried That, Doing Me SUJEAN RIM
13 | I Don’ t Have Time for This SOPHFRONIA SCOTT
14 | Youth Dew LEE WOODRUFF
15 | Quantum Physics for Birthdays
xtinabaker's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
jamheck's review against another edition
4.0
[audiobook] i was wary of reading this book because i don’t like to think about approaching 40... but it was our book club selection, so i felt justified enough. i actually enjoyed it! most of the women are older than me but i still felt i could relate to their tales and struggles. some of the essays were poignant and touching. all were a reminder that i will be in their shoes in the blink of an eye. such is life.
kjelu1022's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. As I am in my early 40s, I could relate to this book on many levels. It was great to hear other women in their forties reflecting on how their lives have evolved. As with most collection of stories, some were greater than others. However, on the whole, I truly enjoyed this book. I will recommend this book to others.
lexa's review against another edition
3.75
Like with many essay collections, some were excellent. Others didn’t resonate as much.
sonia_reppe's review against another edition
4.0
My favorites:
Meghan Daum's "Same Life Higher Rent" She's come full circle from her early twenties. She pokes fun at her “oldness” (ie. cultural/music differences, barre class) and also pokes fun at her younger self. Perfect.
Sloan, Crosley. "What We Talk About when we talk about our Face" Great title. She makes up a fun concept: "Internal Age Vision" (the spectrum measuring how old one feels, youngest to oldest. She feels 32 with spikes up to 68) Lol: “Hold up, under-eye bags, I need to assess my whole life before you settle in.”
Kargman, Jill. "I Became an Actress at 39" Honest, real, funny. Open.
Klam, Julie. "The People Who Got Me Here" I loved this one! I connected with the strong parental family influence and presence in her life, and it also had a good story conflict (housing court) at the center of the essay.
The worst was "Why I didn’t answer your email." It's a list of important things the writer did: moments with kids and ‘I had to make dinner’ etc. No humor, nothing interesting and all I’m thinking is You didn’t answer my email, bitch.
I also like the "Adaptation of Life" by the author of Spinster, which is a book I have wanted to read, so maybe I will get to it now that my interest is renewed.
A Game of two halves was ok but there were too many pop/celeb references for my taste (I understand that that is her field but it doesn't do it for me).
Meghan Daum's "Same Life Higher Rent" She's come full circle from her early twenties. She pokes fun at her “oldness” (ie. cultural/music differences, barre class) and also pokes fun at her younger self. Perfect.
Sloan, Crosley. "What We Talk About when we talk about our Face" Great title. She makes up a fun concept: "Internal Age Vision" (the spectrum measuring how old one feels, youngest to oldest. She feels 32 with spikes up to 68) Lol: “Hold up, under-eye bags, I need to assess my whole life before you settle in.”
Kargman, Jill. "I Became an Actress at 39" Honest, real, funny. Open.
Klam, Julie. "The People Who Got Me Here" I loved this one! I connected with the strong parental family influence and presence in her life, and it also had a good story conflict (housing court) at the center of the essay.
The worst was "Why I didn’t answer your email." It's a list of important things the writer did: moments with kids and ‘I had to make dinner’ etc. No humor, nothing interesting and all I’m thinking is You didn’t answer my email, bitch.
I also like the "Adaptation of Life" by the author of Spinster, which is a book I have wanted to read, so maybe I will get to it now that my interest is renewed.
A Game of two halves was ok but there were too many pop/celeb references for my taste (I understand that that is her field but it doesn't do it for me).
lportilla's review
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Cancer
Minor: Addiction
shannanh's review against another edition
4.0
Since I'm in my early forties, I though I'd read this book to gage other's experiences. Some of the stories were enjoyable, and some of them were not a fit for me.