A review by sonia_reppe
On Being 40(ish): Fifteen Writers on the Prime of Their Lives by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Kate Bolick, K.J. Dell'Antonia, Catherine Newman, Lindsey Mead, Sujean Rim, Veronica Chambers, Jena Schwartz, Allison Winn Scotch, Sloane Crosley, Sophfronia Scott, Jessica Lahey, Jill Kargman, Julie Klam, Meghan Daum
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).