Be an Outrageous Older Woman: The Sassy and Humorous Guide to Reinvention, Passion, and Freedom for Your Senior Years

by Ruth H. Jacobs

In a society that worships youth and relegates its seniors to second-class citizen status, many elderly women end up ignored, mourning their lost youth. It doesn't have to be that way, says Dr. Ruth Harriet Jacobs, Remarkable Aging Smart Person and self-proclaimed troublemaker. Her Be An Outrageous Older Woman. A unique guide to living it up in the senior years, this feisty book addresses the many issues faced by older women in a sassy, humorous and yes, even outrageous way. Drawing from her personal experience and from years of meticulous research, Dr. Jacobs covers such areas

Genres: Womens, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 1997

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an older title that I pulled from a "freebie" basket at the library. The author is a gerontologist and researcher. She has a Ph.D in Sociology and has taught at such places as Wellesley College and Clark University. This was not the humorous book that I thought it would be, although it has its moments. Near the beginning, Jacobs describes how she has crashed many conventions and hotels, enjoying free munchies and using the venue's swimming pool. She's able to do this without attracting attention, because she says older women become invisible. No one notices them. The book goes on to explore life changes that older women face, such as loss of spouse and lack of money. She gives many tips on how to survive on less and explains the benefits of friendships and social gatherings. The only complaint I have about the book is that the author spends too much time talking about herself. She includes many of her own poems, most of which are not that wonderful.

[Michele Berson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Would NOT recommend it. Out of date with today, many typos and not great.

[Cheryl Denise Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Advice

I like everything about the book, although it's a bit dated. Most of it still rings true. Her sense of humor was wonderful.

[Pat W Coffey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for an upcoming female cousin's reunion. The author's target audience is women facing their fifties and beyond. The book is filled with a myriad of poems, suggestions, and hilarious and not so funny stories. The author is a credential professor from Clark University and Boston University. She gives both professional and personal advice to women on how to face the challenges of the last half of life.

This book has the possibility for lively discussion with a book group or many moments of self-reflection. It is a good resource for all women and for men who love women. Read this book only if you dare to embrace the possibilities of the benefits of aging.

[Margie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of $$

I'm sorry I wasted my money on this book. Editing is non-existent and the many errors are extremely distracting. I'm not a lover of poetry so found much of the book of no interest.

[Karen Gibson]

I couldn't finish this book. The topic was fine, the writing was okay, but the copy editing on the kindle version was horrible. So many wrong words, missed punctuation, and extraneous open parenthesis, that I had to quit.

[Cws]

305.4

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! A must read for anyone of a "certain age".

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many spelling errors. The information was not relative. I didn't actually finish the book, just couldn't get through it.

[Renetta Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book full of fun outrageous ideas, it is American but still applies in Britain and everywhere else! Let's get creative and outrageous as we get older ladies! I am not old yet but am looking forward to getting there :-)