What do you think?
Rate this book
You Don't Look Your Age: And Other Fairy Tales
For readers of Nora Ephron, Anna Quindlen, and even Lena Dunham, comes a collection of stories and essays about what women of a certain age have learned—sometimes the hard way.
In You Don’t Look Your Age, Sheila Nevins has put together an incredibly surprising, funny and poignant collection of short stories, essays, and poetry that, taken together, tell not only her life story—but the life stories of a generation of women.
Nevins has seen it all. A famed documentary producer (many credit her with creating the modern documentary) Nevins has always been behind the scenes. But now it’s time for her to take center stage. Nevins experienced obstacles at every path—as a daughter, a mother, and as a woman pursuing a career in an industry she loved. You Don’t Look Your Age is Nevins’ chance to tell how things really were, and are, for countless women. Topics she tackles are: frenemies, infidelity, plastic surgery, dieting, Viagra, the heartbreak of young first love, the discomforts of growing old, and a celebration in the long run of what life has to offer.
With biting humor, charm, deep insight, wisdom, and surprising poignancy, Nevins has written that rare book that will be shared between mothers and daughters and even granddaughters.
In You Don’t Look Your Age, Sheila Nevins has put together an incredibly surprising, funny and poignant collection of short stories, essays, and poetry that, taken together, tell not only her life story—but the life stories of a generation of women.
Nevins has seen it all. A famed documentary producer (many credit her with creating the modern documentary) Nevins has always been behind the scenes. But now it’s time for her to take center stage. Nevins experienced obstacles at every path—as a daughter, a mother, and as a woman pursuing a career in an industry she loved. You Don’t Look Your Age is Nevins’ chance to tell how things really were, and are, for countless women. Topics she tackles are: frenemies, infidelity, plastic surgery, dieting, Viagra, the heartbreak of young first love, the discomforts of growing old, and a celebration in the long run of what life has to offer.
With biting humor, charm, deep insight, wisdom, and surprising poignancy, Nevins has written that rare book that will be shared between mothers and daughters and even granddaughters.
255 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2017
379 people are currently reading
4662 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Nevins
9 books29 followersSheila Nevins is an American television producer and the former President of HBO Documentary Films. She has produced over one thousand documentary films for HBO and is one of the most influential people in documentary filmmaking. She has worked on productions that have been recognized with 35 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, 42 Peabody Awards, and 26 Academy Awards. Nevins has won 32 individual Primetime Emmy Awards, more than any other person.[
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 616 reviews
February 27, 2018
As with any collection of short stories, some are a lot better than others. In this case, though, every single audio reader is fabulous! Who knew that Gloria Vanderbilt reads so wonderfully? That while Judith Light is a fine actress, she's got an amazing audiobook voice? And those are just a couple of the many gems that include Rosie O'Donnel, Whoopie Goldbert, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, Marlo Thomas, Diane von Furstenberg, Liz Smith, & many, many more!!
April 3, 2017
When Meryl Streep says she loves something, I generally take that as a sign that it is almost definitely worth looking into. So when I had the opportunity to get an early book at "You Don't Look Your Age" by Sheila Nevins, I saw that Meryl Streep had already been singing it's praises and jumped on the oppportunity.
Now, I don't know much about the author, Sheila Nevins. I know that she's most well known for her work on documentaries, and that in the documentary field she's regarded as one of the best. Beyond that, there weren't any lightbulbs that went off upon hearing that she had authored this book. After reading it, however, I feel like I have (perhaps too much) greater insight as to who she is and why she decided to step out from behind the camera and put together this collection.
"You Don't Look Your Age" is a collection of stories that read like personal anecdotes and free-form poetry. If that sounds a bit like an interesting mix - you'd be exactly right It was a bit weird jumping from what reads like a memoir to something more poetic, but it works and eventually you get into a bit of a rhythm in terms of reading and get used to it. It's easy to breeze through these little stories and tid-bits, seeing as even the longest ones don't span more than a few pages, making this one of those books that you can read alongside of another, when you only have a few minutes here or there, or all at once.
If you were to ask me how I would describe this book in one word, I’d have to go with “honest.” It’s a raw look at aging and getting older. There are stories of growing up, stories of aging beyond those around you, and stories from the memories of years in between. In terms of audience, this means that there’s something in there for everyone regardless of age or place in life. Don’t worry though, even if you’re on the younger end of the aging spectrum, there’s still a lot of wisdom packed between these covers.
Plus if Meryl says you should read something, you should probably listen.
What did I think?: I’m not sure that this one will be topping my list of books for this year, but it’s definitely one I’m glad I took the time to read through. It’s insightful and entertaining in a sometimes painfully honest way which is a great break from fairy tales and other things that have been crossing my list recently.
Who should read it?: If you’re in the 50+ year age range, this one is going to speak to you especially, and I’d recommend it to you even moreso than I would others my age. That being said, anyone who wants an honest and real look at the things we go through in life should pick this one up. I found myself skimming through some parts that didn’t resonate especially well with where I currently am in life, and still I found that there was a lot to be gained from the parts that I devoured.
Now, I don't know much about the author, Sheila Nevins. I know that she's most well known for her work on documentaries, and that in the documentary field she's regarded as one of the best. Beyond that, there weren't any lightbulbs that went off upon hearing that she had authored this book. After reading it, however, I feel like I have (perhaps too much) greater insight as to who she is and why she decided to step out from behind the camera and put together this collection.
"You Don't Look Your Age" is a collection of stories that read like personal anecdotes and free-form poetry. If that sounds a bit like an interesting mix - you'd be exactly right It was a bit weird jumping from what reads like a memoir to something more poetic, but it works and eventually you get into a bit of a rhythm in terms of reading and get used to it. It's easy to breeze through these little stories and tid-bits, seeing as even the longest ones don't span more than a few pages, making this one of those books that you can read alongside of another, when you only have a few minutes here or there, or all at once.
If you were to ask me how I would describe this book in one word, I’d have to go with “honest.” It’s a raw look at aging and getting older. There are stories of growing up, stories of aging beyond those around you, and stories from the memories of years in between. In terms of audience, this means that there’s something in there for everyone regardless of age or place in life. Don’t worry though, even if you’re on the younger end of the aging spectrum, there’s still a lot of wisdom packed between these covers.
Plus if Meryl says you should read something, you should probably listen.
What did I think?: I’m not sure that this one will be topping my list of books for this year, but it’s definitely one I’m glad I took the time to read through. It’s insightful and entertaining in a sometimes painfully honest way which is a great break from fairy tales and other things that have been crossing my list recently.
Who should read it?: If you’re in the 50+ year age range, this one is going to speak to you especially, and I’d recommend it to you even moreso than I would others my age. That being said, anyone who wants an honest and real look at the things we go through in life should pick this one up. I found myself skimming through some parts that didn’t resonate especially well with where I currently am in life, and still I found that there was a lot to be gained from the parts that I devoured.
July 20, 2017
I can't resist funny book titles!
This is a collection of short stories and essays about aging, women in the workplace, frenemies, cosmetic surgery, dieting, infidelity, benzos ("Dependent? Yes. Addicted? No!") and life in general. The tone of the book is humorous and lighthearted.
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by a "full cast" including Christine Baranski who I love from the TV show The Good Wife, Kathy Bates who is awesome on everything, Glenn Close, Katie Couric, Whoopi Goldberg, Gayle King, Diane Lane, RuPaul, Gloria Steinem, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, and the author, among others (I have listed the entire cast at the end of this review).
I found some of the stories funny and insightful, others not so much. One of my favorite chapters was "Advice for Women in a Male-Dominated Workplace (by a Woman Who Knows)". This story was narrated by Martha Stewart and includes advice such as "Rule #5 - Learn to laugh at jokes - specially if they're not funny" and "Rule #9 - Learn to network", these rules come with an explanation in the book and were meant to be humorous as well as frighteningly accurate.
Overall I enjoyed this book and listened to it in audiobook format. I recommend it to fans of Norah Ephron and people who enjoy observations from a sharp woman.
NOTE: the audiobook is read by the author and a full cast:
Cynthia Adler, Alan Alda, Bob Balaban, Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Ellen Burstyn, Glenn Close, Katie Couric, John Henry Cox, Blythe Danner, Lena Dunham, Edie Falco, Tovah Feldshuh, Diane von Furstenberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Gayle King, Diane Lane, Sandra Lee, Judith Light, Jenna Lyons, Audra McDonald, Janet Mock, Sheila Nevins, Rosie O’Donnell, Jean Richards, RuPaul, Liz Smith, Lesley Stahl, Gloria Steinem, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, Marlo Thomas, Lily Tomlin, and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Review also posted on blog
This is a collection of short stories and essays about aging, women in the workplace, frenemies, cosmetic surgery, dieting, infidelity, benzos ("Dependent? Yes. Addicted? No!") and life in general. The tone of the book is humorous and lighthearted.
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by a "full cast" including Christine Baranski who I love from the TV show The Good Wife, Kathy Bates who is awesome on everything, Glenn Close, Katie Couric, Whoopi Goldberg, Gayle King, Diane Lane, RuPaul, Gloria Steinem, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, and the author, among others (I have listed the entire cast at the end of this review).
I found some of the stories funny and insightful, others not so much. One of my favorite chapters was "Advice for Women in a Male-Dominated Workplace (by a Woman Who Knows)". This story was narrated by Martha Stewart and includes advice such as "Rule #5 - Learn to laugh at jokes - specially if they're not funny" and "Rule #9 - Learn to network", these rules come with an explanation in the book and were meant to be humorous as well as frighteningly accurate.
Overall I enjoyed this book and listened to it in audiobook format. I recommend it to fans of Norah Ephron and people who enjoy observations from a sharp woman.
NOTE: the audiobook is read by the author and a full cast:
Cynthia Adler, Alan Alda, Bob Balaban, Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Ellen Burstyn, Glenn Close, Katie Couric, John Henry Cox, Blythe Danner, Lena Dunham, Edie Falco, Tovah Feldshuh, Diane von Furstenberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Gayle King, Diane Lane, Sandra Lee, Judith Light, Jenna Lyons, Audra McDonald, Janet Mock, Sheila Nevins, Rosie O’Donnell, Jean Richards, RuPaul, Liz Smith, Lesley Stahl, Gloria Steinem, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, Marlo Thomas, Lily Tomlin, and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Review also posted on blog
June 17, 2017
You Don't Look Your Age: And Other Fairy Tales is a fantastic collection of 45 personal essays/memoirs written by Sheila Nevins. They are incredibly honest, with some being highly emotional but most just flat out hilarious. This is a collection I will be re-reading anytime I need some validation from a strong woman about aging, the various roles we fill, or life in general. Seriously, check it out!
Note: I listened to the audiobook version of You Don't Look Your Age: And Other Fairy Tales and it was superb. Listed below are the titles of each short-story/essay and the audiobook narrator. You may recognize a name or two ;)
1-Facing Face-lifts read by Judith Light
2-Chills in the Hot Sun read by Marlo Thomas
3-Heartbreak read by Edie Falco
4-Expensive Clothes read by Kathy Bates
5-The Elephant in the Room read by Gloria Vanderbilt
6-Separate Bedrooms for Marcia and Larry read by Cynthia Adler and John Henry Cox
7-From Cosmo to Ms. read by Lena Dunham
8-Chocolate Chemo read by Marlo Thomas
9-The Giant Named Tourette's read by Rosie O'Donnell
10-Little Blue Pill read by Blythe Danner
11-Jeremy Hit Rock Bottom read by Ellen Burstyn
12-The Dictator, the Farmer, and the Professor read by Bob Balaban
13-To Sleep or Not to Sleep read by Martha Stewart
14-The Art of the Faux Pas read by Glenn Close
15-Eavesdropping on Adultery read by Audra McDonald
16-Par for the Course read by Alan Alda
17-Trudie Foodie read by Gayle King
18-Her Disappearing Act read by Jean Richards
19-Mammogram Day read by Sandra Lee
20-Labor Day Weekend Labors: A Hateful Three Days read by Lily Tomlin
21-A Dog's Dying read by Glenn Close
22-First Kiss read by Gloria Vanderbilt
23-I Hated Teddy and Teddy Hated Me read by Lily Tomlin
24-The Humble Beginnings of My Somewhat Spiritual Self read by Diane Lane
25-Picture Perfect (Almost) read by RuPaul
26-To Lose a Child read by Gloria Vanderbilt
27-The Larry Kramer read by Christine Baranski
28-Melissa Van Holdenvas read by Janet Mock
29-A Day at Will read by Glenn Close
30-Frenemy read by Gayle King
31-Letter to a Dead Great-Aunt: A Personal Memoir read by Tovah Feldshuh
32-A Million-Dollar Smile read by Jenna Lyons
33-Eunice's Period. Stopped. read by Gloria Steinem
34-Did You Ever See a Book Cry? read by Katie Couric
35-Advice to Women in a Male-Dominated Workplace read by Martha Stewart
36-Do You Believe in Santa Claus? read by Audra McDonald
37-The Cookie Wars: W.M. vs. Mrs. Spatz read by Edie Falco
38-Mentor Not ready by Tovah Feldshuh
39-The Day She Lost Her Jealousy at Barneys read by Diane von Furstenberg
40-Imaginary/Real read by Whoopi Goldberg
41-What's in a Name? read by Blythe Danner
42-A Man with a Scythe Rang My Doorbell read by RuPaul
43-+1.75: An Insight read by Liz Smith
44-Gliding Gracefully into Gravity read by Lesley Stahl
45-The Wrong Kind of Hot read by Meryl Streep
Note: I listened to the audiobook version of You Don't Look Your Age: And Other Fairy Tales and it was superb. Listed below are the titles of each short-story/essay and the audiobook narrator. You may recognize a name or two ;)
1-Facing Face-lifts read by Judith Light
2-Chills in the Hot Sun read by Marlo Thomas
3-Heartbreak read by Edie Falco
4-Expensive Clothes read by Kathy Bates
5-The Elephant in the Room read by Gloria Vanderbilt
6-Separate Bedrooms for Marcia and Larry read by Cynthia Adler and John Henry Cox
7-From Cosmo to Ms. read by Lena Dunham
8-Chocolate Chemo read by Marlo Thomas
9-The Giant Named Tourette's read by Rosie O'Donnell
10-Little Blue Pill read by Blythe Danner
11-Jeremy Hit Rock Bottom read by Ellen Burstyn
12-The Dictator, the Farmer, and the Professor read by Bob Balaban
13-To Sleep or Not to Sleep read by Martha Stewart
14-The Art of the Faux Pas read by Glenn Close
15-Eavesdropping on Adultery read by Audra McDonald
16-Par for the Course read by Alan Alda
17-Trudie Foodie read by Gayle King
18-Her Disappearing Act read by Jean Richards
19-Mammogram Day read by Sandra Lee
20-Labor Day Weekend Labors: A Hateful Three Days read by Lily Tomlin
21-A Dog's Dying read by Glenn Close
22-First Kiss read by Gloria Vanderbilt
23-I Hated Teddy and Teddy Hated Me read by Lily Tomlin
24-The Humble Beginnings of My Somewhat Spiritual Self read by Diane Lane
25-Picture Perfect (Almost) read by RuPaul
26-To Lose a Child read by Gloria Vanderbilt
27-The Larry Kramer read by Christine Baranski
28-Melissa Van Holdenvas read by Janet Mock
29-A Day at Will read by Glenn Close
30-Frenemy read by Gayle King
31-Letter to a Dead Great-Aunt: A Personal Memoir read by Tovah Feldshuh
32-A Million-Dollar Smile read by Jenna Lyons
33-Eunice's Period. Stopped. read by Gloria Steinem
34-Did You Ever See a Book Cry? read by Katie Couric
35-Advice to Women in a Male-Dominated Workplace read by Martha Stewart
36-Do You Believe in Santa Claus? read by Audra McDonald
37-The Cookie Wars: W.M. vs. Mrs. Spatz read by Edie Falco
38-Mentor Not ready by Tovah Feldshuh
39-The Day She Lost Her Jealousy at Barneys read by Diane von Furstenberg
40-Imaginary/Real read by Whoopi Goldberg
41-What's in a Name? read by Blythe Danner
42-A Man with a Scythe Rang My Doorbell read by RuPaul
43-+1.75: An Insight read by Liz Smith
44-Gliding Gracefully into Gravity read by Lesley Stahl
45-The Wrong Kind of Hot read by Meryl Streep
November 18, 2024
Since I started walking and listening to audiobooks a couple of times I found one finishing halfway through the daily trudge without a back-up in place so now I’ve become a complete psychopath with 27 options at the ready. After listening to Heartburn read by the incomparable Meryl Streep and remembering a friend saying she had been fantastic on another audio selection, I did a little Google to remind myself what book said friend had been speaking of (that one was Tom Lake if you’re a nosey Rosey like me) and noticed this selection.
I had never heard of this author before (turns out she was the head of the documentary division at HBO which pretty much makes her my imaginary best friend, because HBO documentaries were IT back in the day), but holy crap what a cast of narrators!
Judith Light
Marlo Thomas
Edie Falco
Kathy Bates
Rosie O’Donnell
Blythe Danner
Lena Dunham
Ellen Burstyn
Martha Stewart
Glenn Close
Gayle King
Lila Tomlin
Gloria Vanderbilt (she was surprisingly FABULOUS!)
RuPaul
Chrstine Baranski
even Alan Alda!
And that’s not even all of them so I snatched it right up from the library and breezed right through it in just a couple of short walks.
If you know me you know these sort of collections of fictional essays aren’t my fave. The all-star cast would certainly earn this one a trillion stars, but also since these shorts were maybe only somewhat fictional helped my enjoyment level - not to mention me being a woman of a certain age that seemed specifically the target audience. A physical copy wouldn't earn this many Stars, but since I'm rating the audio I will do just what I please.
Recommended to fans of Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck.
I had never heard of this author before (turns out she was the head of the documentary division at HBO which pretty much makes her my imaginary best friend, because HBO documentaries were IT back in the day), but holy crap what a cast of narrators!
Judith Light
Marlo Thomas
Edie Falco
Kathy Bates
Rosie O’Donnell
Blythe Danner
Lena Dunham
Ellen Burstyn
Martha Stewart
Glenn Close
Gayle King
Lila Tomlin
Gloria Vanderbilt (she was surprisingly FABULOUS!)
RuPaul
Chrstine Baranski
even Alan Alda!
And that’s not even all of them so I snatched it right up from the library and breezed right through it in just a couple of short walks.
If you know me you know these sort of collections of fictional essays aren’t my fave. The all-star cast would certainly earn this one a trillion stars, but also since these shorts were maybe only somewhat fictional helped my enjoyment level - not to mention me being a woman of a certain age that seemed specifically the target audience. A physical copy wouldn't earn this many Stars, but since I'm rating the audio I will do just what I please.
Recommended to fans of Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck.
March 25, 2017
Personal essays and poetry (floetry?) and stories from the legendary Sheila Nevins, the queen of documentary film production. You should know that Sheila and I have a thing -- as the Washington Post's TV critic, I occasionally write reviews of the HBO documentaries she oversees (I review some of them, not all of them) and she is either happy or, when I don't like a film, necessarily protective and willing to push back. I love that. Which is how I came to enjoy corresponding with her over the years. Trust me, it's totally professional, but when I get an email from her, I often have the thought that she should write a book. And she has, and it's a fun and heartfelt read, kind of in the tradition of Nora Ephron. Readers who want something more like a straightforward memoir or who are hoping to get her thoughts and wisdom on making films might be let down; people who enjoy a good conversation with a deeply curious and sharply observant woman, however, will be delighted.
December 9, 2020
Sheila Nevins embraces what it is to be a woman in the modern era.
In this series of short stories, we learn exactly what it feels like to be a working woman in a man's world.
To feeling those first few moments of aging and eventually accepting that change.
To supporting each other through illnesses.
To feeling your adult children leaving the nest away or to find a way to keep that marriage going.
Women from all walks of life are included and celebrated in this book.
Overall - I quite liked the style of these short stories.
They weren't all happy-go-lucky, but they were amusing, uplifting and got me right in the feels.
It was a fun foray into the short story world.
Really enjoyed it!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
October 1, 2018
This is a bunch of essays written by Sheila Nevins, who just retired as the head of the Documentary Films division of HBO. She tells the reader up front that some of the protagonists in the essays are not actually her, but rather are based on friends, acquaintances, etc., so while you are getting Nevins' point of view, the stories are not always about her life - some are how she is viewing others' lives, but you don't know which are which. Personally I found a lot of the essays as "meh." Perhaps this is because, while I have always worked full-time in my career, and juggled family and work, I do not breathe the rarefied air that Nevins clearly breathes - no Ivy league education, no summer home in the Hamptons, no tony uper-East Side prep school for my sons, no money for cosmetic surgeries or personal shoppers - so while she is writing on topics that interest me, her viewpoint is a step off from where I am. Just the fact that she managed to pull together some of her friends to read the essays on the audiobook, and those friends include Martha Stewart, Liz Smith, Katie Couric, Audra MacDonald, Blythe Danner, Gayle King, and, yes - Meryl Streep, makes a reader like me feel like someone in the peanut gallery, and not someone with whom I could share a drink and a chat. Is that a condemnation of the book? I don't know, but there it is.
My favorites were an essay about what motivates her to succeed (disrespect from a former flame's mother, if you want to know), a wonderful essay about her son, an essay about a dear friend losing a child (read, poignantly, by Gloria Vanderbilt), and an essay about Santa Claus that actually brought tears to my eyes (maybe it was just the season). But the rest are kind of a blur. I can't say that you, dear reader, should skip this book because it is likely that some of the essays will resonate with you as well, but don't expect that every oyster will have a pearl.
My favorites were an essay about what motivates her to succeed (disrespect from a former flame's mother, if you want to know), a wonderful essay about her son, an essay about a dear friend losing a child (read, poignantly, by Gloria Vanderbilt), and an essay about Santa Claus that actually brought tears to my eyes (maybe it was just the season). But the rest are kind of a blur. I can't say that you, dear reader, should skip this book because it is likely that some of the essays will resonate with you as well, but don't expect that every oyster will have a pearl.
June 16, 2017
Frustrating to read a book in its entirety knowing that the person received a book contract not due to the quality of the writing but rather the notoriety of the author. Evidence? Check out the hundreds of people named in the acknowledgments of this very slim volume of a smattering of vignettes: Meryl Streep, Martha Stewart, Katie Couric, Gloria Vanderbilt, Isaac Mizrahi, Barbara Walters, etc. ,etc.--you get the gist? Why, someone might ask, did I even pick up the book if it was this fluffy and terrible? As someone who studies aging, the title piqued my interest "You Don't Look Your Age...and Other Fairy Tales." Since many authors have been in dialogue with Nora Ephron's essay-turned-book about her aged wrinkly neck, my thought was that Nevins was continuing in that vein and might offer additional insight and humor. Sadly, no on both fronts. Sure, there are a few pieces on her face lifts and botox (yawn), but the reader also has to suffer through a letter to Santa Claus, too many pages on a hamster, and other really mundane topics (e.g., a woman is not a size 8 any more--catastrophe!). Apparently from Nevin's bio, she is an esteemed documentary-maker, but very little of that material makes it into this collection, which had so little to say.
October 3, 2017
I was interested in this book because of the stellar cast of audiobook readers - Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald, Lily Tomlin, and so many more - but it ended up being a huge disappointment. Instead of being charming and witty, I found most of the essays insipid and grating. And the cover design's not even good.
The author, who is a brilliant and successful documentary maker and has every right to be fascinating, instead comes across as an out of touch rich lady who's obsessed with how beautiful she once was and is terrified that maybe she's not as beautiful anymore. That can be entertaining if it's handled with enough cleverness or insight, but Sheila Nevins is no Nora Ephron, even if she REALLY wants to be Nora Ephron. Finally, anyone who holds a hamster by the tail is a complete jerk.
Wow. This is a mean review.
Maybe I'm just grumpy because I'd waited since June for my hold to come in on this dang book, and then it was really not great.
The author, who is a brilliant and successful documentary maker and has every right to be fascinating, instead comes across as an out of touch rich lady who's obsessed with how beautiful she once was and is terrified that maybe she's not as beautiful anymore. That can be entertaining if it's handled with enough cleverness or insight, but Sheila Nevins is no Nora Ephron, even if she REALLY wants to be Nora Ephron. Finally, anyone who holds a hamster by the tail is a complete jerk.
Wow. This is a mean review.
Maybe I'm just grumpy because I'd waited since June for my hold to come in on this dang book, and then it was really not great.
November 16, 2017
Gave in and checked out the audiobook after hearing Meryl Streep was one of the narrators for this book and wow! I wasn’t disappointed. These are lessons women learn during their lives at different times of their lives..and the audiobook is narrated by bad asses like Meryl Streep, Gayle King, Whoopi Goldberg and Lena Dunham so do yourself a favor..listen to the audio version!
May 7, 2017
The author admits things most women wouldn't. An amusing take on life and it's complications real or imagined. Definitely from a privileged point of few. Hard to relate to if you aren't rich with extra money to throw around.
November 27, 2018
I laughed and cried.
I have to say that mostly women over 40 will be able to relate to this -
Narrated by many famous voices, Sheila Nevins
memoir is enjoyable to listen to.
I have to say that mostly women over 40 will be able to relate to this -
Narrated by many famous voices, Sheila Nevins
memoir is enjoyable to listen to.
October 6, 2024
This book is a rare find. It is honest, poetic, inventive, heartbreaking and hilariously funny all in one. Nevins' eloquent and witty sentences draw the reader right in and keep them there. It makes you want to hug your mom and your dog and laugh silly about your imperfections and unattainable standards. It is a perfect love potion of equal parts fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that has me head over heels. Nevins may be known as a producer, but she is without a doubt a writer too. I feel lucky to have gotten to know, through these pages, this incredible woman. I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook on repeat as Nevins writes Volume 2. It is the kind of book you buy for yourself and give to all your friends.
June 12, 2017
I had hoped it was going to be funny, at least somewhat, that's what caught my eye and made me want to read this book in the first place. It had promise but fell so flat. Only one story really resulted in any sort of emotion and that was one about a dog dying. There was nothing humorous about this book. Honestly though it seemed very geared towards a particular age range to me. Maybe that's just me though. As someone who is nowhere near the age of the author perhaps I cannot properly appreciate the book for what it is.
October 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this! Some of the stories didn't really make sense to me, hence the 4*s and not 5. i listened to the audiobook, which was read by an all-star cast. From Martha Stewart to Whoopie Goldberg. That was fun. Highly recommended. Especially if you're a woman.
December 15, 2017
There is no there there. It's just a bunch of famous people reading random thoughts
February 23, 2017
If you want to read about Sheila's nevins documentary career then this is not the book for you. This book is an eclectic mix of short stories and poems. The stories take you through a variety of emotions , from laughing out loud to crying and everything in between. My favorite story was Teddy, about her sons pet hamster, I couldn't stop laughing and she made you feel like you were actually in the room with them. If you are looking for something a little different then I highly recommend this book.
I feel lucky that I was able to read a galley copy of this book - can't wait to hear the audio book!
I feel lucky that I was able to read a galley copy of this book - can't wait to hear the audio book!
October 21, 2017
1/4 audio discs completed.
This audio book at the library jumped out at me because of all the stories by famous women, such as Lena Dunham and Kathy Bates. However, after the first couple of short stories, I realized the stories were just READ by celebrities (not written by them, just one author) and that many of the stories were fiction - not at all what I wanted. The writing was good, but I didn't find the stories interesting at all, so decided to bail.
This audio book at the library jumped out at me because of all the stories by famous women, such as Lena Dunham and Kathy Bates. However, after the first couple of short stories, I realized the stories were just READ by celebrities (not written by them, just one author) and that many of the stories were fiction - not at all what I wanted. The writing was good, but I didn't find the stories interesting at all, so decided to bail.
January 9, 2021
Not what I expected. From the title I thought it would include a lot of essays about aging, the social pressure to look and act younger, and things like that. But at one third of the way through I was just bored. Reading about random people's infidelity, cosmetic surgeries, not-very-good bits of poetry, hamsters, etc., doesn't interest me. I felt I was wasting my time reading this so I stopped. If you're looking for insight into our society and women aging, don't look here.
November 10, 2017
Interesting short stories read by many well known actors including Alan Alda, Blythe Danner, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lily Tomlin, Marlo Thomas and Meryl Streep.
Focus is really on the aging woman.
I enjoyed it, although sometimes, the truth is depressing.
I would recommend to friends interested in aging issues.
You do laugh out loud!
Focus is really on the aging woman.
I enjoyed it, although sometimes, the truth is depressing.
I would recommend to friends interested in aging issues.
You do laugh out loud!
January 16, 2018
This is a beautiful collection of short stories. Some I liked better than others. I loved the one read by Rosie O’Donnell about a son with Tourette’s syndrome. It was so raw and struck me right in the heart. There are so many amazing women who read each story (on audio) and I found it fun to try to place the familiar voices when you recognize them from other shows and movies (Carmella Soprano!)
July 22, 2017
I thought this would be light and funny. However, it was full of stories of cheating, dying children and dogs, work problems. Too much of a downer for me.
July 17, 2017
(Actually a 3.5, due to the extraordinariness of a few of the essays.) Wow, did I race through this collection of very short stories, musings, memories, and observations on a life and its experiences. While I hadn’t heard of Sheila Nevins, an acclaimed HBO documentary producer, before reading You Don't Look Your Age, I certainly got to know her, warts and all, through her honest, poignant, humorous reflection. I love tha, after years of working on documenting real life from behind the camera, she has come forward with candid revelations and observations on herself.
It was hard to settle on a rating for the book overall, as I found the pieces all over the map. Without a doubt, Nevins is brave, funny and unflinching. She doesn’t shy away from detailing thoughts on her own plastic surgery, gaining weight, losing her eyesight, Alzheimer’s, aging, watching friends die. However, some, like the pieces on society gossip, Viagra, adultery or high fashion, seemed just silly or contrived, maybe not worthy of the effort. Others really hit home in their insight. A few in particular left me very satisfied, or even breathless or teary in their candor and poignancy. Her detailing an experience with bitchy private-school mothers hit the bullseye. Her story of her march toward feminism, in which she travelled from trading on her body and flirtation in the workplace to learning from Gloria Steinem and embracing sisterhood, was powerful and inspiring. The journey of raising her son and discovering his Tourette’s syndrome was brave and touching, and her final essay, The Wrong Kind of Hot, beautifully explores her feelings about her mother and why Nevins was compelled to become a person who champions honest and compassionate stories about those less fortunate and accepted. Those pieces alone make You Don’t Look Your Age well worth the time.
It was hard to settle on a rating for the book overall, as I found the pieces all over the map. Without a doubt, Nevins is brave, funny and unflinching. She doesn’t shy away from detailing thoughts on her own plastic surgery, gaining weight, losing her eyesight, Alzheimer’s, aging, watching friends die. However, some, like the pieces on society gossip, Viagra, adultery or high fashion, seemed just silly or contrived, maybe not worthy of the effort. Others really hit home in their insight. A few in particular left me very satisfied, or even breathless or teary in their candor and poignancy. Her detailing an experience with bitchy private-school mothers hit the bullseye. Her story of her march toward feminism, in which she travelled from trading on her body and flirtation in the workplace to learning from Gloria Steinem and embracing sisterhood, was powerful and inspiring. The journey of raising her son and discovering his Tourette’s syndrome was brave and touching, and her final essay, The Wrong Kind of Hot, beautifully explores her feelings about her mother and why Nevins was compelled to become a person who champions honest and compassionate stories about those less fortunate and accepted. Those pieces alone make You Don’t Look Your Age well worth the time.
May 28, 2017
Received this as a Goodreads Giveaway. Love the title, and knew I would relate to some of the stories as I have heard the comment more than once: "You don't look your age" to which I reply, "This is what -- -- (age) looks like." I do admit to being devastated when friends talked me into playing the carnival guess-your-age game and the carny guy guessed my age on the nose! (56 at the time when I was still pretending to be 35.)
As it turns out, there were not many stories in the book I could relate to as I haven't lived such an adventurous life. But at least eight of them struck a nerve, some of them LOL funny and some laugh so you don't cry personal, making it a good read for me.
Get the book and see for yourself what kinds of memories author Sheila Nevins raises for you!
As it turns out, there were not many stories in the book I could relate to as I haven't lived such an adventurous life. But at least eight of them struck a nerve, some of them LOL funny and some laugh so you don't cry personal, making it a good read for me.
Get the book and see for yourself what kinds of memories author Sheila Nevins raises for you!
July 29, 2017
5 Stars - Audio. 4.5 Stars - Book
Great book for women to appreciate our lives, each other, and our accomplishments. I read the book and listened to the audio. The audio brings the words alive, especially because you'll recognize most of the voices reading. Each person does their particular chapter's subject, worthy justice. Brilliant! A must listen.
The last chapter, read by Meryl Streep, was a real event that brought about Sheila Nevins' career in making documentaries. It's beautiful, poetic, strong and will end with a tear in your eye.
Great book for women to appreciate our lives, each other, and our accomplishments. I read the book and listened to the audio. The audio brings the words alive, especially because you'll recognize most of the voices reading. Each person does their particular chapter's subject, worthy justice. Brilliant! A must listen.
The last chapter, read by Meryl Streep, was a real event that brought about Sheila Nevins' career in making documentaries. It's beautiful, poetic, strong and will end with a tear in your eye.
June 25, 2017
I enjoyed the short story format where you get bits and pieces of the author's perspective on life. I just didn't feel like she was very open or gave enough of herself to make it a truly good read. I also had a lot of trouble relating to her experiences as they leaned more toward rich, privileged, and powerful, rather than things that cross all lines and anyone could understand.
December 16, 2017
I listened to the audio of this and I am certain it had to add to the immense enjoyment. An all star cast of amazing narrators: Glenn Close, Ru Paul, Ellen Burstyn, just to name a few. I laughed, and balked and cried. It was really a great listen and several stories were so relevant to today's headlines I was surprised to see it hadn't just been published yesterday.
February 28, 2018
I. Love. This. Book! This compilation of delightful and intense short stories was just the kind of emotional roller coaster I was seeking for beach reading. The writing is excellent. Highly recommended to fans of chic-lit.
June 13, 2017
Did not finish this book. I was expecting it to be funny and hoping I could relate to some of the short stories but it wasn't funny at all and I related to NOTHING in the book. Worst book of the year!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 616 reviews