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Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women
Empowering biographies of older women in history
Antony said of Cleopatra, Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale/Her infinite variety. Shakespeare's sentiment can be applied to the women profiled in Great Second Acts who refused to be defined by the dates on their birth certificates. Their lives are testimony that one can be feisty after fifty. And to those who think otherwise, in the words of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I dissent.
Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of Once Again to Zelda and Behind Every Great Man, presents a fascinating collection of biographical vignettes of dozens of women of a certain age who have excelled, inspired, and achieved. Learn how these women changed their respective fields of art, politics, science, mathematics, media, literature, activism, education, and more.
From actresses, yoga teachers, folk artists to business women, prime ministers, monarchs, and authors, this group of exceptional women will illustrate that women can achieve anything, no matter their age. Listeners will find
biographies of influential women such as Prime Minister Margert Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, Judge Judy Sheindlin, and many more;empowering quotes from strong women who refused to be kept down; andmotivational, inspirational, and educational stories of older women.Written in an accessible narrative style, listeners of all ages will enjoy Wagman-Geller's entertaining storytelling prose of these remarkable women. An excellent gift for students, mothers, sisters, or friends, Great Second Acts will endure and delight.
Antony said of Cleopatra, Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale/Her infinite variety. Shakespeare's sentiment can be applied to the women profiled in Great Second Acts who refused to be defined by the dates on their birth certificates. Their lives are testimony that one can be feisty after fifty. And to those who think otherwise, in the words of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I dissent.
Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of Once Again to Zelda and Behind Every Great Man, presents a fascinating collection of biographical vignettes of dozens of women of a certain age who have excelled, inspired, and achieved. Learn how these women changed their respective fields of art, politics, science, mathematics, media, literature, activism, education, and more.
From actresses, yoga teachers, folk artists to business women, prime ministers, monarchs, and authors, this group of exceptional women will illustrate that women can achieve anything, no matter their age. Listeners will find
biographies of influential women such as Prime Minister Margert Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, Judge Judy Sheindlin, and many more;empowering quotes from strong women who refused to be kept down; andmotivational, inspirational, and educational stories of older women.Written in an accessible narrative style, listeners of all ages will enjoy Wagman-Geller's entertaining storytelling prose of these remarkable women. An excellent gift for students, mothers, sisters, or friends, Great Second Acts will endure and delight.
Audio CD
First published October 15, 2018
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About the author
Marlene Wagman-Geller
16 books71 followersMarlene Wagman-Geller grew up in Toronto and is a lifelong bibliophile. She is a veteran high school English teacher in National City, California, and currently lives in San Diego.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 29, 2019
I am a great fan of the work of Marlene Wagman-Geller and her newest offering, Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women, is no exception!
LAVISH STORYTELLING
Beautifully written, extensively researched, invested with the author’s special brand of lavish storytelling, Great Second Acts gives any woman hope that life does not end at the half-century mark but rather, can bring the greatest achievements, joy and satisfaction.
RICH COLLECTION
The author inspires with a rich collection of stories detailing the lives of the most intriguing women: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, inventor Ruth Handler, Judge Judy Sheindlin, as well as practitioners of folk art, yoga, teaching, business, and writing — fascinating women all!
ANECDOTE QUEEN
Wagman-Geller is the queen of the compelling quote and the historical anecdote, using both masterfully to show that the number of candles on the cake does not need to limit the passion and success of a woman’s life. Highly highly recommended!
LAVISH STORYTELLING
Beautifully written, extensively researched, invested with the author’s special brand of lavish storytelling, Great Second Acts gives any woman hope that life does not end at the half-century mark but rather, can bring the greatest achievements, joy and satisfaction.
RICH COLLECTION
The author inspires with a rich collection of stories detailing the lives of the most intriguing women: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, inventor Ruth Handler, Judge Judy Sheindlin, as well as practitioners of folk art, yoga, teaching, business, and writing — fascinating women all!
ANECDOTE QUEEN
Wagman-Geller is the queen of the compelling quote and the historical anecdote, using both masterfully to show that the number of candles on the cake does not need to limit the passion and success of a woman’s life. Highly highly recommended!
August 20, 2022
A good selection of profiles and interesting little stories about older women, many of whom I didn't know much about due to the book's largely US-centric focus. One star removed for a blithe disregard for any non-English text - misspelled German phrases, wrong name for Madeleine Albright's father (Korbel, not Korbelová), not to speak of the atrocious pronunciation of anything not English by the audio book narrator. A tiny bit more attention to detail would have been appreciated.
January 22, 2019
I am a great fan of the work of Marlene Wagman-Geller and her newest offering, Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women, is no exception! Beautifully written, extensively researched, invested with the author’s special brand of lavish storytelling, Great Second Acts gives any woman hope that life does not end at the half-century mark but rather, can bring the greatest achievements, joy and satisfaction. The author inspires with a rich collection of stories detailing the lives of the most intriguing women: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, inventor Ruth Handler, Judge Judy Sheindlin, as well as practitioners of folk art, yoga, teaching, business, and writing — fascinating women all! Wagman-Geller is the queen of the compelling quote and the historical anecdote, using both masterfully to show that the number of candles on the cake do not need to limit the passion and success of a woman’s life. Highly highly recommended!
May 10, 2021
I was really excited to dig into this book. I spotted in the used book store & picked it up on a whim. I was looking forward to a book about ageism and celebrating women's later-in-life accomplishments.
However, each chapter was written like a high school English essay, teacher approved "hook" included. Several times, I had to reread to glean who the author was referring to, as she would use many different names without indication. I thought that it was really unfortunate that each chapter really only discussed the accomplishments of the women in brief - and didn't acknowledge their complexity/problematic behaviors, which is part of seeing women as whole beings. The book glosses over a lot and exudes "girlboss" energy at the expense of viewing these women in their completeness.
However, each chapter was written like a high school English essay, teacher approved "hook" included. Several times, I had to reread to glean who the author was referring to, as she would use many different names without indication. I thought that it was really unfortunate that each chapter really only discussed the accomplishments of the women in brief - and didn't acknowledge their complexity/problematic behaviors, which is part of seeing women as whole beings. The book glosses over a lot and exudes "girlboss" energy at the expense of viewing these women in their completeness.
December 15, 2018
This was a fascinating collection of stories of strong women who accomplished amazing things after the age of 50 - an age that a lot of people seem to think is the run up to the old-age pension or something. Since I am in that age bracket myself, I was curious to know who the stars of this book were.
I have to confess that I hadn't heard of some of these ladies and many more, I didn't know more than the basics about them, something which this book has rectified, to a large extent. There was one woman in this tome though who had all the signs of being a raging narcissist - I did a lot of eye-rolling throughout that chapter, I have to admit! I quite like the fact that each chapter starts with the year of birth of each woman and a couple of words which should give you a hint, but you don't know actually who the author is writing about until, sometimes, quite far into the chapter.
This was a good read, and it made me think that if these women can do what they do, then surely I can manage my much-less spectacular life, right? Or at least, worry a lot less about other people's opinions whilst going about my business, something that I am finding more and more anyway, since I turned 50 :) The body might be weak, but the spirit keeps on getting stronger!
I have to confess that I hadn't heard of some of these ladies and many more, I didn't know more than the basics about them, something which this book has rectified, to a large extent. There was one woman in this tome though who had all the signs of being a raging narcissist - I did a lot of eye-rolling throughout that chapter, I have to admit! I quite like the fact that each chapter starts with the year of birth of each woman and a couple of words which should give you a hint, but you don't know actually who the author is writing about until, sometimes, quite far into the chapter.
This was a good read, and it made me think that if these women can do what they do, then surely I can manage my much-less spectacular life, right? Or at least, worry a lot less about other people's opinions whilst going about my business, something that I am finding more and more anyway, since I turned 50 :) The body might be weak, but the spirit keeps on getting stronger!
November 29, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but was hoping to see more women profiled who accomplished great things in their later years versus women who were notable for most of their lives.
December 17, 2018
This book is a collection of stories about (mostly) forgotten heroines. I had not heard of many of these women - and those I had heard of, I didn't really know that much about them. It was a really interesting read and I'm so glad the author took the time to remind us about the important work they did not only to advance work in their chosen fields but to advance the rights of women everywhere.
December 26, 2018
I have read and enjoyed the author's earlier books about women who made a difference though they had to face multiple obstacles.
This one was no exception. I got to know some women whom I knew nothing about.
Their stories are inspiring, more so because they did not let the challenges and adversities life threw at them to restrict them.
And for them, age was just a number.
This one was no exception. I got to know some women whom I knew nothing about.
Their stories are inspiring, more so because they did not let the challenges and adversities life threw at them to restrict them.
And for them, age was just a number.
December 11, 2018
I usually read fiction so this was a different genre for me.
I found the book easy to read, each chapter engaging and very informative. Learning about the lives of these extraordinary women who refused to let their gender or their age define them was inspiring and engrossing. I also learnt about women about whom I had never previously heard but about whom I would like to know more
I would recommend this to both men and women of any age but particularly to the older woman who may be doubting her worth.
Thank you to TBC Reviewer group for my copy
I found the book easy to read, each chapter engaging and very informative. Learning about the lives of these extraordinary women who refused to let their gender or their age define them was inspiring and engrossing. I also learnt about women about whom I had never previously heard but about whom I would like to know more
I would recommend this to both men and women of any age but particularly to the older woman who may be doubting her worth.
Thank you to TBC Reviewer group for my copy
December 29, 2018
Marlene Wagman-Geller has done it again! She's written another fascinating book filled with interesting facts about women who have done so much to make the world a better place. This time though all the mini-biographies tell stories about females who have had fulfilling productive lives even into their later years. With gratitude, I've found this book to be inspiring and has given me hope and encouragement to continue on my own path as I continue to age.
November 24, 2018
Why is it that as we get older we get less respect and less recognition. Age and experience should be celebrated and shouted from the rooftops. Here in the UK we have a Queen that is still our dressed in her best and attending events in her 90s. I don’t have her stamina in my 40s lol. Helen Mirren is still if not more glamorous now in her 70s. They go to prove me ur age does not diminish us unless we let it.
This book celebrates women some well know others not who refused to grow old gracefully and retire. These are strong women overcoming outdated ideas of what age means and are an inspiration for all of us. Who know the woman who discovered Julia Child’s also was responsible for Anne Francs diary being published or how Judge Judy forged a career for herself in a male dominated world and refuses to apologise for it. This book does not disappoint.
This book celebrates women some well know others not who refused to grow old gracefully and retire. These are strong women overcoming outdated ideas of what age means and are an inspiration for all of us. Who know the woman who discovered Julia Child’s also was responsible for Anne Francs diary being published or how Judge Judy forged a career for herself in a male dominated world and refuses to apologise for it. This book does not disappoint.
June 23, 2022
2.5☆ There were definitely some interesting stories here. This is kind of dumb, but it really bothered me that the chapter titles didn't include the name of the woman it was about. And often her name wasn't even in the first paragraph. I also disliked the way the author glorified extra-marital affairs, while the woman who had long healthy marriages weren't generally praised for that accomplishment. Grandma Moses was my favorite.
January 7, 2021
Fascinating journey through the lives of remarkable, older women.
December 23, 2018
Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women, is another inspirational book by Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of ‘Women Who Launch: The Women Who Shattered Glass Ceilings’, which I have also read and loved. Both these books are full of stories about amazing and inspiring women.
Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women, is full of “Empowering biographies of older women in history”. The stories demonstrate how women of any age, even those, “of a certain age”, can achieve greatness. The women mentioned in this book are all over fifty and have achieved success in their chosen careers in the world of, art, politics, science, mathematics, media, literature, activism, education, and many more.
Readers will discover biographies about influential women such as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, Judge Judy Sheindlin, and others including, actresses, folk artists, a yoga teacher, authors, prime ministers, women in the world of business and female monarchs.
This book is full of inspirational women, their biographies show what a diverse and interesting life they have lived and I found the individual quotes from them very empowering and motivational. This is another amazing book by Wagman-Geller. The biographies demonstrate how these women have achieved success often in the face of challenges and adversity and have done so at “a certain age”. I give this book five stars and recommend it.
Great Second Acts: In Praise of Older Women, is full of “Empowering biographies of older women in history”. The stories demonstrate how women of any age, even those, “of a certain age”, can achieve greatness. The women mentioned in this book are all over fifty and have achieved success in their chosen careers in the world of, art, politics, science, mathematics, media, literature, activism, education, and many more.
Readers will discover biographies about influential women such as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, chef Julia Child, Mother Teresa, feminist Gloria Steinem, actress Rita Moreno, Judge Judy Sheindlin, and others including, actresses, folk artists, a yoga teacher, authors, prime ministers, women in the world of business and female monarchs.
This book is full of inspirational women, their biographies show what a diverse and interesting life they have lived and I found the individual quotes from them very empowering and motivational. This is another amazing book by Wagman-Geller. The biographies demonstrate how these women have achieved success often in the face of challenges and adversity and have done so at “a certain age”. I give this book five stars and recommend it.
March 10, 2021
This was a fun read for Women's History Month. Well into the second half of my life, I enjoy reading about women who made the most of their "golden" years. My only complaint is that the tone of the book is a little folksy. Ok, there is another complaint. Some of her pronouncements are a little tone deaf, or outright ignorant. She refers to someone having a mild case of Down Syndrome. That's akin to being a little bit pregnant. And then there was her assertion that fondly remembering the black owned restaurant Dooky Chase could cause one to hear the jaunty strains of " I wish I was in Dixie." You know that's not a happy song for people of color, right?
January 11, 2019
I was blown away by the content of this book. The author has other books where she highlights the women in the stories, but this one singles out heroines and ladies behind the scenes, who I haven't heard about before. I enjoyed learning while being entertained, as only this author can do. Excellent job, Marlene !!
February 1, 2020
I found this book of stories about women, many of whom started their "2nd acts" in their 50's super inspiring (as a 57 year old woman myself).
November 27, 2018
An interesting collection of female heroines for different reasons.
I was not familiar with all of the females mentioned but thanks to Google I was able to read up more about them also to see what they looked like.
A great insight to these women of the past.
I was not familiar with all of the females mentioned but thanks to Google I was able to read up more about them also to see what they looked like.
A great insight to these women of the past.
November 3, 2018
Women! If you like to vote, like to own property, glad that you can get an education, appreciate the fact that you can have a job, that you can #vote This book is for YOU!!! Marlene has dedicated much of her life to researching great women of the past and present and bringing to light their huge and often unknown contributions to society.
This book is no exception! She researches to the nth degree to find contributions to society that women have made, but yet never been recognized for. Even if some of the women are known she is so meticulous in her research that she is able to find our unknown contributions about these famous women.
Her stories are absolutely fascinating makes you think and it’s a great topic over dinner.
This could be a fun day read or a book that would be an amazing book for a women’s history class.
Women if you appreciate our history and the lifestyle that we are allowed to pursue this book is for you. Men if you support or love a woman this book is for you!!!
Must Read!!!!
This book is no exception! She researches to the nth degree to find contributions to society that women have made, but yet never been recognized for. Even if some of the women are known she is so meticulous in her research that she is able to find our unknown contributions about these famous women.
Her stories are absolutely fascinating makes you think and it’s a great topic over dinner.
This could be a fun day read or a book that would be an amazing book for a women’s history class.
Women if you appreciate our history and the lifestyle that we are allowed to pursue this book is for you. Men if you support or love a woman this book is for you!!!
Must Read!!!!
March 11, 2019
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Great Second Acts In Praise of Older Women” by Marlene Wagman-Geller , Mango Publishing, October 31, 2018
Marlene Wagman-Geller , Author of “Great Second Acts In Praise of Older Women” has written a collection on non-fiction, biographies of women in all professions and many leaders in the later years of their lives. The biographies are very short, and some of the women mentioned are Julia Child, Mother Theresa, Judge Judy, Rita Moreno, Golda Meir, Grandma Moses, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and others.
I found this book very interesting and entertaining. It is wonderful to see how women of all careers, occupations, and ages can make a huge difference. I would recommend this easy to read book for those readers who enjoy biographies.
Marlene Wagman-Geller , Author of “Great Second Acts In Praise of Older Women” has written a collection on non-fiction, biographies of women in all professions and many leaders in the later years of their lives. The biographies are very short, and some of the women mentioned are Julia Child, Mother Theresa, Judge Judy, Rita Moreno, Golda Meir, Grandma Moses, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and others.
I found this book very interesting and entertaining. It is wonderful to see how women of all careers, occupations, and ages can make a huge difference. I would recommend this easy to read book for those readers who enjoy biographies.
October 26, 2020
Great inspirational stories especially if you're looking for your own second act or finishing up your first one.
December 4, 2020
Quite interesting...but I wish there were more recent women highlighted as well.
January 31, 2021
I love the concept! It was great getting to know all these bad-ass ladies. That plus the idea of never too late, make this a book to remember. Keeping this one in mind for those hard days..
December 1, 2021
Particularly because people are having 2nd acts (and 3rd, and 4th), I loved the premise of this book. But I found it a bit tiring to read. Sometimes it was difficult to dig out the name of the woman being highlighted in the story (particularly if she'd married/changed her name) - I wish this was highlighted in each chapter's title or subtitle. The only photographs are on the cover and it was frustrating not to see the subject (FYI...many of these entries are very close to the Wikipedia content, which I used to find photos).
I did like that the book highlighted many women I didn't know...and I liked the small snips of each life.
I did like that the book highlighted many women I didn't know...and I liked the small snips of each life.
February 4, 2024
I'm glad I read this book, but I'm also glad I accessed it from the library instead of expending money for a copy. The women profiled are all fascinating and worth knowing about. The author's style, however, is uneven. Sometimes it is funny and uplifting; at other points I found it trite or tedious. Like many other readers, I found it frustrating to have to read 2-3 paragraphs in to discover who the subject of the chapter actually was. Many of the chapter openings were a distraction from the material.
December 31, 2018
Another great read by this author about women who succeed, especially against the odds. This book is a series of short stories about women who succeded later in life. Some of these women are well known and some I had not heard about before but all with an interesting tale of how they got to be who and what we remember them for. Very interesting and inspiring. Its obviously never to late to achieve your dreams.
March 9, 2023
As a woman who finds herself closer to 50 and in the midst of a career that looks nothing like what I thought it would, this book was both an encouragement and a study on what life might be.
These stories of women living life on their own terms, and eschewing the expectations of both society and gender remind me that the best may indeed be yet to come.
I appreciated the back stories for so many women I’ve admired for years and now have a new list of biographies and autobiographies to read.
These stories of women living life on their own terms, and eschewing the expectations of both society and gender remind me that the best may indeed be yet to come.
I appreciated the back stories for so many women I’ve admired for years and now have a new list of biographies and autobiographies to read.
March 21, 2026
Not particularly well-written; the chapter on Ruth Bader Ginsburg was especially badly constructed. And the book doesn't really fulfill its title. It isn't about women who began new chapters of their lives as older women; many of the women just had long careers. Each chapter also begins with an odd paragraph that isn't about the subject but brings up some pun or metaphor that isn't really needed. You often have to read two to five paragraphs to figure out who we're talking about.
October 1, 2021
WoW!!!
With people living longer through chemistry, why be stuck in a life you hate? These women didn't. They were trailblazers, innovators & Kick Ass !
Every walk of life is represented in this work. Just about every field. These bold girls didn't let life or men stop them. They pushed on to make the world better for future girls who dream.
With people living longer through chemistry, why be stuck in a life you hate? These women didn't. They were trailblazers, innovators & Kick Ass !
Every walk of life is represented in this work. Just about every field. These bold girls didn't let life or men stop them. They pushed on to make the world better for future girls who dream.
October 16, 2024
Full of short bios of women best known for work they did after they reached "a certain age." Women from every walk of life - Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mother Theresa, Grandma Moses, Rita Moreno, Nichelle Nichols, Mary Kay, Judge Judy and lots more (I stopped writing down names!) This would be a good starting point for anyone interested in reading more about any of them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews