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Midlife
Midlife features the collective non-fiction works of 27 writers and editors of the Gateway, the student newspaper at the University of Alberta. The contributors in this book have remained friends since their time at the Gateway during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
This community of writers now finds itself at a crossroads, navigating the struggles of midlife, which is not necessarily as straightforward as anyone imagined. Midlife takes the reader through personal reflections ranging from funny and perceptive to introspective and vulnerable. The four sections of the book are Growth, Paths, Illusion, and Time, covering everything from lives not lived, self-discovery, parenthood, ambition, infertility, family illness and relationships.
Midlife is a passion project fuelled by the desire to reclaim our creativity, particularly in a time when our lives feel like they are narrowing. It’s a labour of love, a reunion of friends, and a gift to each other and the community at large during a time when connection is more important than ever.
This community of writers now finds itself at a crossroads, navigating the struggles of midlife, which is not necessarily as straightforward as anyone imagined. Midlife takes the reader through personal reflections ranging from funny and perceptive to introspective and vulnerable. The four sections of the book are Growth, Paths, Illusion, and Time, covering everything from lives not lived, self-discovery, parenthood, ambition, infertility, family illness and relationships.
Midlife is a passion project fuelled by the desire to reclaim our creativity, particularly in a time when our lives feel like they are narrowing. It’s a labour of love, a reunion of friends, and a gift to each other and the community at large during a time when connection is more important than ever.
- GenresEssays
140 pages, Hardcover
Published April 19, 2021
7 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 11, 2021
Remember when we used to travel and when you were passing through a city you didn't visit often, you'd look up old friends you hadn't seen in awhile? Then you'd go for a coffee, that turned into coffee and a glass of wine, then splitting a bottle of wine, and 6 hours later you found to your amazement that your friendship had picked up right where you left off, and now you're baring your souls to one another in a series of stories about your life, hopes, dreams and griefs since you'd parted?
That's what this book is like, even if you don't know any of the essayists. Give it a read.
That's what this book is like, even if you don't know any of the essayists. Give it a read.
April 18, 2021
Midlife
Growing up the joke about middle age was that you freak out and buy a car or ditch your wife and get a 20 year old girlfriend. No one tells you that hitting 40 means you accept the failures and keep going. Midlife explores the idea that what we thought about ourselves, our goals and the external expectations of success, don't actually matter. They never really existed and they don't define who we are.
This book is a comforting start if you're trying to reconcile the past and figure out the next move. And there's some funny stuff in it too.
Christie Tucker’s essay on a childless life is phenomenal.
Growing up the joke about middle age was that you freak out and buy a car or ditch your wife and get a 20 year old girlfriend. No one tells you that hitting 40 means you accept the failures and keep going. Midlife explores the idea that what we thought about ourselves, our goals and the external expectations of success, don't actually matter. They never really existed and they don't define who we are.
This book is a comforting start if you're trying to reconcile the past and figure out the next move. And there's some funny stuff in it too.
Christie Tucker’s essay on a childless life is phenomenal.
May 22, 2021
The premise of this book filled me with skepticism at first mention, primarily because I find myself innately allergic to the idea of stereotypical midlife. It feels a level of ordinary, of nowadays "neurotypical," that is simply outright incompatible with the very foundation of who I am.
But, someone I respect was involved in it, and she talked it up a great deal. And really, this was a perfect opportunity. I hold no interest in what I consider to be ordinary, despite desperately wanting to be exactly that (hey, there's an essay in Midlife about this), and I usually find myself checking out in regular conversation about it. Here is an opportunity to see what midlife is like through a lens of introspection.
I also find myself in a unique position. I am young at 26, but I am likely to be well past my midlife. Not only am I obnoxiously attached to the idea of being special, my basic biology makes the experience of a midlife crisis (or aimlessness, or rediscovery, or...) an impossibility. It is an experience that I will not have, no matter what. Even the healthy men on my father's side died before their 50s. I am, to put it mildly, not healthy. I spent most of 2020 wondering if I would be dead the next day, and that culminated into an extended hospital stay in September and October and then finally even getting COVID-19 in November. Suffice to say, I will never know the "ordinary" worries of traveling the world, being accomplished, getting married, having children, and all the trappings of a life that can be changed. That was all robbed from me at age 15, and I by and large consider my 20s to have thus far been a slow march to an inevitable end.
So to see the internal dialogue of people who can experience normality, in a format that I find more digestible, is really a window into what is ultimately an alien experience for me. I can scoff and use the subtextual slur of ordinary all I want, but it's still something I do not know, cannot know, and should probably strive to know if I have any hope of not being an arrogant bellend till my dying day.
I burned through this book quickly. It was easy to just lay down and read through it in just a single sitting.
As expected, there were essays that remained opaque and alien to me.
But there were essays I related to, or at least understood and could empathize with.
First, opening the book with an essay about hockey was pandering. An easy hook for me, someone who mysteriously finds themselves a fan of the Leafs.
I could go into detail about each essay, but I think I'll leave the review with a simple list of my favourites: Jag Dhadli, Dave Alexander, Iva Cheung, Kati Kovacs, Leanne Brown, and Adam Rozenhart. These essays all said something to me in a language I could understand.
But, someone I respect was involved in it, and she talked it up a great deal. And really, this was a perfect opportunity. I hold no interest in what I consider to be ordinary, despite desperately wanting to be exactly that (hey, there's an essay in Midlife about this), and I usually find myself checking out in regular conversation about it. Here is an opportunity to see what midlife is like through a lens of introspection.
I also find myself in a unique position. I am young at 26, but I am likely to be well past my midlife. Not only am I obnoxiously attached to the idea of being special, my basic biology makes the experience of a midlife crisis (or aimlessness, or rediscovery, or...) an impossibility. It is an experience that I will not have, no matter what. Even the healthy men on my father's side died before their 50s. I am, to put it mildly, not healthy. I spent most of 2020 wondering if I would be dead the next day, and that culminated into an extended hospital stay in September and October and then finally even getting COVID-19 in November. Suffice to say, I will never know the "ordinary" worries of traveling the world, being accomplished, getting married, having children, and all the trappings of a life that can be changed. That was all robbed from me at age 15, and I by and large consider my 20s to have thus far been a slow march to an inevitable end.
So to see the internal dialogue of people who can experience normality, in a format that I find more digestible, is really a window into what is ultimately an alien experience for me. I can scoff and use the subtextual slur of ordinary all I want, but it's still something I do not know, cannot know, and should probably strive to know if I have any hope of not being an arrogant bellend till my dying day.
I burned through this book quickly. It was easy to just lay down and read through it in just a single sitting.
As expected, there were essays that remained opaque and alien to me.
But there were essays I related to, or at least understood and could empathize with.
First, opening the book with an essay about hockey was pandering. An easy hook for me, someone who mysteriously finds themselves a fan of the Leafs.
I could go into detail about each essay, but I think I'll leave the review with a simple list of my favourites: Jag Dhadli, Dave Alexander, Iva Cheung, Kati Kovacs, Leanne Brown, and Adam Rozenhart. These essays all said something to me in a language I could understand.
April 18, 2021
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book for free, but this review is my honest opinion.
I often find it difficult to review collections of essays by different authors because they are so often uneven. Even though many of these writers aren’t writing professionally (semi-professionally?) anymore, these are all high quality essays. I have often felt sad about the rapid demise of professional journalism but never more than when reflecting on how well written this collection is! Clearly the Gateway was excellent training.
While theoretically ruminating on hitting midlife in a global pandemic, I feel like this collection will hold up in the future. The experiences of aging and all the changes that come with it aren’t going to change even if we eventually get out of our houses! Although if you were a young person in Edmonton circa 2000, some memories might feel very familiar!
This collection spans the whole middle aging adulting experience. A lot of the essays seemed to be about coming to terms with adult life being different than expected. Even if a global pandemic doesn’t make everything harder, many midlife changes are the same. Career choices don’t work out. Relationships work out or don’t. You reproduce, or don’t, or can’t. Your hair goes grey, the VCR is obsolete, and everything hurts. Whatever the subject, it’s all written thoughtfully, interestingly, and frankly, just really well.
I often find it difficult to review collections of essays by different authors because they are so often uneven. Even though many of these writers aren’t writing professionally (semi-professionally?) anymore, these are all high quality essays. I have often felt sad about the rapid demise of professional journalism but never more than when reflecting on how well written this collection is! Clearly the Gateway was excellent training.
While theoretically ruminating on hitting midlife in a global pandemic, I feel like this collection will hold up in the future. The experiences of aging and all the changes that come with it aren’t going to change even if we eventually get out of our houses! Although if you were a young person in Edmonton circa 2000, some memories might feel very familiar!
This collection spans the whole middle aging adulting experience. A lot of the essays seemed to be about coming to terms with adult life being different than expected. Even if a global pandemic doesn’t make everything harder, many midlife changes are the same. Career choices don’t work out. Relationships work out or don’t. You reproduce, or don’t, or can’t. Your hair goes grey, the VCR is obsolete, and everything hurts. Whatever the subject, it’s all written thoughtfully, interestingly, and frankly, just really well.
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April 13, 2021Some may say you’ve lost your appeal, like Crystal Pepsi or Hootie & the Blowfish, by the time you’ve entered midlife but this collection of essays by 27 pals proves there’s still something very likeable about Xennials, even though they are so old they remember when the Columbia House CD Club sent you music in the mail. The stories shared in Midlife are funny, heartbreaking, genuine and introspective, reflecting the unique paths travelled by a group that met as drunk children searching for acceptance at a student newspaper in Edmonton. I laughed. I cried. I forgot why I went into the kitchen while reading this anthology. Each individual story was relatable in some way (especially the one I wrote) and I simply didn’t want it to end. I would highly recommended Midlife because, if nothing else, you’ll probably feel pretty good about your problems after reading about all of these people’s.
March 27, 2021
This book literally changed my life.
April 18, 2021
I love this book more than I love crochet, and let me tell you as someone apparently planning to skip midlife for retirement, I really love my crochet. But this book, each page is like saying, you'll just take one more stitch. You can't stop! Cry, laugh out loud, hold your heart. It's a tender ride.
April 16, 2021
Aging as the first generation dealing with overwhelming climate change, a greater importance on social justice, and entire life plans ripped from beneath our feet; Midlife is a powerful anthology of essays from the lives of people who in many ways are also holding up a mirror to our own experiences. I saw myself in this book, as well as others in the same generational cohort as me. There are essays in here that made me cry, some that made me reach out to old friends, and others that I sat with, considering my own midlife. From dealing with major health problems to traumas and family issues, to a childless woman repeating lines back that I myself have said—I felt seen and am happy to have this book on my shelf as a reflection of the life and times we are all going through.
I received a digital preview of this book pre-release in exchange for writing a blurb on it. That said, my opinions are my own. (And I have pre-ordered a physical copy.)
Also, without a doubt, Big Shiny Tunes 2 is the best one and the only one I still own.
I received a digital preview of this book pre-release in exchange for writing a blurb on it. That said, my opinions are my own. (And I have pre-ordered a physical copy.)
Also, without a doubt, Big Shiny Tunes 2 is the best one and the only one I still own.
April 19, 2021
I have to say, I was a little shocked that I'd be reading a book about midlife. I mean, midlife is one of those phases that happens to EVERYONE. Other more esteemed writers have built careers, fame and notoriety around their midlife musings. How likely could these 27 people, myself included, come up with anything new and interesting to say?! Turns out even though midlife is a mandatory life stage for many of us, our experiences and epiphanies are not universal. Here's a diverse group of people coming together to share a diverse collection of experiences. With 27 different stories in here, you'll bound to find one (or 27) that resonates with you.
March 20, 2021
How does one describe a book that is so diverse, just in a few sentences?
Midlife brought together the stories of so many individuals who are so different, yet not so much. It created a melting pot of experiences, personalities and perspectives. As I flipped through the pages and read each essay, I saw a reflection of myself in each of the contributors of this book, convincing myself each time that I was reading about myself. When I think of life challenges and overcoming obstacles I often think of the youth or the elderly populations, this book reminded me of the importance of the generation that connects these two, the generation that we could argue is forgotten at times. I read Midlife in two sitting, my heart kept on desiring the emotional rollercoaster ride to keep on going. In this book you will find humour, you will hear about struggles, you will learn to appreciate yourself more. As an Edmontonian, I felt connection, the written words translated into emotions for me. I highly recommend everyone to read this book to either get a glimpse of what you are going to experience in the upcoming years, to reflect on the times already past or just to walk your journey alongside these individuals.
July 18, 2021
You don't realize how close "midlife" is until you're sitting in it. For our parents, they marked the occasion with jokey tombstone cakes and "Over The Hill" banners. A one-sized fits all approach to middle age. But in typical elder millennial fashion, we've got to make it special. It's got to be unique to us.
Enter "Midlife." This essay collection samples enough "midlife" experiences that you're bound to see yourself or a flash of yourself in these clever first-person narratives. Happy childless spinster? You're in there. Pregnancy didn't quite fill you with warming joy the way you thought? You're there, too. Divorced, moving to a new city, feeling melancholy, feeling newly confident, thinking your job isn't quite doing it for you, once over-identified with Bridget Jones---- yeah, you're on the page, too.
If you're finding your midlife to-do list out of control, this collection is easy to pick up and put down. Each essay clocks in at 4-5 pages, so you can commit to a full start-to-finish narrative without worrying that you'll lose the plot in four days when you can read again. I also quite enjoyed the sly charts and graphs interspersed throughout. Example: '"90s Rom-Coms as Midlife Angst"- Groundhog Day was #1, obviously. Also, if you're lucky enough to snag a hardcover copy, DO IT. It's gorgeous and looks extremely high-end and artsy on your curated living room bookshelf.
There's obvious joy and thoughtfulness on these pages. The writers all worked at the same college newspaper, and their affection for each other and that time in their life is clear. It brings the words into the real world-- these are real people, working at full jobs, just like you. They were once starry-eyed and dreamy and staring down a world of possibilities, just like you. And, just like you, they're now living in the middle of that world, perhaps unclear how they got to this exact moment and not seeing as many options as they once did. But... seeing the comfort in having less options, too. Enjoying what they do have instead of dreaming of what could be. There's comfort in these essays. You may even be inspired to capture your own midlife essay.
Enter "Midlife." This essay collection samples enough "midlife" experiences that you're bound to see yourself or a flash of yourself in these clever first-person narratives. Happy childless spinster? You're in there. Pregnancy didn't quite fill you with warming joy the way you thought? You're there, too. Divorced, moving to a new city, feeling melancholy, feeling newly confident, thinking your job isn't quite doing it for you, once over-identified with Bridget Jones---- yeah, you're on the page, too.
If you're finding your midlife to-do list out of control, this collection is easy to pick up and put down. Each essay clocks in at 4-5 pages, so you can commit to a full start-to-finish narrative without worrying that you'll lose the plot in four days when you can read again. I also quite enjoyed the sly charts and graphs interspersed throughout. Example: '"90s Rom-Coms as Midlife Angst"- Groundhog Day was #1, obviously. Also, if you're lucky enough to snag a hardcover copy, DO IT. It's gorgeous and looks extremely high-end and artsy on your curated living room bookshelf.
There's obvious joy and thoughtfulness on these pages. The writers all worked at the same college newspaper, and their affection for each other and that time in their life is clear. It brings the words into the real world-- these are real people, working at full jobs, just like you. They were once starry-eyed and dreamy and staring down a world of possibilities, just like you. And, just like you, they're now living in the middle of that world, perhaps unclear how they got to this exact moment and not seeing as many options as they once did. But... seeing the comfort in having less options, too. Enjoying what they do have instead of dreaming of what could be. There's comfort in these essays. You may even be inspired to capture your own midlife essay.
January 16, 2022
My five star review should be caveated based on my current life stage, U of A alum and Edmonton lifer status. I laughed and cried. It’s a quick easy read that is simultaneously light hearted and urgent. Midlife hey?
September 25, 2021
As a proud University of Alberta alumnus and Edmontonian, this book filled me with nostalgia. While this book is extremely niche in some ways, it has wider appeal in its messages about being in one’s midlife. In some ways, it makes coming up to the middle of my life scarier and in others it makes it feel like some of the things I’ve worried about (career, goals) are not to be feared.
For more reviews check me out @stephaniesbookclub on Instagram.
For more reviews check me out @stephaniesbookclub on Instagram.
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July 12, 2021How does the person you become in midlife match the figure you'd imagined 20 years ago? A group of writers and friends have contributed a selection of essays on all the ways the realities of midlife have diverged from the selves we envisioned, from the humour to the disappointments to the profound emotional journeys we could have never anticipated.
December 25, 2021
If there's one book I'm glad I got to read this past year it was Midlife. In a world riddled with unemployment, stagflation, and poor leadership choices, Midlife cuts through the global existential crisis of the everyday and reminds us that there are more important things in life that where we THINK we should be.
October 29, 2023
Refreshing read. Cool as a YEG local too. Throughly enjoyed the reflections and observations of life by the different writers. Looking forward to reading part 2 soon.
March 26, 2024
An entertaining read for 3 hours on a plane; I’m a Few years younger then the collection of authors and this makes me feel like I did when I was 19 reading The Gateway on campus.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews