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Not Too Old for That: How Women are Changing the Story of Aging
Helps women break through the tired and hurtful stereotypes of aging to better reflect who they are, how they live, and what they want as they age.
Who hasn't heard the stereotypes about women of a "certain age?" That's the age when women become invisible, irrelevant, undesirable, asexual, unhinged, dried-up, hormonal messes. It's when women quickly slide into fragility and become forgetful, passive, weak, feeble, debilitated, disabled, dependent, and depressed. Or so the story goes. Not only are those outdated narratives sexist and ageist, they are also damaging to women's physical, emotional, financial, romantic, and sexual health. It's time to change them.
In Not Too Old for That, Vicki Larson helps change the narrative about being a woman at midlife and older. She questions what we've been told aging would be like and encourages us to instead ask ourselves, what do we want it to be like, and how can we get there? The key is to be curious, open-minded, and intentional about the ways we are becoming our future selves.We have an opportunity to create new narratives of aging as a woman, ones that value women at all stages of life, not just youth, and it starts with us. Once the stereotypes that have held women back are broken down, women can move past them and rather than feel helpless as the years add up, they can discover and tap into just how much agency they have. Not only will this book help to create a less-ageist, less-sexist, more-inclusive future, it will release our daughters and all young women from a similar future.
Who hasn't heard the stereotypes about women of a "certain age?" That's the age when women become invisible, irrelevant, undesirable, asexual, unhinged, dried-up, hormonal messes. It's when women quickly slide into fragility and become forgetful, passive, weak, feeble, debilitated, disabled, dependent, and depressed. Or so the story goes. Not only are those outdated narratives sexist and ageist, they are also damaging to women's physical, emotional, financial, romantic, and sexual health. It's time to change them.
In Not Too Old for That, Vicki Larson helps change the narrative about being a woman at midlife and older. She questions what we've been told aging would be like and encourages us to instead ask ourselves, what do we want it to be like, and how can we get there? The key is to be curious, open-minded, and intentional about the ways we are becoming our future selves.We have an opportunity to create new narratives of aging as a woman, ones that value women at all stages of life, not just youth, and it starts with us. Once the stereotypes that have held women back are broken down, women can move past them and rather than feel helpless as the years add up, they can discover and tap into just how much agency they have. Not only will this book help to create a less-ageist, less-sexist, more-inclusive future, it will release our daughters and all young women from a similar future.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2022
8 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Larson
3 books9 followersWhen she was 19, Vicki Larson somehow convinced her parents that she should spend the summer traveling cross-country with friends to gather stories to write the Great American Novel instead of working and saving money for college. She has yet to write that novel, but is incredibly honored and humbled nonetheless to have had a long, enjoyable career telling other people's stories as a journalist.
A native New Yorker, Vicki is a divorced mom of two wonderful young men who happen to be taller than she is now so she's a lot nicer to them. In addition to a being an award-winning reporter, columnist and editor at a San Francisco Bay Area newspaper, her writing can be found in The New York Times, The Guardian, Aeon, The Washington Post, AARP's The Ethel, Role Reboot, the HuffPo, Medium and the Good Men Project.
Her essays have appeared in the books "Nothing But the Truth So Help Me God: 73 Women on Life's Transitions" and "Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s," a fundraiser for breast cancer.
A native New Yorker, Vicki is a divorced mom of two wonderful young men who happen to be taller than she is now so she's a lot nicer to them. In addition to a being an award-winning reporter, columnist and editor at a San Francisco Bay Area newspaper, her writing can be found in The New York Times, The Guardian, Aeon, The Washington Post, AARP's The Ethel, Role Reboot, the HuffPo, Medium and the Good Men Project.
Her essays have appeared in the books "Nothing But the Truth So Help Me God: 73 Women on Life's Transitions" and "Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s," a fundraiser for breast cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 18, 2022
I'm sure this book will be a huge hit with aging middle class and upper class white women. The author is in her 60's and has suddenly realized that all those things she thought about old people all these years are now what people are thinking about her, and suddenly she doesn't like them. The book is written in exactly the same tone as every other professional white woman author book like this, such as Why We Can't Sleep (another book that was gobbled up by their peer group and left me nonplussed). The formula is to do a bunch of research so you can quote all kinds of data, quote a bunch of other upper class women's books, and toss in personal anecdotes. Also, pay lots of lip service to marginalized women in an othering, they have it so much tougher even than I do, I'm so progressive for acknowledging this kind of way. It's exceptionally well written if you like that formula.
Chapters include finances, sex, friendships, etc. We are supposed to be shocked that older women have sex. We get lots of facts and figures about how many do, how many haven't for years, how much sex lesbian women have, etc. The whole thing felt like a very long term paper to me, or like something that should have been an article but was stretched out to become a book that the next upper middle class professional white woman author will quote in her book.
I didn't really learn anything new or feel inspired in any way. Larson tells us a lot about how older women will soon outnumber young ones and we're going to rewrite the rules because it's not fair how older women are seen in our society. I would be much more impressed if she'd written it before she was considered old herself. And ultimately, she didn't really say anything that made me feel any more informed or optimistic.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
Chapters include finances, sex, friendships, etc. We are supposed to be shocked that older women have sex. We get lots of facts and figures about how many do, how many haven't for years, how much sex lesbian women have, etc. The whole thing felt like a very long term paper to me, or like something that should have been an article but was stretched out to become a book that the next upper middle class professional white woman author will quote in her book.
I didn't really learn anything new or feel inspired in any way. Larson tells us a lot about how older women will soon outnumber young ones and we're going to rewrite the rules because it's not fair how older women are seen in our society. I would be much more impressed if she'd written it before she was considered old herself. And ultimately, she didn't really say anything that made me feel any more informed or optimistic.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
February 7, 2023
This book and its perspective really validated my experience. Even though I'm not exactly a beginner when it comes to understanding patriarchy, oppression and women's struggles, I can never get enough info, I will never stop learning. I've shared this book with younger women in my life. I haven't shared it with the men in my life which is interesting! Although the ideas and complexities described in the book might be very familiar to many women out there, I truly believe there is a sea change happening. As never before, deep disruptions and paradigm shifts are underway and I am glad to be a part of what the author describes.
August 17, 2022
Not Too Old for That: How Women Are Changing the Story of Aging by Vicki Larson
To be fair, I feel like I need to acknowledge that I don’t think I’m the target audience for this one. I expected this to be a reflection on ageism, including research on how women’s disadvantages that come from existing in a patriarchy tend to compound over time. And, it does do that—but it’s written more like a self-help book for mid-to-old aged women.
My main complaint is the inconsistent tone. It seems unable to decide between total commitment to addressing older women directly vs. suggestions for preparing for old age. The author is heavy-handed with advice based on anecdotal evidence, but does include some research. The author seems to both excuse and condemn women’s clinging onto their youth in a way that left me occasionally confused.
However, the book covers interesting topics ranging from how women essentially turn invisible as they age, to myths about post-menopausal women and their sex drives, to medical negligence towards menopause, to financial wellness. What the book does well is anticipate how these attitudes have space for change given the trajectory of women making up more than half the population in the future as well as less women having children. Eventually, treating older women as invisible has to change, right?
My favorite part was on financial literacy, explaining how straight women have come to so often defer to their male partners for investing and growing their wealth. I’ve never felt more encouraged to stay vigilant over my own finances.
Overall, I can’t say I’d recommend this to my peers (20s-30s), but I do think it would make a good gift for the older women in your life! I suspect it would be a more meaningful read for someone older, who can more directly relate to the author’s stories.
📖: (3/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
To be fair, I feel like I need to acknowledge that I don’t think I’m the target audience for this one. I expected this to be a reflection on ageism, including research on how women’s disadvantages that come from existing in a patriarchy tend to compound over time. And, it does do that—but it’s written more like a self-help book for mid-to-old aged women.
My main complaint is the inconsistent tone. It seems unable to decide between total commitment to addressing older women directly vs. suggestions for preparing for old age. The author is heavy-handed with advice based on anecdotal evidence, but does include some research. The author seems to both excuse and condemn women’s clinging onto their youth in a way that left me occasionally confused.
However, the book covers interesting topics ranging from how women essentially turn invisible as they age, to myths about post-menopausal women and their sex drives, to medical negligence towards menopause, to financial wellness. What the book does well is anticipate how these attitudes have space for change given the trajectory of women making up more than half the population in the future as well as less women having children. Eventually, treating older women as invisible has to change, right?
My favorite part was on financial literacy, explaining how straight women have come to so often defer to their male partners for investing and growing their wealth. I’ve never felt more encouraged to stay vigilant over my own finances.
Overall, I can’t say I’d recommend this to my peers (20s-30s), but I do think it would make a good gift for the older women in your life! I suspect it would be a more meaningful read for someone older, who can more directly relate to the author’s stories.
📖: (3/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 2, 2024
"Not Too Old for That" by Vicki Larson challenges outdated stereotypes about aging women, depicting them as invisible and undesirable. Larson encourages women to redefine aging by questioning societal norms and envisioning a fulfilling future. The book emphasizes personal agency, urging women to break down harmful stereotypes and create new, positive narratives. This shift promotes a less-ageist and less-sexist society, benefiting current and future generations. Blending personal anecdotes with practical advice, Larson's book is a powerful call to action for women to reclaim their stories and embrace aging with confidence and dignity.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews