When I'm 64: The New Retirement

by Donna Gibbs

We think of retirement as something to be celebrated, even envied, a time when you are finally free to do your own thing. But what do people do for twenty or thirty years without the structures and restrictions of work? Does it mean someone is no longer important if they are not an active member of the workforce? Or is retirement a time for reinvention and refocusing? When I'm 64 explores the experience of retirement from the point of view of those not yet retired, those newly retired, and those who are further down the track. Donna Gibbs' conversations, insights and reflections on her own experiences offer a window into the new retirement with all its contradictions and complexities. With warmth, humor and insight she shows the upsides and downsides, the challenges to your sense of identity and issues for couples and singles. It is an inspiring guide to the ways people deal with this newphase of their lives.

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2008

About the author

Donna Gibbs is an author, editor and educator. The written word has always been at the heart of her world. She has been involved with reading, writing, teaching and talking about books for as far back as she can remember. A particular passion is picture books with their magical combination of word and image.

Her publications are held in libraries and educational institutions around the world. She has written on topics as diverse as Elizabethan love poetry, children’s literature, film, and cyberculture. A full list of publications is on her website .

She retired from her role as an Associate Professor at Macquarie University in 2006 to continue as a freelance writer. Since then she has written many books for teachers and students in the areas of history, grammar, comprehension and language skills. She has also self-published several works of poetry and fiction for children.

Her latest book, When the Cat’s Away , is illustrated by Lionel King, a scientist and senior executive who began his art practice while on a posting in Paris in 2010.

Donna regularly reads to pre-schoolers as a volunteer at a local kindergarten. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, Tony.

Reviews

[Felicity · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only complaint about this book is one that the author freely admits to at the end. It is mostly written about professional people, from affluent countries. Putting that to one side, this made for interesting reading as I'm now 'of an age' to be considering taking the first steps to retirement myself. Reading how others prepared mentally, dealt with emotionally and enjoyed or worked through the difficulties of their decision to retire, was interesting. Donna Gibbs has written a book about retirement that is not about how to retire in the sense of getting ready financially, which most media on the subject is all about. Rather, her book is about how we all have a different approach and different expectations to retirement. How some look forward to their happy years out of the workforce while others dread and hate the thought. She doesn't bore her readers with statistics, graphs and financial tables. What you get from reading this book is a peak into how others have experienced the retirement transition.

[Stephen Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting series of anecdotes from interview with people contemplating retirement or at different stages of retirement. Could have gone deeper or perhaps I just needed more :-)