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“Damage Control” by J. A. Jance
J.A. Jance is one of my all time favorite authors. In fact, I’m not sure I’d be blogging were it not for her heroine Ali Reynolds. Ali starts blogging after a series of life traumas and changes. She begins to express her confusion, doubts, and feelings. What she finds and nurtures is community. Reading about Ali opened my eyes to the possibilities of a greater purpose for blogging than simply a diary on someone’s cats food preferences or other topics about which even friends might be hard pressed to feign interest.
Besides her series on Ali Reynolds, she writes a number of mysteries that take place in Bisbee, Arizona where Sheriff Joanna Brady solves cases and handles life challenges, doing the best she can. Ms. Brady is a heroine we can relate to: she has troubles with her mother, with work-life balance, and with being a female in the predominantly male profession. of law enforcement. I just finished the latest Joanna Brady adventure “Damage Control”. It’s tight, suspenseful, but most of all engagingly human. It’s fast paced mystery and insightful women’s literature wrapped into one yummy book. Like chocolate and red wine - they just go perfectly together.
Her other series takes place in Seattle where J.P. Beaumont struggles with his own issues against the backdrop of law enforcement while embroiled in crime and mystery. Again, Jance’s gift is in creating a character that we empathize with and care about within a taut thriller.
She’s written a few stand alone thrillers as well. I’ve read them all. My only complaint? I just wish she’d write faster! You can visit her website at jajance.com
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Change Your Life Without Getting Of Bed, The Ultimate Nap Book by SARK
I’ve always loved SARK’s whimsical wisdom. And this book may be my absolute favorite of her creations. I do a lot of my writing in bed, propped up with pillows and snuggled close to cats. Still, I felt guilty sometimes. “Real writers” (those mythical beings) probably have special studios for their craft with lots of light, books covering the walls, and file cabinets chock full of pertinent research. My ersatz studio is my bedroom with my laptop propped on my thighs.
Reading SARK’s little book affirms that my studio is just perfect as it is. She asserts that we CAN change our lives without getting out of bed. We can be comfortable, guilt-free, well-rested creative beings. And we needn’t be so rule bound in our creativity or our lives.
We can nap for no reason at all, or we can journal or read while embraced under comforters in what she calls our “safe warm bed pockets”. SARK’s nap tips, nap facts, and nap stories accompanied by her trademark, childlike drawings inspire me to spend MORE time in bed. I don’t have a need to be productive there, but am delightfully surprised that it IS my perfect writing studio. And it’s more than okay that sometimes it’s just a nap haven.
Of course, SARK does include a warning on the back cover: This book may cause you to feel more sexy, funny, creative, intriguing, flexible, deluxe. She’s right - it causes all of these and more! Happy Napping!
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Menopause Goddess Book Club Dec. 2007 "Gifts from the Mountain: Simple Truths for Life's Complexities"
Eileen McDargh has written an absolute gem of a book in Gifts from the Mountain. She artfully distills her backpacking experiences into small perfect lessons apropos to our greater travels down Life’s trails. Exquisite watercolors by Roderick MacIver grace each learning as we join Eileen on her journeys. We accompany her crossing whitewater streams over slippery logs, gasping for breath from altitude, awe, and wonder on mountaintops, and revelling in the beauty of tiny flowers. Here’s one of my favorite little jewels titled:
“Sometimes, It’s Easier Without A Pack”
“We don’t always need to carry the weight
of possessions with us. Exploring new territory,
the next ridgeline, a mountain stream, is easiest
when we are unencumbered.
Emotions can weigh as much as possessions.
Anger, jealousy, and fear can hold us back.
As we forge new relationships, life directions,
or professional challenges, ditch this pack.
What are you carrying that you don’t really need?”
Filled with similar wisdom that makes you laugh, sigh, and reflect, this book is a perfect gift for anyone on your Christmas list. Or better yet, give one to yourself, settle down with some eggnog (low fat, of course), and enjoy armchair travels of the finest sort.
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Menopause Goddess Book Club October 2007 : "Eat, Pray, Love, One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert
At our latest Venus meeting this October, one of the goddesses recommended this book so highly that we bumped it to the top of our to-read list. It is quite simply a fabulous adventure. The author may be too young to be a menopausal goddess, but she is definitely a Venus in the making!
Despite the ambitious title and even more ambitious project, Ms Gilbert’s chronicle of her adventures surpass all expectation.
Part travelogue, part spiritual quest, part identity search, this wildly humorous, utterly engaging, and poignant memoir is truly a must-read.
Her multilayered descriptions of the author’s inner and outer journeys read like “Autobiography of a Yogi” meets “Under the Tuscan Sun.” with touches of Anne Lamott. The rich backdrops of Italy, India, and Bali, Indonesia complement the three-pronged search for self and God she undertakes over the course of a year.
Her willingness to share the thoughts and doubts that all women have and rarely will admit even to ourselves, engages our hearts and minds. She gives us an honest portrait of a woman who is true to herself and willing to explore just what that means.
Best of all, it’s a book that you never wish to put down, yet you force yourself to, so that you can savor each luscious word. This is one of those rare books that I’ll save to read again and again.
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Fearless Women, Midlife Portraits by Nancy Alspaugh, Marilyn Kentz, and Mary Ann Halpin
"Fearless Women, Midlife Portraits" by Nancy Alspaugh, Marilyn Kentz, and Mary Ann Halpin showcases women who are re-creating themselves for the second half of their lives. Each woman is photographed with a sword in her own unique pose and her story is encapsulated in 1 or 2 paragraphs. Notable quotes from each woman answer such questions as “What do you love most about being in the middle of your life?”, “What do you hate about midlife but can laugh about anyway?”, and “If you could go back and speak to your younger self, what piece of wisdom would you share?”
Most of these goddesses are high achievers and/or famous women, which initially might be intimidating to the rest of us. However, when we read the quotes, we realize that each of us could have (and likely HAS) said these same words, underscoring that we are all on the same journey. Menopause and midlife unites us all in an uncommon, common experience. This book is a fantastic gift for your midlife girlfriends.
My favorite quote: Joan Lunden of Good Morning America fame when asked “What do you hate about midlife but can laugh about anyway?” replied “Gravity. While my confidence is defiantly higher, my ass is definitely lower.”
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Book Club February 2007
The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and
Emotional Health and Healing During the Change by Christiane Northrup, MD ©2001, 2006
4.5 stars (out of a possible 5)
This is an excellent book in terms of knowledge about the process of the Change. It is also HUMONGOUS - 500+ pages, which explains why it sat unopened on my bookshelf for the first two years of my menopausal journey. It wasn’t until my brain cooled off to just slightly below the boiling point, that I could bear to approach it. That said, it is an informative and helpful tome, with information about alternative modalities as well as allopathic medical treatments. Dr. Northrup doesn’t stop with menopause, however, but goes on to discuss women’s health issues at midlife and through the aging process, offering a template for active, abundant living.
The author does tend to equate the majority of menopausal symptoms with a heretofore unrecognized emotional stressor or trauma. While the mind and body are clearly not separate, sometimes the physical onslaught of menopause IS the stressor. (There I was with a great relationship, wonderful work, healthy habits, expecting to sail through the Change without a hitch.....and WHAM! I didn’t know what physically hit me, but I knew that it was large. And talking to other goddesses, I’ve found that I’m not the only one.) It’s worth asking yourself if underlying emotional issues are complicating or adding to your menopausal symptoms (and worth checking your thoughts and symptoms out with your girlfriends to find out what is ‘normal’.). Be honest with yourself, and if this is not the case for you, skip over that part of the book. With that small caveat, I’d recommend this book highly. Ideally, read it at the onset of peri-menopause or before, or (like me) you might not get the benefit from it as early as you need.
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Book Club
Menopause Goddess Book Club
Each month, we’ll feature at least one book that we think is worth reading with a mini book review. The books may not always be about menopause or midlife, sometimes they’ll just be a good read. A “chick book”, if you will. We welcome comments about our selections - and we hope you will contact us with selections of your own. Please note why you liked the book and recommend it, so others can decide if it appeals to them. Happy reading!
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The Big M
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