When you’re young, forty feels like the beginning of getting older. When you hit forty, you discover how far from the truth that is. Frequently, it’s a moment of reassessment, for those who spend their 20s and 30s raising small children, it’s an unfamiliar taste of freedom. For those who have felt a lacking in their life, it can by the beginning of coming into your own as a person. What many might call a “midlife crisis” is actually an opportunity, an invitation to dive in headfirst to the second part of your life. These books explore the potential for reinvention and vibrance that will hit the heart of anyone entering phase two of their lives.
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields is used to the attention that comes with fame, negative or otherwise. After years of facing judgment and scrutiny, she feels more confident than ever at fifty-nine. Shields rewrites the story of aging as a woman in her new memoir, fighting against biases and celebrating the best years of her life.
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Still Life at Eighty by Abigail Thomas
Fulfillment doesn’t always come from wild parties and gallivanting around town; sometimes, the beauty of life is captured in small, quiet moments. This statement rings true in Abigail Thomas’s memoir Still Life at Eighty. Through humor, wit, and wisdom, Thomas reflects on her life as an almost eighty-year-old.
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Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Glennon Doyle spent years telling herself she was content with her life, succumbing to the societal pressures that told her what a woman should be. However, when she falls in love with a woman at first sight, she launches into a journey of self-discovery. In this stunningly raw New York Times bestselling memoir, Doyle documents how she stopped living for the world and started living for herself.
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Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
After discovering her husband’s infidelity, awkward and well-organized Britt-Marie finds herself in the town of Borg. Now working as a caretaker at a run-down recreational center, she becomes increasingly involved in the disorganized, unruly lives of the townsfolk, eventually coaching the local children’s soccer team. Follow Britt-Marie as she finds her place in the world in this heartwarming novel by Fredrik Backman.
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Less by Andrew Sean Greer
To avoid his ex-boyfriend’s impending wedding, Arthur Less, an unsuccessful author on the brink of his fiftieth birthday, embarks on a whirlwind trip abroad. However, running away from his problems might prove a little more difficult than Arthur imagines. Heartfelt and hilarious, Less is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel for the adult who’s still “coming of age.”
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All Fours by Miranda July
A new beginning could be waiting for you just half an hour from your house. In this National Book Award finalist, a domesticated artist leaves her husband and child at home under the guise of a cross-country road trip, just to book a motel room thirty minutes down the road. What ensues is sexy, eye-opening, and hilarious, sure to resonate with those searching for transformation and reinvention.
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This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
She’s 40 going on…16? Despite her father’s declining health, Alice seems to be okay with the way her life has turned out. But when she wakes up in 1996, she’s granted the second chance she didn’t know she needed. Emma Straub’s This Time Tomorrow will make you laugh out loud and hug your loved ones a little tighter.
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Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
It’s never too late to start all over, and Yeongju is definitely ready for a change. After quitting her job, she fulfills her dream of opening up her own bookshop. Among the shelves, Yeongju finds meaning, friendship, and happiness. With its lovable characters and cozy atmosphere, this Korean bestseller is sure to inspire.
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The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
What would you do if you inherited a million dollars? Well, Bindu Desai spends it on a condo at a retirement community, much to the shock of her roommate and former daughter-in-law, Aly. Meanwhile, Aly’s daughter Cullie is ready to impress her investors with her new dating app, except…she’s never actually been on a date. In this multi-generational tale, the Desai women must lean on each other to navigate life and its many mishaps.
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Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
From the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and the executive producer of Bridgerton comes an emotional and honest memoir about taking a chance on life and stepping out of your comfort zone. For the longest time, Shonda Rhimes was afraid to truly live. But after her sister comments that she never says “yes” to anything, Rhimes knows something has to change. For an entire year, she’ll say “yes” to everything that scares her, and in the process, she might find herself radically changed for the better.
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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Newly unemployed, struggling author Zelu unwittingly writes a sci-fi epic called Rusted Robots, garnering attention from the masses. However, Rusted Robots transcends simply becoming a popular novel, and soon, Zelu finds her creation to be more life-altering than she bargained for. Blurring the lines between fiction and reality, Death of the Author is equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking.
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