How to Enjoy Your Retirement: Activities from A to Z

Reviewed Kathleen Dowdell for Reader Views (2/07) "How to Enjoy Your Retirement" is a provocative, well-written book about activities you can do to help you enjoy your retirement. This third edition, published in 2006, keeps pace with constantly changing information that is available at our fingertips. In the introduction, the authors advise taking a personal inventory of what you think you will need or desire in your retirement years. Appendix A contains questions such as: Who Are You?, What Do You Do Well?, Why Are You Retiring?, and How Do You Feel About Retirement? This is a useful tool to evaluate your situation since your life will be dramatically changed with an abundance of free time on your hands (unless you plan on babysitting for the grandchildren). If you do decide to spend lots of time with your grandchildren, Appendix B lists numerous activities that you can do with them. Appendices C through I are broken down into additional resources, activities, tips and suggestions that will aid in the transition into retirement. An appendix dedicated strictly to travel provides names, addresses, and phone numbers of airlines, car rental agencies, cruise lines, hotels, vacation homes, and state visitor bureaus as well as internet sites related to travel. There is a wealth of information in these sections alone. The meat of the book is found in the list of activities alphabetically listed from A through Z which offers a wide variety of ways to spend free time in retirement. There are over 1000 ideas sure to spark the creative side of any brain. Topics such as Chatty Cathy - "get your Chatty Cathy doll fixed by e-mailing Chatty Cathy's Haven" and Seasonal Contests - "start seasonal contests for guessing when the first measurable snowfall will occur" or this is your life - "make a video for yourself or someone else" are sure to motivate anyone to action for activities and further research. This is a fun, quirky book that can be used for the serious undertaking of searching for activities to do during retirement or as a book of light reading to pass the time. The book can be used as a resource to brighten your mood on a dreary day or to find further information on the web for a topic you wish to pursue. Authors Tricia Wagner and Barbara Day compiled the A to Z activities from ideas and experiences of friends, family, neighbors as well as themselves because they saw how individuals' perceptions of retirement have changed over the years. They felt a need to address the variety of feelings people approaching retirement experience and to share information to help with these ambivalent feelings. Their success is apparent in this 3rd edition. "How to Enjoy Your Retirement" book would make a nice gift for someone approaching retirement or for someone who has been retired for a few years and wants to add some excitement to life by pursuing new avenues and areas of activities.

Being newly retired at age 53,I figured I'd better find a way to keep out of trouble.This book is it! There are so many things,even little things,that I had not considered as part of my retirement activities. I have been engrossed in the book since it arrived,and as soon as I get organized,I will be off and running.I would recommend this jewel of a book to anyone who might need a little help getting used to a new life..retirement!!

I borrowed this book from the library and liked it so much that I had to buy it. It has ideas, quotes, resource leads, and an index. This book will continue to serve throughout life.