I'm Too Young to Be Seventy: And Other Delusions

We just read it. Yard sale purchase today. We like small books that entertain and can finish quickly and read again.

Judith got wise words for many ages

I bought this book for an older friend turning 70, and -- laughing out loud -- read it before wrapping. It's not only witty (and thoughtful) for those turning 70, but for those of us who will someday reach 70, and have friends of 70. Sometimes I feel I have grown up with Judith Viorst. She is enough older that her age milestone books are out and available before I turn 30, 40 50, and on. I first became familiar with her when "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" became a favorite of my first son. That must have been in the 1970s, and because the book was not only funny but so very wise about life and all its perplexities, I eventually sought out everything she wrote. I especially recommend "Necessary Losses" from her more serious books. If you haven't read Viorst, get this for a take on turning 70 with grace and humor. Then read the rest of her books too! Necessary Losses: The Loves, Illusions, Dependencies, and Impossible Expectations That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day The Tenth Good Thing About Barney Suddenly Sixty And Other Shocks Of Later Life

Judith Viorst has been describing the decades as she matures - with humor, understanding, and appreciation of the things lost and gained. My only complaint - the book's too short!

I have all of Judith Viorst's books in this series and have loved them all. The first one was It's Hard To Be Hip Over Thirty And Other Tragedies Of Married Life. Each decade from that first one through this one has been a real companion. They make the perfect birthday gift for your women friends. Every woman relates to Judith Viorst's take on growing up and growing older.

My wife and I have enjoyed her books since It's Hard to be Hip Over 30. Time has flown by. Her poems are funny and poignant. She tells it like it is. I hope she and we will be around for the 80's and 90's.

Can Judith Viorst actually be in her seventies? Where have the years gone? I Googled her and, sure enough, Viorst was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1931. Therefore, she is eminently qualified to write this lively book of poetry called, "I'm Too Young to Be Seventy and Other Delusions." Although I haven't reached seventy yet, I can certainly appreciate Viorst's clever and amusing poems. In "Body Heat," Viorst claims that she and her husband squabble about how hot or cold the house should be. She and Milton are "thermostatically incompatible." I can relate to that. "As Time Goes By" deals with how fast time flies as one grows older. Yes, that's true. In "Teeth," Viorst admits that frequenting the offices of a periodontist and an endodontist is so costly, that dentures would probably be more cost effective. Can't argue with that. In "They May Be Middle Aged, But They're Still My Children," the author decries the fact that her offspring have outgrown their need for motherly advice. What nerve! Viorst's poems are topical and fun. The author has always been able to laugh at herself, and as we read her poetry, we laugh along with her as we nod in recognition. Judith Viorst gets the fact that, although most people are reluctant to grow old, they desperately want to enjoy the perks of reaching their golden years in good health. I enjoyed this slim volume and I hope that I will be privileged to reach seventy someday with a smile on my face and a poem in my heart. "I'm Too Young to Be Seventy" would make a fine gift for the beloved septuagenarian in your life.