Smart Women Don't Retire-They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time

I have read several books in the last year about life after fifty and without a doubt this is the most thorough, well written, inspiring and thought provoking one I have read. It has opened the door to the many life enhancing experiences and discussions I am now having in workshops with other women. No woman over 50 fifty should be without it as a wonderful reference for this time in our lives. Just great.

I believe in setting the stage. At age 48, I'm just starting to think about the last decades of my career and what things I'll want to do as I slow down and eventually retire. This book, pitched at women, addresses so many of the questions (and fears) I have about these big transitions after so many years of work. I especially like the sidebar boxes such as "What Is Your Dream," "Managing Your Transition," and "Finding the Right Fit as a Volunteer," which go down lists of the very questions and concerns I have and give good advice and info. There's even a chapter about "How Can I Stay Connected with Friends and Make New Ones?" which I think is a concern of every woman, no matter whether nearing retirement or not. The back of the book has a 10-page resource list with dozens of career, lifestyle, finance and networking websites and their descriptions, followed by an extensive bibliography if you want to do more reading on entrepreneurship, phased retirement, midlife, and careers. I'm going to recommend this book to my family and friends as a great support group substitute and planning tool.

Competent, skilled, experienced, a woman about to retire is on the brink of a world of possibilities! But there's a transition that a smart woman allows herself, a time to reflect on what has been and what is to come in the future that has valuable meaning. There are stages to this transition that involve some letting go and some planning, a process better done with precious care rather than by the driven schedule and plans most women pack into their working years. Smart Women Don't Retire - They Break Free is the perfect book to accompany a retiring woman on that journey! Filled with advice and narrative examples of women who've "been there," this book provides a long and wide plan to bridge that gap between work and retirement. First and foremost, it includes some practical advice on where one's financial condition fits into the overall scheme of things; in that sense this is a book that could be wisely considered by many woman not even that close to retirement, a chance to plan early and avoid unforeseen stress later. For those who haven't given it much thought, at whatever age, it gives some basic suggestions to preparing financially, which in turn allows one to decide whether one must continue to work part-time or can know the bills will be paid without having to work. The "breaking free" portion of the book consists of analyzing what one has loved, hated or somewhere in-between felt about the work, people, attitudes, expertise, relationships, and so much more taken for granted during the working years of an average woman's life. It's a chance to shed off the slough and put on what works best, perhaps even adding some phases and aspects that one never had a chance to try. Will you work for yourself? for others? both? Remember - anything's possible now! Several boxed lists of ideas and suggestions to get the mind and heart to ponder fill the pages of this useful, practical and even inspirational book that any woman will love to peruse and think about seriously and with humor. The opportunity to donate to and volunteer for charity work is given ample consideration herein, as well as the chance to deepen old friendships and create new special ones. A comprehensive list of resources and bibliography give the reader scope for further investigation into any and all areas where one may wish to delve for continued exploration. This is a wonderful book, simply put! It deserves a wide berth of readers who are looking forward to those years when one is truly as "free"and happy with retirement as one allows one's self to be! For those who find the idea rather frightening, this is a great place to start relishing one's golden years! Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on June 16, 2008