Written by Stacey Lindsay

Searching. That's a word to describe us here at Liberty Road—and if we may be so bold, it's a word that describes you, too. This place called midlife is rife with a bizarre mix of heady potential and unanswered questions. So it's natural that we are searching for shared stories, information, resources, anecdotes, and new ideas that shed light on the middle third positively and sincerely (and, we must say, justly). 

Enter these six books. This lot stands out in a sea of reads about women and midlife. They are candid, raw, funny, truthful, and iconoclastic in a world still antiquated in how we view women growing older. Wildly unique in its own way, each book opens a new portal of what it means to be a middle-aged woman navigating this world. 

Yes, things can get more challenging as we age. But as these pages prove, our capacity to handle the tough stuff grows, as does our discernment for letting go of all that holds us back and allowing room for all the goodness—make that greatness—that is right now and ahead. 

Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis

By Ada Calhoun

In 2015, writer Ada Calhoun wrote an incendiary article about how women in midlife were tired, overwhelmed, disenfranchised, and sad. The piece took off like wildfire, speaking to droves of women feeling the same restlessness—and it ultimately resulted in Ada's bestselling book, Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis. In this provocative read, Ada weaves in stories of women aged 40 and older—some of whom are her friends—facing modern challenges, including money issues, parenting problems, and health obstacles. The consensus is universal: Midlife was looking different than expected.

Now, a disclaimer: Why We Can't Sleep isn't rosy. There is tough stuff on these pages. Yet Ada writes with such clarity and wit about the economy, state of the world, and temperature of midlife that it offers a new light cast on a rather old story. It would be easy to dismiss this book as a harsh look at midlife crises, but it's anything but. Ada goes deep, looking beyond the heteronormative narrative of malaise and into the nuance threads of life today.  It's real and raw, which is why it’s ultimately underscored by hope. When we talk about the things truly bothering us, we open new doors toward possibility—which Ada set out to do and succeeded.

Kiss Tomorrow Hello: Notes from the Midlife Underground

By Claire Davis and Kim Barnes

"I love sex. I love middle-age sex. I love married sex. I'm almost fifty, and I've never felt sexier. But damn, it took a long time to get here." In her contributed essay, Ellen Sussman writes these words about her refreshingly candid take on intimacy in midlife—and she had us laughing, cheering, and sighing with relief. Finally, someone is writing about the joys, heartaches, and reality of being sexual in the middle third. 

Sussman's words are only a sliver of the goodness in the essay compilations that make up Kiss Tomorrow Hello. Beautifully edited by writers Kim Davis and Claire Barnes, this book gathers 25 brilliant writers who each offer their sentiments on the sexual, social, health, economic, and personal obstacles—and victories!—about being in the middle third. These pages elicit tears as much as they do giggles. If you've ever felt like you're trying to keep up with the Jones when you really just want to relax with your friends, pick up this book. 

Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life 

By Sharon Blackie

Sharon Blackie's work and writing is fascinating. An award-winning psychologist and mythologist, she digs into the areas of womanhood that too often are relegated to the darkness, never gifted the oxygen and light they deserve. Her latest book, Hagitude, does this for women aged 50 and older. Position the book with the question, 'Who do I want to be?' Sharon shows us readers that the second half can be simply incredible. Yes still, there is pain, especially in this patriarchal world. "It can be hard to relinquish our identification with society's view of youth as the owner of beauty, hard to turn our backs on its cult of sexuality," she writes. "But we must. No matter how long we try to postpone the inevitable, our body's ultimate trajectory leaves us no choice." 

Anchored in mythological, archetypal stories, Hagitude offers a magical take on a reality: That women grow richer as we age. With every page, Sharon helps us reclaim this time as a moment of possibility and evolution. 

The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond

By Dr. Louann Brizendine

Neurobiologist Dr. Louann Brizendine's latest book The Upgrade sheds light on the fundamental differences between women's and men's brains. But here's the fascinating crux of the book: As women age, we get happier, clearer, and more direct. And we express what we truly want. 

Written mainly for mid-life women and beyond, The Upgrade shows us how menopause "reshapes" women's brains for the better, "freeing" them from hormonal constraints so we can live with expansiveness, as Dr. Brizendine writes. This book is a scientific and medical roadmap for understanding how we think and feel, and a guide for leaning into the middle third with more conviction and excitement. Underscored by the latest scientific research, The Upgrade is a compass to reclaiming your mid-life years and beyond with enthusiasm. 

It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again

By Julia Cameron

There is a magic to every word Julia Cameron writes. With her groundbreaking 1992 bestseller The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, Julia showed us that we all have an "inner artist" to nourish and honor. More recently, the brilliant teacher wrote It's Never Too Late To Begin Again, another rallying cry for creativity that, this time, focuses on those of us in middle age and beyond. 

At first glance, It's Never Too Late may seem like its pages are solely for those in retirement. In truth, it's for everyone and there's a bright sparkle for those of us in the middle third. As Julia shows us, when we take action toward our creativity, there is beauty, power, and joy to be found. 

Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age

By Mary Pipher

As women, why must we continually face toxic narratives around age? When will these stories end? And how can we replace them with truthful, inspiring, positive tales? Renowned psychologist and author Mary Pipher ignites these questions through her bestseller, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age. Known for her riveting take on how society impacts women (she's the author of the 1990s hit book Reviving Ophelia, which explores young girls' anxiety); Mary writes a rallying cry for owning who, what, and where we are as aging women today. 

Filled with stories of joy, Women Rowing North shows that life and all its beauty are in our control, not that of society or the world. "Let's aim to become more curious and less worried and more self-aware and less reactive," Mary writes. "We can learn to embrace everything. All of it."

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