Barbara Johnson is a joy! Her sense of humor and writing style make this an exjoyable book. Unlike most humor writers, her style is clean and wholesome...no vulgarities. Recommended to every woman who is approaching or is in middle age or older, and is looking at peri-menopause and beyond with dread instead of anticipation. This book is uplifting.! There is some humor that is a bit "corny", but it's a laughable kind of corny. Definitely "thumbs up" for this work!

I'm 49, post-menopausal, and I love the Golden Girls, Erma Bombeck, and The View, but that type of sharp humor is not in this book. This author's humor is mild and corny, with LOTS of capitalized words. You know, for EMPHASIS! That said, it's pleasant to read. Companionable, but not terribly compelling. A nice book for the nightstand, to pick up now and then.

This book is "For Women Only" as the seal on the front cover shows. She is somewhere between Erma Bombeck and Fanny Flagg with her type of humor and sayings. This volume was written for those with a sense of humor but, if you've heard all that homespun advice, it's not so funny anymore.

None of the stuff women must live through during midlife crisis would be relevant to men, unless they are married to such creatures; they too have their own type of menopause. Chapter 7 is all about the causes of men, as she makes fun of the male personality. One I liked: "Youth looks ahead, Old age looks back, Middle age looks tired."

While the younger years may be the most fun, many grandmothers enjoy a more meaningful relationship with their adolescent grandchildren during the teenage years. These are times the rebels in the family show their true selves. They tend to turn for solace to loving grandparents during these turbulent times. Teens trust those who have given them unconditional love during their growing-up years and who are nonjudgemental.

Memory is a mental bank account for elders. In it, we deposit the treasures of our lives so that, in time of need, we can withdraw hope and courage. Remembering good memories can make us feel like mental millionaires. One of my heroes, General Douglas MacArthur once said, "Whatever your years, there is in every being's heart the love of wonder, the undaunted challenges of events, the unfailing childlike appetite for what comes next, and the joy of the game. You are as young as your hope, as old as your despair." My doctor told me just today to "give in to the body's need to heal" and to take the needed naps with joy; don't begrudge the "time out" but look forward to six weeks down the road when you can do all the things you did before the invasive surgery. Be accepting of the circumstances and don't fight against your best interests, getting well again.

Ms. Johnson uses an excerpt from one of "Dear Abby" columns called "How to Plant a Special Garden:" First, plant five rows of peas: 'Preparedness,' 'Promptness,' 'Perseverence,' 'Politeness, and "Prayer.' Next to them, plant three rows of squash: 'Squash Gossip,' Squash Criticism,' and 'Squash Indifference.'
Then five rows of lettuce: 'Let us be faithful,' 'Let us be unselfish,' 'Let us be loyal,' 'Let us be truthful,' and 'Let us love one another.' And no garden is complete without turnips: "Turn up for church,' 'Turn up with a smile,' 'Turn up with determination.' Leonard Levinson's quote, "Sorrow is the future tense of love." You've heard that it is better to be safe than sorry. But, telling someone you love that you are sorry you said or did something which made them sad is one of the best things a woman can do.

Yes, this book is for women only; but the jokes about being old apply to the men, too. It's funny -- hilarious to some, I'm sure, but insightful in a way we all need to be reminded.

This book was my introduction to Barbara Johnson. Wow, am I ever gonna have to make up for lost time! She's great! I literally laughed until I cried. What a mind! What a sense of humor. I could relate to everything she said. The Bible says that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. Boy, did I ever get a large dose! I'm buying some extra copies for my "over 50" friends! What better gift than the gift of laughter?

I loved this book for its insightful use of humor and understanding of what we as women go thru as we age.

Laughing at oneself frees you to move on and Mrs. Johnson demostrates in her book this with aplomb.

I would recommend this book to even young women so that they will not dread the aging process as much but be able to accept the conditions as they come as a part of life.