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After reading Sam Baker's book I feel like I can take on the world and menopause, and I am even looking forward to it. Now I won't be thinking 'what is wrong with me?' but rather how do I look after myself and what is going to work for me. This book is a call to action - to take your anger, sweats, body, resentment, joys and wants seriously. Bring it on!
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I looked forward to reading this as I have been enjoying Sam Baker's podcast of the same name during my lockdown lunchtime sanity walks as she has had some excellent guests, and I was looking forward to some deeper insight. While she does write with bravery and honesty, I do have to agree with another reviewer that it felt very much like one long magazine article which verged more on that of a memoir than the advice regarding peri-menopause and menopause that the cover implied it would provide. This is not a terrible thing as I found the author's writing to be very relatable in some instances, though I do feel, as much as she tries not to make it seem as such, that she is obviously writing from a position of much greater current privilege than many or most readers may have.
"The Shift is for...women like me and you women who are not about to put up and shut up. It's time we harnessed our crazy, chaotic, creative, collaborative power and write ourselves a new narrative. We are the most underestimated and ignored demographic in society (cheers, the patriarchy). Well screw that. Because to be a woman in your forties/fifties/sixties and beyond in the 21st century is to be a force to be reckoned with."
Split into two sections, the first is called The Shit and deals with the negative elements of aging and perimenopause. This includes hot flushes, the end of fertility, middle-aged spread, hirsutism, anti-aging, clothing choices (can't win, don't try), fuckability and atrophy (made me wince, glad this came last!).
The second section is more hopefully entitled The Shift and focuses on the positive elements of aging and perimenopause. This includes invisibility as a superpower (love to be underestimated), focusing on yourself, sex, role models (or lack of), righteous rage, bravery and a new narrative.
This books speaks to me and I have learnt and will continue to learn from it, as evidenced by the numerous sticky page notes I used. Sam writes about her own experiences and calls on those of other women through books and her own interviews with them, including her podcast #theshiftwithsambaker.
I turned forty at the end of last year and experienced a traumatic turning-point in my life, as Sam has sadly too. Thanks to support from my husband, friends, family, a counsellor, medication and my determination, I cope with it. I'm glad I was older when it happened, feel sure it enabled me to deal with it better, even though it has been life-altering.
I recommend this to every woman approaching, or over, forty. You will learn, laugh, cry and be angry (so angry!), determined for yourself and for womankind to live the life you want for yourself and for others. Thank you, Sam!
Split into two sections, the first is called The Shit and deals with the negative elements of aging and perimenopause. This includes hot flushes, the end of fertility, middle-aged spread, hirsutism, anti-aging, clothing choices (can't win, don't try), fuckability and atrophy (made me wince, glad this came last!).
The second section is more hopefully entitled The Shift and focuses on the positive elements of aging and perimenopause. This includes invisibility as a superpower (love to be underestimated), focusing on yourself, sex, role models (or lack of), righteous rage, bravery and a new narrative.
This books speaks to me and I have learnt and will continue to learn from it, as evidenced by the numerous sticky page notes I used. Sam writes about her own experiences and calls on those of other women through books and her own interviews with them, including her podcast #theshiftwithsambaker.
I turned forty at the end of last year and experienced a traumatic turning-point in my life, as Sam has sadly too. Thanks to support from my husband, friends, family, a counsellor, medication and my determination, I cope with it. I'm glad I was older when it happened, feel sure it enabled me to deal with it better, even though it has been life-altering.
I recommend this to every woman approaching, or over, forty. You will learn, laugh, cry and be angry (so angry!), determined for yourself and for womankind to live the life you want for yourself and for others. Thank you, Sam!
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced