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A review by thatjournalistwhoreads
Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on aging as a woman by Brooke Shields
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
I've said it once and I will say it again—audiobooks narrated by their authors, especially memoirs/non-fiction/self-help, are the best.
I'm sure I've seen Brooke Shields in many different pieces, but the two that stand out as the first times I saw on her on screen are when she guest starred in Friends and of course, the popular Netflix holiday rom-com Castle for Christmas. What I loved about her in her guest appearance was that she was wickedly funny. What I loved about her in the rom-com was her character proved there is no age by which you have to figure it all out because you can continue changing your mind, growing and becoming as you age. There is no time limit. And both of these things are what I would say are the essence of this book.
Brooke Shields is Not Allowed To Get Old goes through many moments of her own stardom, from childhood through where she is now, but does not go in-depth—particularly on topics she has whole books dedicated to. I appreciated this and understood, but if you do not know that she has written other books, this may seem like an odd choice at first. The book focuses on the lessons she's learned as she's grown up and hones in on the fact that getting older isn't just better than the alternative. There are truly many advantages to getting older, including being able to trust yourself more, have more independence, and having the grace and wisdom to learn from your mistakes in a whole new way.
As a person in her 20s reading this book, what I took away first and foremost is that it's okay to get older. In a society that encourages longevity alongside staying youthful for as long as possible, the future doesn't always feel like this bright and shiny thing. It can feel scary and especially overwhelming these days, where there are moments that feel like they will last forever. But Shields writes that this is normal, expected, and better yet, it will pass. That is a gift to hear from someone I think is very successful in more than the traditional ways (i.e. fame and fortune).
The other big takeaway came in the form of Shields' narration. She conveyed so many emotions in her storytelling and a big part of that was, in my opinion, found in the fact that she narrated her own book. When she talked about impostor syndrome, I didn't shirk it off and think, "what does she have to be nervous about?" She spoke about it in such a way that only someone intimately acquainted with their insecurities could do. And of course, as a truly hilarious person, all of her jokes made me laugh even harder hearing them in her voice.
If you have a long car ride or a walk you've been meaning to take, I highly recommend listening to Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old on audiobook.
I'm sure I've seen Brooke Shields in many different pieces, but the two that stand out as the first times I saw on her on screen are when she guest starred in Friends and of course, the popular Netflix holiday rom-com Castle for Christmas. What I loved about her in her guest appearance was that she was wickedly funny. What I loved about her in the rom-com was her character proved there is no age by which you have to figure it all out because you can continue changing your mind, growing and becoming as you age. There is no time limit. And both of these things are what I would say are the essence of this book.
Brooke Shields is Not Allowed To Get Old goes through many moments of her own stardom, from childhood through where she is now, but does not go in-depth—particularly on topics she has whole books dedicated to. I appreciated this and understood, but if you do not know that she has written other books, this may seem like an odd choice at first. The book focuses on the lessons she's learned as she's grown up and hones in on the fact that getting older isn't just better than the alternative. There are truly many advantages to getting older, including being able to trust yourself more, have more independence, and having the grace and wisdom to learn from your mistakes in a whole new way.
As a person in her 20s reading this book, what I took away first and foremost is that it's okay to get older. In a society that encourages longevity alongside staying youthful for as long as possible, the future doesn't always feel like this bright and shiny thing. It can feel scary and especially overwhelming these days, where there are moments that feel like they will last forever. But Shields writes that this is normal, expected, and better yet, it will pass. That is a gift to hear from someone I think is very successful in more than the traditional ways (i.e. fame and fortune).
The other big takeaway came in the form of Shields' narration. She conveyed so many emotions in her storytelling and a big part of that was, in my opinion, found in the fact that she narrated her own book. When she talked about impostor syndrome, I didn't shirk it off and think, "what does she have to be nervous about?" She spoke about it in such a way that only someone intimately acquainted with their insecurities could do. And of course, as a truly hilarious person, all of her jokes made me laugh even harder hearing them in her voice.
If you have a long car ride or a walk you've been meaning to take, I highly recommend listening to Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old on audiobook.