Pat Taub
GUEST POST by KRISTINE NICHOLSON
It’s about time women of a certain age get some respect in this world!!!! The Book of Old Ladies: Celebrating Women of A Certain Age in Fiction is an important catalyst in kick-starting this process.
It takes a fresh look at the way women are expected to live as they age. This book stares boldly into the eyes of expectation without blinking and presents us with creative possibilities and solutions.
The Book of Old Ladies, written by Ruth O. Saxton, draws from 100 years of fiction about women’s lives (books and short stories written by women authors) from their 60s through their 90s. There are 31 works covered in five chapters: “Romancing the Past, Sex After Sixty, Altered Realities, It’s Never Too Late and Defying Expectations.”
Looking around at our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends we see a wide variety of choice in lifestyles. From dreams of success and the disappointment of failure, too often we accept a fate determined for us not by us. So, come on! Dive into this juicy book. Discover how to live the life of an awesome “Old Lady.”
“Chapter One – Romancing The Past”
This is my least favorite chapter. More than anything it seems to be about surrendering to sadness and clinging to memories of what might have been. These broken women remain tangled in their failures until the day they die.
“Chapter Two – Sex After Sixty”
Saxton tears away at taboos and speaks out loudly against the myth that women over 60 aren’t meant to seek feel, or experience sexual pleasure. Cheers to the authors who bring vibrant women to life and allow them to live fully expressing their passion and desire. In “Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont,” the lead character “wants to matter to someone.” And, as Saxton points out, Mrs. Palfrey ”begins to appreciate that she is still alive.” In other stories women defy their disapproving children and shine a light on their “desire beyond youth.” The passions explored here are wonderfully liberating and life affirming.
Late Life Intimacy: Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O’Keeffe
“Chapter Three – Altered Realities”
While aging woman are frequently dependent on others for care, fearful of loneliness, the loss of loved ones and especially romantic partners, Saxton looks at alternative realities to escape the harsh realities of rejection by lovers or families.
“Chapter Four – It’s Never Too Late”
Old women have more to look forward to than a long, slow, mental and physical decline. In the past 100 years women have worked tirelessly to forge new paths of self-determination. Back in 1979 the idea that a woman “Can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, And never ever let you forget you’re a man,” seemed liberating. Still, it was restricted to living up to male expectation. Happily in 2020, we have evolved to choose our futures rather than be forced into limited lives others expect of us.
Diana Athill, who wrote two memoirs in her ’90s
“Chapter 5 – Defying Expectations”
Much like the above chapter this section looks at women who treasure the wisdom of their years. These women are hopeful, ambitious and determined to please themselves as they move far beyond what others think they must or should do.
Maggie Kuhn became a trail blazer in her old age, founding the Gray Panthers in the 1970’s
The Book of Old Ladies: Celebrating Women Of A Certain Age in Fiction is a brave book encouraging and inspiring us to pull ourselves through the cracks and crevices of the glass ceiling and daring us to walk away from accepted norms and limits.
From late life romances, marriage and satisfying sexual relationships to successful careers defying the expectations of abusive or old fashioned husbands and “embarrassed” children, these old ladies are out to live their best lives full of strength and pride, to the end. Maybe you’re wondering: what took so long????
Kristine Nicholson is a music journalist, seamstress and nutritional counselor who has been a devoted music fan since buying “Meet the Beatles” in 1964. She majored in journalism at NYU and later became a rock music critic for Rolling Stone, Spin and Seventeen Magazine, writing for local newspapers through 2005. After graduating from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2007, she worked as a Healthy Eating Specialist for Whole Foods. Currently Kristine is writing a memoir featuring interviews with Stevie Nicks, Robert Plant and Kurt Cobain.
