The generation who proclaimed we should never trust anyone over forty is now joining AARP, taking a serious interest in retirement villages, and some are even drawing social security.   We can fight the wrinkles, the gray hair, and even the dowdy wardrobe; but is aging the same sensible-shoe prospect now that it was for our parents and grandparents?

The contributors to Audacious Aging certainly don’t paint the second halves of their lives as a fading away or going gently. Of course, much depends upon the definition of 'aging' and 'audacious.' The chronology can’t be challenged, but it seems almost every other aspect of life after 50 is up for grabs. The definitions and approaches to the subject are as varied as the contributors, with topics running the gamut from spirituality to science. There are even some thought-provoking entries by youngsters in their thirties and forties.

Many of the celebrities—Dominick Dunne, Nikki Giovanni, Dick Van Dyke, among others—write about themselves and are, without exception, as busy and fulfilled now as ever. Asha Clinton declares "...authentic, courageous, and audacious aging comes from authentic, courageous, and audacious living." Gene Cohen’s essay includes the optimistic suggestion that our brains "become better integrated during middle age, making way for greater creativity," and he offers tips for using rather than losing those newly balanced brains to best advantage.

Given free rein to address the subject from any angle, it was inevitable that some few would wander off on a tangent. (Lori Grace rants about electoral improprieties, for instance) or zero in on their own self-centered universes (Helen Gurley-Brown rambles on about the minutiae of her daily life).  Despite diversity in the approach, there is not much fundamental difference in the authors of these essays; with fewer than a half dozen exceptions, the contributors are U.S. born, so there’s little variety in the cultural perception of aging.

Leaving aside those minor complaints, though, Audacious Aging is an upbeat, eye-opening, and often enlightening read. Loaded with tips, anecdotes, scientific discoveries, and even some plain old common sense, this book can point readers in new directions, provide inspiration for the journey, or just become a pleasant visit with others who’ve been down the road.