Looking Forward: An Optimist's Guide to Retirement

From Booklist
It is no surprise that the "graying of America" has generated a multitude of retirement guides. But as her subtitle suggests, Freudenheim's is more optimistic than most, with a cheery, encouraging text and a sprinkling of cartoon art that lightens the subject without minimizing its importance. Coverage of financial issues isn't one of the strong points here (even the author suggests using other resources and counselors), but Freudenheim includes several topics ignored in other books: a look at spirituality, for example, a term that encompasses much more than a commitment to organized religion. She also offers an excellent chapter on voluntarism. Readers may be tempted to fill in the occasional write-in exercises, but that is far outweighed by the author's practical counsel and her excellent selection of further resources, which many will want to consult before they embark on their possibility-filled journey into the "Retirement Zone." Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
"Ellen Freudenheim has written the perfect guide for people who want to make the most out of their post-retirement life. Whether you've always dreamed ot traveling, starting a new career, or becoming a late-in-life athlet, Looking Forward will help you figure it all out." Richard Carlson, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff Just as the best-selling job-hunt guide What Color Is Your Parachute? helped us figure out what we wanted to do for work, Looking Forward helps us figure out what we want to do with our post-career years, whether that means working part-time, traveling to China, writing a novel, or hiking the Rockies. Thanks to increased life expectancy, Americans are living longer. Millions of baby boomers on the brink of their 60s can happily anticipate many healthy years to come, yet they're often at a loss about what to do in this new phase of life. And many of them may have an unfulfilled dream or two they've never quite been able to shake. Author Ellen Freudenheim, a boomer herself, shares her generation's uncertainty and excitement. In an engaging, encouraging tone, she tells readers how to successfully pursue everything from second careers to additional academic degrees to volunteer work. Filled with practical tips, informative charts, and revealing quizzes, as well as anecdotes from and profiles of vibrant retirees, Looking Forward is the book that will guide boomers as they reinvent this vital stage of life.

About the Author
ELLEN FREUDENHEIM is the author of five books, including three guides to Brooklyn, a wedding planner for the executive bride, and a dictionary of healthcare terms. Her career in public relations has spanned 25 years, and she has appeared on television and radio programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, and BBC.


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In this upbeat handbook, Freudenheim, a public relations specialist and writer, redefines retirement, offering a panorama of ideas and activities through which older Americans can find fulfillment, enjoyment, and meaning, whether or not they are employed. These go beyond general suggestions to explore travel, volunteer work, and new love-Freudenheim shows readers how to determine which path is best for them, drawing on health research and 200 interviews with relevant specialists. Quizzes laced throughout encourage introspection and facilitate personal planning; lists of organizations and URLs round out the text. While there are many books on retirement, this one ranks among the best and will appeal to pre-retirement baby boomers as well as retired seniors. Recommended for all public libraries. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.


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