The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50

This is a book that keeps me excited about entering my Third Act! The most Positive and Inspiring point I drew from this book, is that as Wise Women in our Seasoned Third Chapter, it is "our responsibility" to reach out to younger women, pull them up so that they may stand on our shoulders. To take this time to mentor and teach our younger sisters. In our Third Act we may see ourselves as wise elders with wisdom to share with her community, to "give forward"...through mentoring, volunteering, and being of service to others. Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot's voice in this book, is rich, wise and deep.Women can see themselves in a new light—leaving behind the fading illusion of youth and beauty and welcoming a new time of deep self-understanding and discovery. Women could then speak of their lives being full of focus and meaning, having excitement at the prospect of taking a risk on a new adventure and a new path.

The Third Chapter by Sara Lawrence-LightfootAfter seeing Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot on Bill Moyer's Journal on PBS, I was anxious to read what words of wisdom Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot had to offer in her book, The Third Chapter; Passion, Risk, and Adventures in the 25 years After 50. I was disappointed to receive no additional pearls in her book. To be fair to Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, she did say who the forty people were that she interviewed for her book. She did disclose the fact that her subjects were not ordinary people of middle class, but rather from the highly educated and privileged upper class with extraordinary wealth. However, I did think I would learn a thing or two by reading the book, but this was not the case. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot is an educational sociologist who spent two years interviewing both men and women living in the third chapter of their lives; their fifties, sixties, and seventies. She wants us to realize this significant time in life where we may want to seek new meaning and greater challenges. The forty people Sara interviewed were lucky enough to be able to take risks and actually seek their new meanings and fulfill their challenges in their third chapter in life. They had the means to change their lives dramatically. Each has a different story and circumstances that precipitated the change they made. The Introduction to the book shared the most insight and learning tools than did the stories from the forty people. After finishing the book, I had wished there were more revelations from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot than from the people she interviewed. The stories were a quick read, knowing how most ordinary people could not even begin to relate to achieving these third chapter life changes of the elite. This is a self-help book the reader will have to modify, as most people living in their third chapter of life do want to seek changes and challenges. However, besides the Introduction, there isn't much for the average person to learn. This is one time where the TV interview was more informative than the book.Book Review by Mary Crocco

After listening to Bill Moyers discussing 'The Third Chapter' with Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, who is so articulate, whose use of the language is so elegant and human that I was keen to buy the book. Yes, parts of the book--namely, the stories of real human beings and their Third Chapter decisions and adventures--live up to the promise of that delightful conversation, which I have enjoyed more than once!But I found the work's rhythm interrupted by sections so academic that I nearly lost heart -- and I have an MA in Sociology from The New School! As I read -- at times plowing through -- I found myself thinking, "This book has two distinct voices: one is the voice of the dispassionate scholar; the other is the voice of a deeply sensitive, caring human being."I might be excused for wishing that all the scholarly bits had been put in one place -- maybe an extended Epilogue, or even in an altogether separate academic paper!That said, have I referred the book to others? Yes, and even sent two copies to my sister nearing retirement and her now-recently-retired psychologist friend who is finding retirement difficult.My suggestion: savor the sections that speak to you ... and skim through the scholarly passages. At the end, your patience will have been rewarded!

Right item. Right condition. Prompt.

I am 63 and reading this book lifted me right out of months of funk anticipating "retirement." Seriously. Uplifting without being "too good to be true." Just inspiring stories about real people making the transition to "retirement," written by a sound qualitative-research academic. If "retirement" sounds less than ideal to you, as it did me, this is the book for you.

Livro chegou conforme descrito.

I found the writing style not to my taste. Didn’t finish the book.

I bought this book after having seen the author, Ms Lightfood, interviewed by Bill Moyers on PBS. It makes for an interesting read as it explores how various interviewees see their re-invention going into retirement. Some of it is quite insightful as well as inspiring.The presentation of her material is a bit academic and some people's stories seemed disjointed by the author's attempt to group common traits among those studied into a greater overview. Although she explains her choices and restraints, it would have been interesting had all of her subjects not been well educated successful career people making the transition into retirement and could have included the stories of white and blue collar workers as well as homemakers.If you are fifty or more and contemplating your retirement, this book will resonate with you on some level.