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There are currently 24 member reviews
for Women Rowing North
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Helene M. (Sarasota, FL)
Ladies, Get Your Paddles, We're Rowing North!
This may be one of the most important books I've ever read - particularly for women like myself, of a "certain age," whose lives have been affected by the loss of important markers - husbands, careers, family relationships that change as one grows older.
In compelling prose, May Pipher challenges us to explore questions that many of us avoid as uncomfortable. But, she reminds us, those questions are also unavoidable, if we wish to live fully for as long as we are able.
Aging is difficult, and while Pipher has no magic wand to change that reality, she does provide guideposts. These come in the form of questions and challenges to which we alone have the correct answers for ourselves.
I heartily recommend this book for women ages 45 and up, and especially for those over 65. If there was one thing I wish Pipher had done, it would have been to craft a series of workshops that could use this book as a reference point.
Get it; read it; you won't be disappointed.
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Marion C. (Peabody, MA)
Women Rowing North
"Time can take the sting out of life and make it sweeter", says Mary Pipher in her book WOMEN ROWING NORTH; Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age. I experienced much joy reading and understanding the bends, curves and the current a woman goes through as she ages. Pipher offers suggestions on how to cope with life's little nuances and major hurdles. She also tells us our perception of events changes over time, and life has not been bad after all. As we age, we can remember having been there and done that, and we survived. Pipher clears the debris in the river and suggests women take time and better care of themselves while enjoying the beauty of life. I agree.
Pipher's writing is succinct. I highly recommend reading WOMEN ROWING NORTH because you may find solutions and clearer understanding of currents in the river of life.
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Diane W. (Lake Villa, IL)
New Hope
As I close in on retirement at 70 --- and am fearful of being isolated and alone --- I found comfort and new hope from reading this book, and a commitment to reinvent myself from a long-time academic to something new, a bit more risky, and fulfilling. Some ideas portrayed or spoken of in the book seemed a bit outdated, but I think they can be "rethought" or recreated in these times and for each of us. I'm recommending friends in my age group and book clubs give this book a read!
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Dorian B. (Bainbridge, NY)
You are not alone
As a person entering my 50's I found this book to be comforting. The stories and insights that Pipher shares, while not always necessarily new, do provide reminders that we are all in this life together. I feel that it is crucial for women to support each other, and this book is a good example of what could serve as a 'port in the storm' for anyone struggling with the stresses of life and aging.
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Randi H. (Bronx, NY)
A book to return to over the years
Although I am (slightly) under the stated target age for Women Rowing North, I found the book to be an insightful guide to aging for women. I greatly enjoyed Mary Pipher's exhortations to mindfulness and making the most of the life we actually have. As I read the book, I was able to immediately apply parts of it to my current life. And I can see myself coming back to this book many times as I grow older, using it as a touchstone for my outlook on aging, to help me get through difficult experiences, and reminding myself of what is truly important.
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Julie
Average Read
This was just average for me. There were some hard truths about getting older and some joys to be found as well. I didn't feel like it gave me a whole lot of new insights which I was hoping for from this author. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
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Donna G. (Cheshire, CT)
Nothing Really New Here...
I was looking forward to reading Mary Pipher's new book, Women Rowing North, although I am not yet in the "target" age group. She writes with an optimism that I found appealing, however, the author did not seem to have anything new to say. The case studies Pipher depicted seem to be the bulk of the book, and I had difficulty identifying with the women she depicted. Perhaps other readers may find them interesting and helpful. I was hoping for actual strategies to navigate the river of aging, not a sing-song text.
