Product Description

'It feels like only yesterday I was the youngest person in the room, I had my whole life in front of me. I had time to burn, I spent my whole day snogging boys and backcombing my hair. I was a young thing, with a lovely body, life was fun, and I hadn't a care in the world. Now - it feels like two minutes later - I'm a little bit old. OK, I'm not in elasticated stockings or on Meals on Wheels whizzing down the stairs on my stairlift, but my life is more than half over. I've been there, done that, got the packamac. I'm so old that I remember dances with drum solos, the arrival of unisex hairdressers and had a crush on Ilya Kuryakin. I am up at the top of the hill, and over the other side again. What all this means, is that I am grumpy. But I've earnt it... I lived through Boney M and leg warmers and the Crossroads Motel. Obviously in a book this size I wouldn't be able to share with you ALL of my grumps. But I've decided to write down some of the secret thoughts that beset a woman of a certain age, some of the wicked things that occur to a woman who takes a lot of things to the dry cleaners, has to have her roots done every four weeks and finds it hard to wear high heels. And guess what: they still fancy people, still have silly little crushes on people at work, still - shock horror - have sex. You will discover that women of a certain age are just as provocative and turned on as women in their twenties. Probably more so. So get over it. Middle-aged women are sexy, funny and infinitely lovable. They are also taking over the world.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10179 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
"These brilliant books lay bare the complete stressfest that is called being a grown-up... an excellent read" (BELFAST TELEGRAPH )

About the Author
Judith Holder has a distinguished career in television having produced some of the funniest people in the business including Clive James, Billy Connolly, Dame Edna Everage, Victoria Wood and Lenny Henry. She has also written her own comedy pieces which she has performed on Woman's Hour and Home Truths. She is currently Head of Features at Liberty Bell Productions.

Customer Reviews

I went to 10 bookstores first!
I am an American who was taking her son to check out grad schools in the UK. As a result, we were traveling through Luton, Gatwick and Stansted - somehow never needed Heathrow!

Anyway, waiting for our first flight out of Luton I read the back of the book and said that describes me to a T. But I didn't want to lug this book all around Edinburgh - our first stop. Figured I'd get it when we flew back to Luton that evening. But we changed our plans, thus airports. From then on, every bloody bookstore we saw throughout the rest of the week I had to look for this book.

Problem was, I didn't remember the name of the book or the author's name. Just told employees it was a humorous account of middle aged women. No one suggested the name and I was getting more and more frustrated.

Cut to the last day, last bookstore in Gatwick - I went up and down EVERY aisle to no avail. I gave up but as I was leaving, it caught my eye - a beam of light from heaven? Yes, it was it! I immediately bought it, and read it on the return flight home to the USA. I laughed outloud throughout the flight - so if people didn't think I was a grumpy old woman, I'm a ditzy old woman.

Point is, Ms. Holder gets it - and the wonderful secret is it's the same everywhere - even across the Pond! I loved it and look forward to more as we move on to the next stage - there is a next stage - isn't there?

Thank you for ending my wonderful trip on such a light note. I'm now going to pass this on to all my grumpy old women friends!

Cure for January blues
Is it tragic that I'm not yet 40, but already this book mirrors my life? The relief of not having to try too hard to look alluring at the office party coupled with annoyance and jealousy at younger colleagues turning up in sexy Santa costumes ...

Quite a number of times while I was reading this (lolling about on the sofa in tartan flannal pyjamas) my GOM was alarmed to find me red-faced and literally breathless with laughter. An unattractive sight I'm sure, but who cares?

LOVE IT!
I bought this book as a Christmas present for my Mum (she and I giggle as we compare notes on our respective Grumpy Old Men when we go on our occasional spa days!) Having read just a couple of excerpts from it, I decided she'd like it - and even if she didn't, I'd enjoy borrowing it when she'd finished with it! Well, she did like it and as requested then returned it to me just in time for me to read on holiday. I steamed through the book in about a day - frequently laughing out loud and shaking with mirth as I pictured in my mind's eye the things Judith talks about (the experience in the train loo - one of those enormous ones with the complicated-to-lock, S-L-O-W-L-Y opening and closing doors especially sticks in my mind!) I'd recommend this to anyone, but especially women of 30+ (TOGS would love it!) Although... some bits aren't just funny - they're TRUE!! (Or is that just me?!?!) Could also be a great instruction book for men - read this and it just may give you a bit of insight into how women's minds work!