Kitchen Tables & Other Midlife Musings

Eliason, a columnist for the St. Petersburg Times has pulled together some of her ``Fiftysomething'' and ``Sixtysomething'' columns for a very light look at middle age from a woman's viewpoint. Unfortunately, her musings are neither funny nor original enough to engage most readers. Airline seats and food are no longer inherently funny; advising readers to ``seize the day'' is no longer fresh; and including a few recipes is no longer enough to establish chummy neighborliness. Her feminism falls flat: as she points out traditional inequities she perpetuates them. The ``pretty young women who work in bank buildings and attorneys' offices'' might just be the bankers and attorneys themselves. For women needing midlife comfort, these essays are pleasant reading and some observations even bear repeating. But other readers may find both Eliason's wit and wisdom lacking freshness. Author tour. (Mar.)