cover image Naomi's Guide to Aging Gratefully: Facts, Myths, and Good News for Boomers

Naomi's Guide to Aging Gratefully: Facts, Myths, and Good News for Boomers

Naomi Judd, . . Simon & Schuster, $23 (272pp) ISBN 978-0-7432-7515-6

Country music star Judd (Naomi's Breakthrough Guide ) offers a mix of salty advice and inspirational suggestions to baby boomers as they age. Based on her own experience, interviews with contemporaries and reliable medical tips, Judd provides a sprightly and engaging perspective on the goal of healthily sustaining oneself physically and emotionally. Judd debunks the youth-obsessed media, which relentlessly stereotype and ridicule seniors. The author strongly believes in honing a positive attitude that includes practicing five daily acts of kindness, such as extending oneself to neighbors. Judd also affirms the importance of building a strong network of friends and family as well as relationships that may include a long-term love and satisfying sexual involvement. Judd's strong faith leads her to offer evidence for the value of spirituality as one ages, and she devotes a chapter to the often touchy subject of getting along with children and grandchildren. Nicely juxtaposed with her intellectual and psychological musings are the author's down-to-earth recommendations on nutrition, exercise and the role of both traditional and complementary medicine. Uplifting and informative, this should be popular with both fans and middle-aged readers looking for advice on how to move gracefully, and gratefully, into middle and old age. Photos not seen by PW . (Jan.)