Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age

New York Times Bestseller * USA Today Bestseller * Los Angeles Times Bestseller * Publishers Weekly Bestseller

The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of Reviving Ophelia--a guide to wisdom, authenticity, and bliss for women as they age--now with a new foreword by the author.

Women growing older contend with ageism, misogyny, and loss. Yet as Mary Pipher shows, most older women are deeply happy and filled with gratitude for the gifts of life. Their struggles help them grow into the authentic, empathetic, and wise people they have always wanted to be.

In Women Rowing North, Pipher offers a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, caregiver, clinical psychologist, and cultural anthropologist, she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face. "If we can keep our wits about us, think clearly, and manage our emotions skillfully," Pipher writes, "we will experience a joyous time of our lives. If we have planned carefully and packed properly, if we have good maps and guides, the journey can be transcendent."

ISBN-13: 9781632869616

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Publication Date: 03-03-2020

Pages: 272

Product Dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

Mary Pipher is a psychologist specializing in women, trauma, and the effects of our culture on mental health, which has earned her the title of “cultural therapist” for her generation. She is the author of four New York Times bestsellers, including Reviving Ophelia, The Shelter of Each Other, Another Country and most recently, Women Rowing North. She lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

I Challenges of the Journey

1 A New Stretch of the River 14

2 The Lay of the Land 26

3 The Worn Body 37

4 Intensity and Poignancy 53

5 Caregiving 60

6 Swept Away 69

7 Loneliness and Solitude 83

II Travel Skills

8 Understanding Ourselves 98

9 Making Intentional Choices 109

10 Building a Good Day 122

11 Creating Community 135

12 Crafting Resplendent Narratives 147

13 Anchoring in Gratitude 160

III The People on the Boat

14 Travel Companions 174

15 Co-Captains 184

16 The Lifeboat of Family 195

17 Grandchildren 206

IV The Northern Lights

18 Moon River: Authenticity and Self-Acceptance 220

19 The Long View 231

20 Everything Is Illuminated 241

Acknowledgments 252

Index 253

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