Skip to Main Content

On Being 40(ish)

Fifteen Writers on the Prime of Their Lives

Edited by Lindsey Mead

About The Book

Fifteen powerful women and writers you know and love—from the pages of The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vogue, Glamour, and The Atlantic—offer captivating, intimate, and candid explorations about what it’s really like turning forty—and that the best is yet to come.

The big 4-0. Like eighteen and twenty-one, this is a major and meaningful milestone our lives—especially for women. Turning forty is a poignant doorway between youth and...what comes after; a crossroads to reflect on the roads taken and not, and the paths yet before you. The decade that follows is ripe for nostalgia, inspiration, wisdom, and personal growth.

In this dazzling collection, fifteen writers explore this rich phase in essays that are profound, moving, and above all, brimming with joie de vivre. With a diverse array of voices—including Veronica Chambers, Meghan Daum, Kate Bolick, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Sloane Crosley, KJ Dell’Antonia, Julie Klam, Jessica Lahey, Catherine Newman, Sujean Rim, Jena Schwartz, Sophfronia Scott, Allison Winn Scotch, Lee Woodruff, and Jill Kargman—On Being 40(ish) offers a range of universal themes—friendship, independence, sex, beauty, aging, wisdom, and the passage of time.

On Being 40(ish) reflects the hopes, fears, challenges, and opportunities of a generation. Beautifully designed, this is “a must read for anyone 40ish or beyond...Like a pep talk from your big sister, favorite cousin, and wise best friend” (Joanna Goddard, Cup of Jo).

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 5, 2019)
  • Length: 256 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781501172137

Raves and Reviews

"A group of stylishly intelligent women writers — from Meghan Daum to Sloane Crosley to Taffy Brodesser-Akner — reflect on the fears and aspirations involved with turning 40. Think of them as a group of funny birthday drinking companions."

—New York Times Book Review

“If you are, ever have been, or ever plan to be 40(ish), you’ll find this collection irresistible. Drawn from the experiences of some of the best essayists of our time, ON BEING 40(ISH) reveals that our forties can be the best of times, the worst, the saddest, funniest and often the bravest and most revelatory. This will be the book I give every 40(ish) friend this year.
Ann Leary, New York Times Bestselling author of THE GOOD HOUSE

“I’m turning 40 in a few months, so I couldn’t have read this book at a more perfect time. It's like a pep talk from your big sister, favorite cousin and wise best friend. These 15 smart, funny women expertly capture what it's like to get older — from forehead wrinkles to work/life balance to discovering who you really are. A must read for anyone 40ish or beyond and a poignant reminder that the best days lie ahead.”
Joanna Goddard, Cup of Jo

“Candid, often charming revelations from a host of articulate women.”
Kirkus

"Charming, relatable, and wise...Taken as a group, these personal narratives argue that aging is a process of shedding the inconsequential and acquiring a laser focus on the truly essential. Without a hint of preachiness, this is a practical guide to navigating life for anyone who has passed the milestone of 40."

—Publishers Weekly

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images