Older and Wider by Jenny Eclair
‘If you’re after an in-depth medical or psychological insight into the menopause, I’m afraid you’ve opened the wrong book – I’m not a doctor . . . However, I am a woman and I do know how it feels to be menopausal, so this book is written from experience and the heart and I hope it makes you laugh and feel better.’ JE
Older and Wider is Jenny Eclair’s hilarious, irreverent and refreshingly honest compendium of the menopause. From C for Carb-loading and G for Getting Your Shit Together to I for Invisibility and V for Vaginas, Jenny’s whistle-stop tour of the menopause in all its glory will make you realise that it really isn’t just you. Jenny will share the surprising lessons she has learnt along the way as well as her hard-won tips on the joy of cardigans, dealing with the empty nest (get a lodger) and keeping the lid on the pressure cooker of your temper (count to twenty, ten is never enough).
As Jenny says, ‘I can’t say that I’ve emerged like a beautiful butterfly from some hideous old menopausal chrysalis and it would be a lie to say that I’ve found the ‘old me’ again. But what I have found is the ‘new me’ – and you know what? I’m completely cool with that.’
My Thoughts on Older and Wider
This is a really funny and honest account of what it is like to be a menopausal woman (and I should know because I am one!)
Jenny Eclair is a well known English comedian, actress, and writer. Her voice comes over loudly in the book as she tackles the tricky subject of menopause with incredible warmth, humour, and empathy.
The short A-Z type chapters are cheery and informative, delivering helpful tips, facts, and anecdotes in a relatable fashion.
Jenny has the inspired idea that dogs should be available to menopausal women on the NHS. In fact, she says that she hankers for a miniature smooth-haired dachshund. Actually, this is exactly what I got for my fiftieth birthday. Sadly, he refuses to listen to me and is extremely grumpy!….. (luckily he is very cute too!)
In one chapter Jenny talks about getting a hobby. Recently, whilst walking around Hobbycraft I had to confess to my daughter that I had an urgent desire to make pom poms. Well, apparently this is a completely normal symptom and is said to be therapeutic and highly addictive. I was thrilled to find out there are professional pom pom kits these days, and I’m very excited! (No need to cut circles out of cereal boxes anymore!)
In fact, I might just make a pom pom jumper for Darcy the Dachshund!
I liked that Jenny points out the advantages of reaching this stage of life and that it isn’t always just hot flushes and brain fog. She tells women to be kind to themselves and embrace entering a different chapter of life. The use of humour and incredible straight-talking make this book a ‘must have’ for all women. I have read many books on the subject and felt that ‘Older and Wider’ is one of the best due to the excellent witty writing and relatable style.
About The Author
Jenny Eclair is the Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of the critically acclaimed novels Camberwell Beauty, Having a Lovely Time and Life, Death and Vanilla Slices, as well as the Richard and Judy bestseller, Moving, and the short story collection, Listening In. One of the UK’s most popular writer/performers, she was the first woman to win the prestigious Perrier Award and has many TV and radio credits to her name. She lives in south-east London.
You can read my review of Inheritance by Jenny Eclair here
Thank you to Quercus books and the author for a copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly.
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