This is Cathleen Rountree's fifth book of interviews with women at various stages in their lives. She believes "each decade brings the promise of never-before-experienced opportunities for growth and personal development, for creative expression, and contribution to our community." The 16 women here tell their stories and share their feelings about the art of conscious aging. Rountree honors and celebrates the wisdom they have accrued over the years and their insights into the adventure of being alive.

Novelist Madeleine L'Engle observes: "I find it easier to believe in the impossible now in my seventies than I did when I was in my rational midlife." Leah Friedman started work on her Ph.D. the year before she turned 70. Sociologist Lee Robbins fell in love and married again when she was 75. Learning and loving are lifelong sources of personal renewal.

While it is true that women suffer from the brunt of ageism, these heroic figures evidence a zest for life. Photographer Inge Morath sums it up nicely: "Don't panic about your age. Be yourself the best you can."