In her latest book, Crones Don't Whine, Jean Shinoda Bolen's playful sense of humour and keen insight combine to offer women thirteen qualities to cultivate. Engage in these small practises and you're bound to be a happier person, who's doing her bit to make the world just a little better. Here are thirteen brief essays to turn to again and again, in bad times and good, alone and with others.

It was a time of great changes. Within a year, there was a mass deluge from the family nest, my first grandchild arrived, my husband had a heart attack, my career focus changed, and early indicators of menopause reminded me that the biggest changes were about to occur. I was leaving behind motherhood, making family meals, and picking up abandoned dirty dishes. I was moving on to a new phase of my life.

For me, the word crone has always brought up images of a wise elder. A crone as I see her is a woman of confidence with a heart large enough to take on more than just her immediate family. She is the kind of person who'll be completely honest with you when you need it most or make you laugh yourself silly when you're down. In the last year, as my life changed, I actually felt privileged that the universe saw enough wisdom in me to allow me the privilege of becoming such a woman.

I'm glad I came across Crones Don't Whine. This book celebrates crones. It reminds women that aging isn't something to fear. As we get older, we tend to let go of all that extraneous crap and really start to enjoy being ourselves.

Well worth reading, especially for women, and not necessarily older women. Of course, all of it applies to men, too. Insightful and hopeful. MH

I liked the title, but I'm having a hard time finding interest in the book..The book is all about defining the word "crone" as just a wise, fun,etc. older women... I got the gist in about 5 pages and I could not keep interested... I skipped around the book looking for more, but there wasn't.

This book provides a whole new philosophy of an aging woman along with tips on how to make it a great time in life. The author uses humor to make points. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. As a 55 year old woman, the rest of my years are looking up following the 13 steps listed.
Crones Don't Whine: Concentrated Wisdom for Juicy Women

I have found wisdom and guidance in Jean Shinolda Bolen's books since I read "Crossing to Avalon" many years ago. This book is short and pithy. Very short and very pithy. It is, in fact, concentrated...like sun-dried tomato paste or pomegranate syrup. My own desire would have been for more depth and development, but its advantage as it stands is in an almost haiku quality. I read it, one chapter a night, for several nights and reading it that way makes it a form of meditation. I suspect it would be a delightful gift from one woman in the crone years to a younger one just entering that stage of existence. If you are looking for honesty, humor and challenge, this is your book. However, if this is the first Bolen book you read, don't stop here! Pick up one of her others: "Goddesses for Older Women," "Crossing to Avalon," "Goddesses for Everywoman," and delve even deeper into her ideas.