Books

Sonya Renee Taylor’s powerful call for radical self-love challenges us to examine how body shame and sizeism shape our lives — and offers a framework for rejecting these systems. Particularly valuable for women navigating body changes in midlife.

Glennon Doyle’s memoir about breaking free from a life she was told she should want. A story of radical honesty, identity, marriage, divorce, and the decision to live as one’s truest self. Resonates powerfully with women at any age facing a major reckoning.

Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön offers radical advice for facing life’s most painful moments — not by escaping them, but by moving toward them with openness. Profound comfort for women navigating divorce, loss, illness, or any form of transition.

Grief expert David Kessler adds a sixth stage to the classic model: finding meaning. A deeply compassionate guide for navigating the losses — of people, roles, health, and identity — that accumulate in the second half of life.

The foundational text on grief and the stages that have helped millions of people understand their own mourning. Essential for women navigating loss of parents, spouses, health, identity, and roles that often cluster in midlife.

The classic 12-week program for recovering your creative self. Particularly powerful for women in midlife who have spent decades putting others first and are ready to reclaim — or discover for the first time — their creative lives.

Though written by a man, this memoir about finding meaning, navigating life’s detours, and recognizing when the universe is saying yes has resonated deeply with women in midlife reassessing their own paths and purpose.

A celebration of the late bloomer — people who found their calling and transformed their lives after midlife. Deeply researched and beautifully written, this book makes a compelling case that the best chapters often come later.

A fascinating history of the public health innovations — vaccines, clean water, seat belts, pasteurization — that doubled human life expectancy in the 20th century. Puts the remarkable longevity of today’s older women in inspiring historical context.

Nora Ephron’s wickedly funny essays about the indignities and joys of getting older as a woman. From bad hair days to the terrors of the medicine cabinet, she makes aging not just bearable but hilarious.

Neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine reframes menopause as a neurological upgrade — arguing that the female brain actually improves in focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation after the transition. A profoundly optimistic perspective grounded in neuroscience.

A refreshingly honest, intersectional, and often hilarious guide to perimenopause that centers the experiences of all people who menstruate — including trans and nonbinary people. Combines thorough science with genuine wit.

Written by the medical director of the Menopause Society, this practical guide addresses every major symptom and concern of the menopausal transition with evidence-based recommendations. A reliable, authoritative reference.

OB/GYN nurse practitioner Marcelle Pick explains hormonal imbalance and the estrogen dominance that many women experience through perimenopause, offering natural and pharmaceutical solutions to restore balance.

A board-certified menopause practitioner shares everything she tells her patients, covering hot flashes, sleep disruption, vaginal changes, sexual health, bone loss, and heart disease risk. Clear, accessible, and reassuring.

Naturopathic doctor Lara Briden’s comprehensive guide to menstrual health and hormonal balance. Invaluable for understanding perimenopause, as irregular periods are often the first sign of the transition. Covers progesterone, estrogen, insulin, and thyroid in approachable terms.

Triple-board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Anna Cabeca’s keto-alkaline approach to balancing hormones, losing weight, and optimizing health through and after menopause. Combines nutrition science with hormonal expertise.

Thyroid patient advocate Mary Shomon untangles the complex relationship between menopause and thyroid disease — two conditions that frequently co-occur and mimic each other — and offers a comprehensive guide to getting accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay explains the science of menopause’s effects on the brain in accessible, empowering terms — covering brain fog, mood, sleep, memory, and what actually works to protect cognitive function.

Psychiatrist Kelly Brogan challenges the conventional antidepressant approach and offers a 30-day plan addressing root causes of depression in women — inflammation, gut health, thyroid, and lifestyle. Particularly relevant for women whose mood changes coincide with perimenopause.

Dr. Lisa Mosconi’s first book on the female brain and Alzheimer’s risk, revealing why women account for two-thirds of cases and what they can do now to protect their brains. Essential reading alongside The Menopause Brain.

Longevity physician Peter Attia reframes medicine around the goal of not just living longer but living better — with chapters on cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic health, and cognitive decline that are particularly relevant to women in midlife.

Dr. Gundry explores how to grow older without getting old, focusing on gut bacteria, plant-based nutrition, and the surprising enemies of longevity. Practical strategies for thriving in the second half of life.

Evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer overturns myths about metabolism. His research reveals why diet and exercise work differently than we think — particularly relevant for women dealing with midlife metabolic changes.