the negative stereotypes of being old and alone. Now along comes Caroline Bird, with good reason to believe that there is a world of older women who are living productive, independent lives. The women she found - whose stories make up the first half of this book - are an immensely varied group. Some are famous and privileged; others are poor and even disabled. What they have in common is a zest for living. And what they give the reader (of whatever age) is an eye-opening look at a future that is filled with possibilities. A woman in her mid-fifties, the author says, has a good quarter of a century of life to look forward to. This is the book that will show her what kinds of opportunities lie ahead and what she can do to make the most of them. The salty old women in Bird's book are the pioneers, the success stories. To get where they are,

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