You Don't Look Your Age...and Other Fairy Tales

You Don't Look Your Age...and Other Fairy Tales by Sheila Nevins    283 pages

Sheila Nevins may be the President of HBO Documentary Films for over 30 years, but, this gal can write like you wouldn't believe.    Such great glimpses she gives into a life well lived. and many lessons learned first hand or observed or through osmosis.   She talks about dealing with the ageists in society, still dealing with the glass ceiling, younger lovers who flirt and flatter telling her she doesn't look her age (yeah, right! She is thinking to herself, but, Bleep it - tell me more!).   She talks about the joys of separate bedrooms after a certain age when the wife is menopausal and thermal nuclear while her husband is dealing with prostrate issues and always cold, she talks about the disease Tourette's Syndrome, the lack of desire for designer labels over cheaper and reasonable, vengeance on one's husband's secret stash of viagra who hasn't touched her in years, the dying of her dog who when she was young she referred to as her girl though he was clearly a male and who was the greatest comfort to her throughout times of extreme sorrow when there were no words to describe the horrific pain she felt but no words were needed because he was there to lend support and unconditional love always.   She talks about the snotty witch mother of her son's latest flame, how she hated her son's hamster, Teddy, but honestly didn't mean to pull the poor thing's tail off!   How she wrote a love letter to her long dead great-aunt who died in a historical fire at the age of 17 after only being in America from Russia a couple of years and how much she wished she knew about her and how she loved this dear person she did not know personally.   She walks you through the process of getting a face lift and how it affects one's psyche and once done can become addicting.  The perils of being a working mother and buying cookies for her son's school bakesale only to be belittled by his teacher for shunning the spirit of homemade.  She tells of her belief in Santa Claus.    A lovely read by a gifted writer.    She should do a documentary of herself and the stories she tells here.   I highly recommend this book to all ladies of a certain age who can commisserate with many of the tales she tells but honestly for everyone male, female, young or old as this book will give everyone much insight into the person next to you.   Great book.