Women Coming of Age
by Jane Fonda
Published in 1984, Women Coming of Age is a direct companion to Jane Fonda’s famous workout videos and books. Throughout the decades, Jane has gained and kept fame for many different reasons—activism, daring roles, style, health and fitness consciousness—and this book solely covers her knowledge and passion about women’s health. Even now, thirty years later, it’s extremely interesting and relevant.
While there’s a large portion at the end that focuses on her famous workouts and gives step-by-step exercises for her readers to try, the majority of the book isn’t just a fitness how-to. She talks about the body, every part and every stage. Why we age and how we age, and how to combat what people in earlier generations merely accepted in their later years. Yes, we will all age, but that doesn’t mean we have to be old. Jane walks us through topics that most people only talked about with their doctors at the time: menopause, sex, and the debate about choosing a hormone therapy regimen.
I actually really liked this book, even though I was only twenty-one when I read it. Younger readers need not shy away from reading her experiences, because it’s important to establish healthy eating and exercise habits early on. And while the book speaks to women, men shouldn’t feel excluded; if they want to help their sweetie-pies through “the change” they can read up on Jane Fonda’s advice. Her extremely interesting chapter about the skin, our largest external organ, stands out in my memory. Most people don’t realize how much our skin absorbs from our lifestyle, and how important it is to treat our skin nicely while we’re young and when we age. Read this book, and I guarantee you won’t see older folks as “old people” anymore. You also might take a tip from Jane’s kitchen and use a flavorful salt substitute!
Be sure to check out The Rag's review of Jane Fonda's memoir My Life So Far here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's reviews of Jane Fonda's films here!
While there’s a large portion at the end that focuses on her famous workouts and gives step-by-step exercises for her readers to try, the majority of the book isn’t just a fitness how-to. She talks about the body, every part and every stage. Why we age and how we age, and how to combat what people in earlier generations merely accepted in their later years. Yes, we will all age, but that doesn’t mean we have to be old. Jane walks us through topics that most people only talked about with their doctors at the time: menopause, sex, and the debate about choosing a hormone therapy regimen.
I actually really liked this book, even though I was only twenty-one when I read it. Younger readers need not shy away from reading her experiences, because it’s important to establish healthy eating and exercise habits early on. And while the book speaks to women, men shouldn’t feel excluded; if they want to help their sweetie-pies through “the change” they can read up on Jane Fonda’s advice. Her extremely interesting chapter about the skin, our largest external organ, stands out in my memory. Most people don’t realize how much our skin absorbs from our lifestyle, and how important it is to treat our skin nicely while we’re young and when we age. Read this book, and I guarantee you won’t see older folks as “old people” anymore. You also might take a tip from Jane’s kitchen and use a flavorful salt substitute!
Be sure to check out The Rag's review of Jane Fonda's memoir My Life So Far here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's reviews of Jane Fonda's films here!