Book Review – Be Brave. Lose The Beige

The subheading says it all – Finding Your Sass after Sixty.

The author, Liz Kitchens has been entertaining the world for a while with her blog Be Brave. Lose the Beige, much of which has been published in the online magazine Sixty and me

The book is really easy to read, a light hearted look at how those over sixty are often overlooked, how easy it is, to just let the world pass you by, effectively you are invisible! She raises the question ‘why should we be beige?’ Why should we follow the rules, mostly we have done so all our lives, but now we don’t have to! Liz introduces another character Magenta, who does things differently!

This book is not a manual for how to plan your retirement, you won’t need a calculator. You’ll not be working out how you can eke out out your money in retirement or how much you can withdraw from your pension pot each year. It’s about having fun, with each chapter introducing a different thought on how to enjoy retirement. I am of a similar age to Liz, and if my mother is anything to go by, I have about 30 years still ahead of me, so I want to make the most of them!

The book is broken into chapters, with little ‘maxims’ as it goes along, and she kindly gives you a summary at the end. Some of the ones that stood out for me were Exercise your Creative muscles (A lovely phrase – ‘Doodle For your Noodle!’), Breaking little rules is empowering, Hold your Friends Dear, Seek Out the Silver Linings, Stay Foolish.

The book doesn’t shy away from difficult topics – relationships, taking difficult decisions, empty nest, illness, death etc. I could empathise with a lot of the stories – the knock on effects on retirement income following the bank collapse in 2008, the empty nest that had an unexpected delay! Some thankfully I have not yet had to face, and hope I do not have to face for some years to come. Liz also covers many life changes in a humorous way – ever heard of Retired Spouse Syndrome – I hadn’t, but I can certainly understand it! Having your partner at home all day can sometimes be a challenge in itself!

Overall, I enjoyed the book, I read it over a couple of days, while making the most of the spring sunshine. There are many amusing episodes, while passing on some great ideas. I laughed out loud at the thought of manspreading while reclining on a deckchair! (We don’t get too much deckchair opportunity here in Scotland, so our equivalent is those men who have never learned how to sit down in a kilt!) You’ll see yourself in many of her anecdotes, and others – you’ll easily say – that would never be me! Probably together with the words – Thank Goodness!

I’ll finish with a couple of Liz’s maxims –

• Stay Foolish
• Cultivate a Sense of Humor
• Don’t be an Entitled Old Person

Relax and Enjoy the Book. It’s on sale from She Writes Press, on May 16, 2023, buy it on Amazon or on Bookshop

Note: I have not been paid to review this book, nor if you buy one (although I did get a free electronic copy!)