The Art of Growing Up: Simple Ways to Be Yourself at Last
As the old hair-coloring commercials used to say, you're not getting  older, you're getting better. In this sophisticated little picture book,  Véronique Vienne, bestselling author of (The Art of Doing NothingandThe Art of Imperfection)  and a feature writer for magazines such asMartha Stewart LivingandRedbook, contends that growing up doesn't simply mean you're not getting  younger anymore; it means you're finally at the point in life where the real fun  begins. After all, Julia Child didn't write her first bestselling cookbook until  she was 49, Harry Truman wasn't elected to national office until he was 50, and  Paul Cezanne didn't have a major exhibit of his paintings until he was 65. The  "second part of your life is second to none," she writes, and the best is yet to  come.In 10 essays complemented by 25 duotone photographs, Vienne advises us to begin  anew by throwing away old things ("outgrowing is part of growing up"), letting  go of what's become obsolete, and reinventing adulthood ("become the kind of  grown-up who makes young people wish they were pushing 40, 50 or even 60"). In  short, get comfortable in your skin, with your intelligence, with your soul. The  message is: growing up has little do with age--and everything to do with making  your life easier, happier, and more fun. No doubt, this savvy little gift book  will get lucky recipients on the right track.--Nancy Monson