Synopses & Reviews
Do you know someone turning the Big 40?
Are you approaching the age yourself and worried about being “over the hill”? Are you looking for the perfect birthday gift? Featuring everything you wanted to know about your 40s—and a few things you probably didnt—The Big 40! offers a chance to reflect on past accomplishments, look ahead to future successes, and completely freak out—all at the same time. Use it to find out how you stack up against other 40somethings, or adapt it into the ultimate trivia party game.
For instance, did you know that turning 40 means you are now older than 58% of America, and that youve lost 10% of your muscle mass in the last decade? And that almost 90% of 40-year-olds are in debt? But dont despair—at 40, Lucille Balls television career was just beginning, Gandhis plan for civil disobedience was just an outline, and John Glenns career was about to go into orbit. Chances are you own a home (71%), you feel youre in good or excellent health (87%), and you are happy (51%). About 91% of women and 88% of men have been married, 82% have children, and, best of all, youre still gettin it on—1.8 times a week.
These are but a few of the factoids, demographic stats, quotes, biographical sketches, and sage and not-so-sage observations in this illustrated celebration of this landmark birthday and the decade that follows. Do not panic! The Big 40 could possibly be the best age ever.
Synopsis
The team that created Book of Ages 30 takes aim at people who should be old enough to know themselves but still, well, don't. So how do you stack up? At 40, Nolan Ryan led the major leagues in strikeouts. George W. Bush says he gave up drinking. Carol Shields published her first novel. John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth. And here's a happy thought: 40-year-olds are having sex more often (1.8 times a week) than 20-year-olds. But they've got responsibilities: 71.7 percent own homes. And nagging concerns: 77 percent think they're overweight. The Big 40! examines in excruciating detail this watershed age. It offers you or your loved one everything you'd ever want to know and a few things you probably don't and answers all those pesky questions that flicker behind the candles on that big birthday cake: How do I stack up to people my age? What have others accomplished--or failed to--by the age of 40? What do I have to look forward to in the next phase of life? The answers--presented in demographic statistics, factoids, brief portraits of famous and infamous people, quotes, and sage observations--are guaranteed to entertain and surprise.
About the Author
JOSHUA ALBERTSON, LOCKHART STEELE, and JONATHAN VAN GIESON have created or produced a variety of media projects, including the web-based reality game Hide/Seek/NYC, The Pharmers Almanac, “Buddy” Cianci: The Musical, and SiteSherpa. Their previous book in this series, Book of Ages 30, was published in 2003. Visit www.bookofages.com.