Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman

As a woman in my early 50's experiencing the 'joys' of perimenopause and entering my 'empty nest' years with my husband of almost 28 years, this book, with its levity and relatability, hit the spot!

This book feels like a down-to-earth chat with a girlfriend. In it, the 59-year-old actress and businesswoman addresses many issues affecting women in midlife with humour and relatability that include many personal anecdotes. She also narrates the audiobook herself - which I highly recommend. 

I appreciated her candidness as she discusses what it's like for women to age in today's society. The ageism, mixed messages women receive, the evolution of our parenting roles as our kids become adults themselves and how women need to become their own advocates within a healthcare system that has largely ignored women's health. 

"I am a woman. Hear me MORE!"

I really enjoyed this 'coming-into-herself' read. I loved the light-hearted, non-judgy and empowering feel that is peppered with Shield's self-deprecating humour. Filled with personal anecdotes, her own societal observations and a hearty dose of inspiration, I think many middle-aged women will connect with this book. 

Aging doesn't mean simply surviving, it's time that we view it as a time to thrive!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Authors: Brooke Shields and Rachel Bertsche

Genre: Self help, Memoir, Women

Type and Source: eAudiobook from public library

Narrator: Brooke Shields

Run Time: 9 hours

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (Flatiron Books)

First Published: January 14, 2025

Read: January  17 - 20, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: 

From the face of a generation comes a voice of experience, honesty and truth. Brooke Shields narrates a powerful account of her aging experience. A master storyteller, Brooke delivers a remarkable narration with humor and grace. Be prepared to listen, laugh and learn as she flips the script on the idea of what it means for a woman to grow older.

Brooke Shields has spent a lifetime in the public eye. Growing up as a child actor and model, her every feature was scrutinized, her every decision judged. Today Brooke faces a different kind of scrutiny: that of being a “woman of a certain age.

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And yet, for Brooke, the passage of time has brought freedom. At fifty-nine, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Kleins. Now, in Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, she’s changing the narrative about women and aging.

This is an era, insists Brooke, when women are reclaiming agency and power, not receding into the shadows. These are the years when we get to decide how we want to live—when we get to write our own stories.

With remarkable candor, Brooke bares all, painting a vibrant and optimistic picture of being a woman in the prime of her life, while dismantling the myths that have, for too long, dimmed that perception. Sharing her own life experiences with humor and humility, and weaving together research and reporting, Brooke takes aim at the systemic factors that contribute to age-related bias.

By turns inspiring, moving, and galvanizing, Brooke’s honesty and vulnerability will resonate with women everywhere, and spark a new conversation about the power and promise of midlife.