List of selected books on non-financial aspects of thinking about retirement

Notation

• Books I liked and would generally recommend are marked with a '$'.
• Books more useful for more advanced readers are marked with a '#'.
• Books with no '$' mark are still useful and included for that reason.

$ The New Retirementality: Planning Your Life and Living Your Dreams ... at Any Age You Want (New Retire-Mentality) by Mitch Anthony (2006). (Amazon Review) "The vision of a retirement spent playing golf or sipping martinis can be more of a dead end than a dream. For many people, retirement may span 30 years or longer and will not be viewed as an isolated economic event but rather a part of ongoing life planning. In a comprehensive update of The New Retirementality, popular author Mitch Anthony revisits and expands on his groundbreaking concept of Retirementality-the ability to achieve the freedom to pursue life's goals, at one's own pace, on one's own terms, and at any age. This book will help readers say goodbye to dreary financial opinions and hello to a whole new way of planning for retirement. Drawing on the latest research on lifestyles and employment, Anthony debunks common myths about retirement, such as 'Age 65 is old,' 'My retirement income will be spent on pills and doctor bills,' and 'Retirement means not working.' Then, he gives readers a brand-new blueprint for retirement-from making a meaningful transition and maintaining a network of connections, to contributing through volunteerism and philanthropy, while ensuring there's enough money to last a lifetime. Innovative ideas and planning techniques from top advisors in the financial world make this book stand out from others on the shelf. Anthony demonstrates that a life well lived after retirement should closely resemble life before retirement, filled with friends, family, work, travel, and hobbies. For the more than 77 million baby boomers on the cusp of retirement, The New Retirementality helps paint a detailed portrait of this ideal future and how to achieve it." [A useful related financial planning book where Anthony has a chapter in Retirement Income Redesigned: Master Plans for Distribution: An Adviser's Guide for Funding Boomers' Best Years by Harold Evensky (Editor), Deena B Katz.]

$ The Art of Aging: A Doctor's Prescription for Well-Being by Sherwin B. Nuland (2007). (Amazon Review) "This book is according to Sherwin Nuland written primarily for those in their Fifties and sixties. Nuland hopes to instruct them on how to wisely age. Physical exercise, maintaining a network of close personal relationships, and being 'creative' (In the broadest sense of the term) is at the heart of his prescription. Nuland is upbeat about the prospect that we can by focusing on what we are really good at, what gives us real pleasure improve the quality of our lives in Old Age. Nuland gives examples of people who do function remarkably well in advanced old age, such as the legendary surgeon Michael deBakey who was still operating at the age of ninety- seven. Some of the reviewers of the book I have seen including the outstanding Joseph Epstein have said that Nuland at points is platitudinous, and preachy. They say he at certain points ceases being the sharp, perceptive first - rate observer he was in his earlier award- winning book, "The Way We Die". But in my understanding Nuland is balanced, humane and realistic throughout this work. For instance, in one interesting section he counters the proposal of a scientist working to eliminate death. Nuland makes a strong argument that the death of the individual serves the well-being of the species, and its survival. It seems to me to anyone interested in growing old in the best way possible would do well to read this book."

$ My Time: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life by Abigail Trafford (2003). This is about the infinite options we truly do have. I think this is one of the best to get you to think about options and that we don't have to figure it on day one. She is the mostly retired health editor of the Washington Post who still writes excellent occasional columns. (Amazon description) "Kids grown? Mortgage paid? Career topping out? What now? In My Time, best-selling author Abigail Trafford answers the questions more and more 50-somethings are asking themselves. Thanks to the longevity revolution of recent decades, today's 55- to 75-year-olds are living and working longer and healthier than ever before. This generation is the first to experience the period of personal renaissance in between middle and old age-what Trafford calls "My Time." Defining this period as a whole new developmental stage in the life cycle, Trafford skillfully guides readers through the obstacles of My Time and offers them the opportunity to take full advantage of the bonus decades. With the same wit, compassion, and vivid storytelling that made Crazy Time one of the best-loved books ever written on the subject of divorce, Trafford blends personal stories with expert opinions and the latest research on adult development. From the psychoanalyst who gave up his practice to write self-help books, to the widowed mother of three who reinvented herself as a successful photographer, true tales of crisis and triumph sparkle on every page of this inspiring and insightful book. Like Gail Sheehy's Passages, My Time profoundly impacts the journey through our adult years."

$ The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think About the Rest of Your Life by Lee Eisenberg (2006). Not so much about figuring out how much you will need, but ways to think about it. Very interesting. (Amazon review) "Eisenberg's arc through life could be used to define the baby boom. In the 1970s, he coined the term power lunch; in the 1980s, he edited Esquire and invented rotisserie baseball. In the 1990s, he wrote books on finding the good life through golf and fishing, and at the end of the decade, he joined an Internet retailer. These days, he's thinking about retirement, particularly about his Number: the amount of money he'd need to have socked away in order to be confident that his postretirement life would meet his expectations. Everyone's Number is different, Eisenberg says, and though his book is not an especially useful financial guide, it isn't really meant as a how-to. Instead, it provides an illuminating and charmingly written consideration of an aging generation's retirement worries and of the investment business designed to profit from them. Heartfelt discussions of goals, health and health care, "downshifting" to enjoy life while spending less money and the meaning of postretirement life pepper its pages. Financial planners are interviewed, partly to get information about savings and investment, but mostly to explore the meaning of the field and the type of people who practice it. A few of Eisenberg's chapters feel scattershot, but his perceptive analyses of real and fictional people's financial hopes and strategies will inspire readers to reconsider their Numbers and their methods for investing."

$ How To Retire Happy: Everything You Need to Know about the 12 Most Important Decisions You Must Make before You Retire by Stan Hinden (2005). He was the financial editor of the W.Post for a while and wrote very good occasional columns about what he experience living in retirement. The book is a summary of what he learned. Get the 2nd edition (December 2005).

$ Live Long and Prosper: Invest in Your Happiness, Health and Wealth for Retirement and Beyond by Steve Vernon (2004) is both about the psychological aspects and the financial. Amongst other things he discusses figuring out how much you will need, and various methods of taking money out of retirement savings. He is a semi-retired VP of Watson Wyatt Worldwide that provides retirement services for many companies internationally. He has a site: http://www.restoflife.com/ with lots of supplementary material on it.

$ 101 Secrets for a Great Retirement: Practical, Inspirational, & Fun Ideas for the Best Years of Your Life! by Mary Helen, Shuford Smith (2000). (Amazon description) "More than 5,000 people retire every day--yet there have been no retirement books that are both informative and motivational until now. 101 Secrets for a Great Retirement encourages and inspires retirees to simplify their lives and pursue their dreams. The authors cover all the essential topics, including health, social life, relationships, financial matters, legal issues, and more."

$ Don't Retire, REWIRE! by Jeri Sedlar, Rick Miners (@nd edition, 2007). Discusses the process of shifting gears and career changes. (Amazon description) "Working in retirement is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing career trends, considering that a 1998 AARP survey of over 2,000 adults age 33-52 found that 80% say they plan to work at least part-time during retirement. The last thing retirees are looking for is the same thing they've been doing all their lives. They are looking for work situations that are mentally and emotionally rewarding. Don't Retire, REWIRE will help readers to not only define what kind of work is best suited for their passions and interests, but guide them through the process of obtaining such work-whether it's a part time job, volunteer work, or a second career. In addition to the practical how-to content, this book combines the stories and lessons of real-life retirees with original research based on more than 300 original interviews."

$ Retire Smart, Retire Happy: Finding Your True Path in Life by Nancy K. Schlossberg (2003). (Amazon description) "This is one of the first books to provide guidance on the psychological and emotional adjustments we make in retirement. Nancy Schlossberg, a psychologist and experienced counselor, provides tips on coping with its ups and downs and reassures us that retirement can be one of the most fulfilling times of one's life. Readers are introduced to some common personality types among retirees, including Continuers, Adventurers, Searchers, Retreaters, and Easy Gliders. Armed with this knowledge, the author shows us how understanding our retirement "type" can help us put our strengths and resources to work." A little slow going, but useful.

$ Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams Age by Barbara Sher (2007). (Amazon description) "Don't know what to do with your life? Drawn to so many things that you can't choose just one? New York Times best-selling author Barbara Sher has the answer-do EVERYTHING! With her popular career counseling sessions, motivational speeches, workshops, and television specials, Barbara Sher has become famous for her extraordinary ability to help people define and achieve their goals. What Sher has discovered is that some individuals simply cannot, and should not, decide on a single path; they are genetically wired to pursue many areas. Sher calls them "Scanners"-people whose unique type of mind does not zero in on a single interest but rather scans the horizon, eager to explore everything they see. In this groundbreaking book, readers will learn: • what's behind their "hit and run" obsessions,• when (and how) to finish what they start, • how to do everything they love, • what type of Scanner they are (and which tools they need to do their very best work)." [Note: Barbara Sher wrote "Wishcraft" in 1998 (now on-line for download at http://www.wishcraft.com/). She has a number of related books that would be useful in helping figure out new directions.]