What to Do to Retire Successfully: Navigating Psychological, Financial and Lifestyle Hurdles

Readers who have ever sat through a well-meaning relative's post-Thanksgiving dinner lecture on the importance of saving for retirement will find this offering from neurophysicist Goldstein all too familiar. Touching on a broad variety of retirement-related subjects, the author attempts to answer every question a trepidatious reader might have while planning for the next stage of life. Goldstein thereby hopes to leave readers with the "psychological, practical and financial formulas for the best ways to achieve desired goals." While a worthy goal, coverage of this scope is a tall order for such a slim volume. He goes over practical suggestions; the new environment in which retirees find themselves; investments and alternatives; lifestyle; the habits of the wealthy; comfortable living arrangements; and occupying yourself as the long work-free hours stretch out into evening. His breadth of knowledge is undoubtedly impressive, but the presentation is hampered by dry writing and the ambition to cover too much in too little space. Readers would be better off with less ambitious - but more focused - guides to help them navigate retirement. (Feb.)