Lesbians at Midlife: The Creative Transition, an Anthology

While focusing mainly on the life transformation experienced by lesbians in their 40s and 50s, this thoughtful collection of 38 works ranging from research studies and practical advice to personal memoirs and poems will hold great appeal for lesbians of all ages. In ``The Example of the Sea Birds,'' Margaret Cruikshank describes how, at 48, she is finally comfortable with herself physically, psychologically and spiritually, and how lesbianism has become just one element of a broadened sense of identity. Judith Bradford and Caitlin Ryan explore national survey data in ``Who We Are,'' a study of the health concerns of middle-aged lesbians. For ``Subtle Balances,'' Marny Hall with Ann Gregory interviews nine lesbian couples to learn how these women juggle their professional and personal lives. Matilesic Rothschild, in ``Life as Improvisation,'' recalls the confusion and conflict created by her coming out in her forties, when her daughter was 12 and her son 11. The editors are psychotherapists. (Mar.)