In Our Fifties: Voices of Men and Women Reinventing Their Lives

This is an optimistic, encouraging though dull report about how 70 Americans in their 50s handle the special burdens and opportunities that attend their particular time of life. The study concentrates on those who have spouses, children and grandchildren, and although single, heterosexual people will find scant advice here, several sections deal with middle-aged gay people. There is interesting information on how today's 50-year-olds differ from yesteryear's and how they are faring with their grown offspring who move back to the family home. Bergquist (president of the Professional School of Psychology in San Francisco), Greenberg (a Denver educational consultant) and Klaum (a San Francisco therapist) stress the need for positive images of the age-50-59 population. (Apr.)