I purchased for my mother; she was insulted! I found it delightful.

FROM AMAZON: This enchanting collection of writings and photographs evokes the beauty, humor and courage of women living in their later years and tells of the endearing moments of joy--and passion--to be found in the rich and varied world of midlife and beyond. An award-winning anthology that takes a refreshing look at issues of aging in a society that glorifies youth. ( )

Such wonderful writings of the topic that scares quite a few of us, me included. I didn't wait to wear purple. ( )

I bought this book for the title's poem -- which is one of my absolute all-time favorites. It has some interesting poetry and some nice images, but nothing earth-shattering. ( )

With a few exceptions, these vignettes of aging are from the viewpoint of young relatives of aging women. The title is a line from "Warning," a poem by Jenny Joseph. Joseph proposes that one of the benefits of aging is doing as one pleases, and what will please her is not just wearing purple, but spitting where she chooses and picking other people's flowers. My mother, herself at the age that Joseph yearns for, found this so offensive that she refused to look at any other part of the book. There are a few pieces that are particularly nice, including Sarah Barnhill's "Near Places, Far Places," in which a woman entering midlife begins to connect with her mother's values. The volume is riddled with the kind of typographical errors that would have easily yielded to a computer spellcheck, or even a cursory proofing (particularly irritating when this is a second edition). Though pleasing enough, I am of the opinion that the book is selling as well as it is on the strength of its titillating title—a testimony to the hunger for information of an aging population. ( )

When I gather with my women friends these days, we frequently discuss our ongoing struggles with our elderly mothers, the nursing home thing, the neediness and unreasonable behaviour, will we ever be like that? And so I read A Place for Mother by Joanne Seltzer. These stories and poems are truely timeless. ( )