3.5 stars

I keep thinking I really need to read a book or two about menopause, stop flailing about and actually inform myself—get ahead of this thing.
This quick, jokey read is not the road map to menopause I was imagining, but she does cover a lot of what to expect, and she does it with undeniable British flair, with her talk of “hot flushes,” pop culture references I don’t understand (although I was excited to learn there’s a song called “Remember You’re a Womble”), and her spelling of oestrogen. I also like that she has another book about husbands getting ready to retire called How Not to Murder Your Grumpy.
The author goes through the alphabet, a letter per chapter, and matches symptoms, remedies, and suggestions for coping to whatever letter she’s on. She loves jokes, and every chapter includes some dorky puns. I never thought I’d want to recommend a book about menopause to my dad, but he’d probably like it, if only for all the fresh comedic material it would provide him.
It’s light and fun, and I’ll probably look into a few of the many resources she lists to help. ( )

Any book by Carol Wyer comes with an unwritten guarantee: it will be exceptionally good, it will be funny, it will be witty, it will be entertaining, and will always leave you wanting more. Grumpy Old Menopause delivers on all counts, naturally.

Though I have been frightfully fortunate to not have become captive of the vice-like grip of the menopause (at the time, I really didn’t know what the fuss was about!), reading about all the possible symptoms was quite an eye-opener. Good grief, some women morph into something unworldly.

Carol lays out, in her customary methodical manner, an alphabetical list of symptoms, chapter by chapter, some of which she herself has experienced (hilariously described). She explains clearly what to expect, provides remedies, most of them utterly sensible, some of them homeopathic/alternative. Best of all she suggests a whole boatload of activities to divert the mind and body from the alien that is menopause which invades the female of the species at a certain age. So if you’re suffering from brittle bones, bloating, or body odour, then beer, belly dancing, bungee jumping or bare back-riding might just be your succour.

But more importantly, throughout, she stresses the importance of laughter. He who laughs...lasts, she says. And she is the mistress of providing merriment: her advice and anecdotes are peppered with jokes. Some of them Christmas-cracker-type jokes (but funny), some of them corny (even funnier) and some of them really clever (very, very funny).

This book just doesn’t help the menopausal woman. With her wit and humour, Carol entertains and brightens up your day. She’s a tonic that should be bottled. ( )

Grumpy Old Menopause by Carol E. Wyer is a 2013 Safkhat Select publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grumpy Old Menopause is a non-fiction humorous look at menopause with some really solid advice included. Carol goes through the ABC's of Menopause suggesting there are certain things better kept from women during this phase in their lives.
"Trusting a menopausal woman to control her emotions is like trusting a tornado to mow your lawn"
This book is full of these jokes and one liners that will have you laughing out loud. However, there are some remedies and practical advice about how to deal with all the annoying symptoms of menopause. The author did a great job of taking a subject that could make some a bit uncomfortable and turning it into a fun way of giving advice and information. If you are currently going through menopause you will relate to all of this and find the book to be an uplifting experience that will help put it all into perpective. Carol's most important advice is to laugh and when you read this book, you will laugh, for sure.
Menopause can be a challenging time in a woman's life and not only to her, but to her family and friends and co- workers as well. So, even if you aren't going through menopause yourself, this book would still be recommended reading to anyone male or female that is also experiencing menopause from the outside looking in. This book would explain a lot of the symptoms to family and friends and give them insights into menopause in a way that is not boring or pull of medical jargon.
Carol is an inspiration and a really nice lady. I enjoyed getting to know her when I reviewed another one of her books and she did an interview for me. I love her outlook on life and appreciate all the information provided in this book and for all the great jokes and humor.
This one is an A+ ( )