I read "When a Man Turns Forty" by Curtis Pesmen a little after my fortieth birthday last year. As I approach my forty-first birthday, I just might read it again.

Over all, Pesmen gives some very practical advice and addresses many subjects that all of us at this age start thinking about.

Chapter topics include a general look at turning forty, a chapter on women and what forty means to them, marriage issues, body issues such as changes in hair, skin, eyes, etc., fitness and food, sex issues including sexual health, family matters, financial matters and security, and then a view from turning fifty.

Some of us want to ignore the aging process. Unfortunately, time keeps marching on, and no matter how hard we try, we age. And with age, certain things need to be addressed. This book does exactly that.

Personally, I didn't want to turn forty, and I'm not eager for my next birthdays. As a martial artist and someone who has always been extremely active, I find it takes a little longer to heal these days and I have aches and pains that I don't remember having 20 years ago. I also feel the pressures of my job, pressures of family life, and the little voices that sometimes say "what if?" This book was enlightening to read and see how others handled the same issues and the stories of midlife pauses rather than what the author calls the overused midlife crisis gave me things to think about as I face the same things or prepare to face them.

We can't stop aging, so we might as well enjoy the journey. This book has some practical wisdom to help you do just that. I recommend this book to anyone who has hit that midlife mark and is wondering just what it is all about.