This author is known for her later-in-life literary debut, delving into societal norms and prejudices. Her work is often sparked by a personal curiosity into the disconnect between ingrained stereotypes and lived realities. She challenges conventional views of life transitions, such as divorce and aging, uncovering the joy and empowerment often overlooked. Through her writing, she aims to inspire a re-examination of these frequently dismissed aspects of human experience.
From childhood on, we're barraged by messages that it's sad to be old. That wrinkles are embarrassing, and old people are useless. Author and activist Ashton Applewhite believed them too - until she realised where this prejudice comes from and the damage it does. Lively, funny, and deeply researched, This Chair Rocks traces Applewhite's journey from apprehensive boomer to pro-ageing radical, and in the process debunks myth after myth about late life.
One out of every two modern marriages ends in divorce, and 75 percent of those divorces are initiated by wives. Author Ashton Applewhite is one of these women, having sued for divorce after enduring an unfulfilling ten-year marriage. Cutting Loose is a wonderfully appealing book for women who want to leave their marriage but fear the consequences. Shattering the media-generated image of the lonely, deprived and financially strapped divorcee, Applewhite provides a much needed reality check. Cutting Loose introduces 50 women, varying in age, race, class and predicament, who have thrived after initiating their own divorces. Their fears of financial, emotional and romantic ruin were never realized; on the contrary, their lives improved immeasurably, and their self-esteem soared. Cutting Loose also answers the crucial questions: How do you finally decide to make the big break? What is getting divorced really like? What are the shortcomings of the legal process? What about custody and child support? financial and emotional survival? and how does a woman's self-image change during and after divorce?
