Why am I passionate about this?

As a life coach and author of two dozen self-help books, I’ve spent the past twenty years helping people prepare for, plan, and go through major life changes, such as the transition to retirement. I’ve interviewed dozens of retirees about the challenges and opportunities they’ve experienced during their retirement. I’ve designed this guide so you can be strategic in choosing your path, overcome challenges, and make adjustments to make the most of this chapter of your life.


I wrote

Making the Most of Your Retirement: Ways to Foster Health, Happiness & Fulfillment at Any Age

By Liisa Kyle,

Book cover of Making the Most of Your Retirement: Ways to Foster Health, Happiness & Fulfillment at Any Age

What is my book about?

Are you contemplating retirement? Or maybe you have already retired but are dissatisfied and are looking to improve your…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+: Winning Strategies to Make Your Money Last a Lifetime

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Money is the biggest concern for most people thinking about retirement. Suze Orman is the queen of straight-talk about how best to manage your finances during this chapter of your life. She explains practical steps you need to take to make sure you have enough money to last your lifetime. I love that she is ruthless about making readers consider the long-term effects of their purchases and financial decisions.

By Suze Orman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+ as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE PATH TO YOUR ULTIMATE RETIREMENT STARTS RIGHT HERE

When you think about planning for retirement - whether it's years in the future or just around the corner - you're bound to have questions. Can I ever afford to stop working? Will Social Security be there for me when I need it? How can I make my money last? Have I waited too long to start saving?

Suze Orman, America's most recognized expert on personal finance, answers all the questions that keep you up at night - starting with the biggest one: It is never too late to start planning…


Book cover of What Color Is Your Parachute? 2022: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

How do you want to spend your retirement? What activities appeal to you? Start by using the Flower exercise to identify your true preferences. What options are available to you to pursue your preferred activities? Consider volunteer, unpaid, and paid opportunities. If the latter, there is plenty of practical advice to help you navigate today’s job market. If you want to start a business, there’s a section on that, too. 

By Richard N. Bolles, Katharine Brooks,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked What Color Is Your Parachute? 2022 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With timeless advice, up-to-the-minute insights, and more than ten million copies sold over fifty years, the world’s most popular and best-selling career guide is fully revised and expanded for 2022.
 
“One of the first job-hunting books on the market. It is still arguably the best. And it is indisputably the most popular.”—Fast Company

What Color Is Your Parachute? is the world’s most popular job-hunting guide. This completely updated edition features the latest resources, strategies, and perspectives on today’s job market, revealing surprising advice on what works—and what doesn’t—so you can focus your efforts on tactics that yield results.
 
At its…


Book cover of Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole Body Mobility

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

Retirement is the time to give attention to your health. The more you move, the healthier you will be and the longer you will live. This is a practical book designed to show you safe, simple exercises you can do at home to improve your alignment, flexibility, and mobility. Your feet are your body’s foundation and you will be surprised at how well they will respond to Katy Bowman’s prescribed regime. 

By Katy Bowman, Joan Virginia Allen, Lora Woods , Shelah M. Wilgus , Joyce Faber

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dynamic Aging as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As seen on the Today Show!

Dynamic Aging isn't that same old "senior fitness," "senior stretching," "senior strength" book you've seen again and again. This book is about using simple exercises to feel better and get back to living vitally no matter your age.

"Don't blame your age if you're feeling creaky. It could just be the way you're using (or not using) your body." Washington Post on Dynamic Aging as a "Book for the Ages"

Movement is a powerful tool and changing how you move can change how you feel, no matter your age. Dynamic Aging is an exercise…


Book cover of The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

“Blue Zones” are places in the world in which people have unusually high longevity. Research into these regions has pinpointed nine factors they have in common, including nutrition and level of physical activity. This book shows how you can improve your health with some relatively simple adjustments to your lifestyle. It is notable that different cuisines in far-flung parts of the globe can each lead to extended longevity.

By Dan Buettner,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Blue Zones as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A long, healthy life is no accident. It begins with good genes, but it also depends on good habits. If you adopt the right lifestyle, experts say, chances are you may live up to a decade longer. Buettner has led teams of researchers across the globe--from Costa Rica to Sardinia, Italy, to Okinawa, Japan and beyond--to uncover the secrets of Blue Zones. He found that the recipe for longevity is deeply intertwined with community, lifestyle, and spirituality. People live longer and healthier by embracing a few simple but powerful habits, and by creating the right community around themselves. In The…


Book cover of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Liisa Kyle Why did I love this book?

During your retirement, you may need to make difficult decisions about your health care or that of a loved one. This book is essential reading for anyone undergoing health challenges – or taking care of someone who is. It guides you to have the necessary conversations to ensure that dignity and personal control are part of health care decisions.

By Atul Gawande,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Being Mortal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

'GAWANDE'S MOST POWERFUL, AND MOVING, BOOK' MALCOLM GLADWELL

'BEING MORTAL IS NOT ONLY WISE AND DEEPLY MOVING; IT IS AN ESSENTIAL AND INSIGHTFUL BOOK FOR OUR TIMES' OLIVER SACKS

For most of human history, death was a common, ever-present possibility. It didn't matter whether you were five or fifty - every day was a roll of the dice. But now, as medical advances push the boundaries of survival further each year, we have become increasingly detached from the reality of being mortal. So here is a book about the modern experience of mortality - about what it's…


Explore my book 😀

Making the Most of Your Retirement: Ways to Foster Health, Happiness & Fulfillment at Any Age

By Liisa Kyle,

Book cover of Making the Most of Your Retirement: Ways to Foster Health, Happiness & Fulfillment at Any Age

What is my book about?

Are you contemplating retirement? Or maybe you have already retired but are dissatisfied and are looking to improve your experience. Whatever your circumstances, you can make the most of your retirement. You can decide what is important to you and how you would like to live this chapter of your life. This self-help guide is packed with activities, examples, and ideas to help you: decide how you really want to spend your retirement; devise a plan to make the most of this period of your life; prepare for and manage the transition to retirement; take stock periodically; make adjustments and address challenges as they arise; boost your health, improve your social life, and consider your legacy.

Book cover of The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+: Winning Strategies to Make Your Money Last a Lifetime
Book cover of What Color Is Your Parachute? 2022: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success
Book cover of Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole Body Mobility

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My Year of Casual Acquaintances

By Ruth F. Stevens,

Book cover of My Year of Casual Acquaintances

Ruth F. Stevens Author Of My Year of Casual Acquaintances

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

From the time I was a girl, I’ve loved stories that put a lump in my throat even as I’m laughing. As a fiction writer, that funny-sad tone is the one I go for in my own work. I gravitate toward female protagonists of all ages who break the mold—women who are intelligent and strong but who also have unconventional, quirky personalities. Women who can be hilarious, infuriating, and heartbreaking—sometimes all at once. Because they are complex and unique, these women tend to struggle with life’s challenges more than their contemporaries. That’s what makes their stories so interesting, and why I have chosen the books on this list. 

Ruth's book list on smart, quirky women facing personal struggles

What is my book about?

When Mar’s husband divorces her, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy starting over, she’s ready for new adventures—as long as she can keep things casual. Each month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant. . . and a handsome novelist who wants more than she can give. Mar learns from each encounter. But can she open herself up to true connection?

Surrounded by quirky, endearing characters, Mar navigates her…

My Year of Casual Acquaintances

By Ruth F. Stevens,

What is this book about?

"A fun, entertaining novel! I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did." -Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author

When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures-as long as she can keep things casual.

With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in quality of life, seniors, and planning?

Quality Of Life 28 books
Seniors 35 books
Planning 49 books