Happy Retirement

November 16, 2015
Consulting psychology professor Shultz and his collaborators have created a lively and energetic guide to retirement. The book, a graphic designer's dream, is organized primarily in two-page segments that address key questions ("What's in store?") and cite fascinating (and sometimes sobering) statistics in a lively layout. The topics are broad and intended to help readers identify key considerations when planning forâor floundering in the midst ofâretirement. The content, developed by Shultz, addresses topics such as "the art of letting go" of jobs and coping once you do. Health (mental and physical) is also covered, as are financial matters, but readers looking for specific how-to advice won't find it here. Instead, they'll find a creative approach to many topics, such as discoveringâand rediscoveringâhobbies, returning to school, teaching a new generation, and being an involved grandparent. The book's graphic approach is bold and may disconcert those who are used to more conventional self-help manuals. For readers who want a well-researched field guide, however, this will be a valuable armchair resource, with its many points to consider and discuss.

January 1, 2016

As yesteryear's baby boomers mature into the present "silver tsunami" of retirees-to-be, this volume comes at an opportune time. Essentially a primer on navigating the transition from work life to leisure life, the six chapters herein cover such topics as health, finances, and opportunities for personal growth. These chapters are further divided into spreads that cover a specific topic: "In Place of Work: Making a Contribution," for example, discusses the possibilities of volunteering one's time and effort as a way to both stay engaged and to further a cause. This compact book is an easy read, equal emphasis having been placed on text and colorful graphics. Diagrams, charts, shaded text boxes and call-out quotations reduce significantly the actual verbiage, which appears in a rather breezy style. Although references are made to this study and that journal, don't expect any scholarly apparatus, such as end notes. This is an appetizer, not a main course, and in any event is meant for a wide audience. The author has yet to experience retirement himself, as he is employed as a professor of psychology at California State University, San Bernardino. However, holding a doctoral degree, Schulz is widely published in his field of specialization, which includes industrial/organizational psychology and issues concerning an aging workforce. VERDICT Presenting practical advice and research-based findings, this work provides readers with a dress rehearsal as they prepare for their next role in this play called life.--Michael Bemis, Oakdale, MN

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