The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly is an entertaining read for those new to the concept of hygge. It will not offer a lot that is new to those well versed in the subject.

"The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly" is a celebration of life's later phase. It is filled with reflections on love, family, and the importance of savoring every moment. Magnusson's writing is enjoyable and she makes this book a delightful read for those navigating the journey of aging or simply seeking inspiration for a more balanced and joyful life. Highly recommended for its blend of wisdom, humor, and genuine warmth.

4/5 stars. I really enjoyed this one (I listened on audio) and found the insights engaging and thoughtful!

So the title alone gets you, right? The irony and sarcasm the author uses here to discuss the wonderfully exciting aging process of humans is both entertaining and appreciated. I loved the tone and knew I would after exploring Magnusson’s previous work. I really liked how an often negatively treated subject is made into a light and fun topic here.

Delightful stories told by someone who lives life to the full. From the table of contents, a summary of the book's contents, I was hooked into the possibilities of filling my soul with warm relationships, setting priorities, and enjoyment of what is present.

If you don't have a grandma to tell you what life was like a long time ago, you want to read this. Especially, if you don't have an auntie who shares stories of growing up before you could buy everything, travel everywhere, and started to fill your house with clutter, you need to read this.

It will give you balance. It will bring a smile. And you might even get some new ideas about the kind of life you might want to live - and things that are possible when your focus swings from what you can get to who you can be and who you can serve.

Well worth the time it will take to read. It will leave you feeling satisfied.

This book was cute and easy to read, but not what I expected. I expected some nuggets of wisdom and good overall life advice about aging. While I didn't necessarily expect to read tons of ideas or tips that I'd never heard of, I did expect it to read as more of a self-help book with inspiring ideas and guidance.

What I got instead was more of a conversational, anecdotal book about the author's life. It really didn't even read like a book (self-help or otherwise) - it sounded more like the author dictated it all to someone who then typed it out, and it was just published that way.

For instance, one of the tips was to wear stripes. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of stripes, but I would never think of that as a practical or helpful tip for how to age exuberantly.

So that being said, it was an okay book. The author comes across as very sweet and endearing, and I have to admit that I'm impressed with the life she's led and the fact that she's writing books in her eighties. I give all the credit in the world for that, but I still want to be honest in my review.

If you go into this book knowing what to expect, you may really enjoy it. I think my expectations were all wrong, and for that reason, it was just okay for me.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

“The idea is that we should not leave a mountain of crap behind for our loved ones to clean up when we die. Why would your family and friends want to take time out of their busy lives to clean up your mess when you clearly could have taken care of it yourself?”

To be less afraid of death, as it eventually comes for all of us, is a difficult concept to come to terms with. No matter how old or young, it can either be a constant thought in the back of your head or a wave of fear that bouts in spurts, but Magnusson’s interpretation of how to approach death is refreshing, and her focus on new mindsets and daily discoveries rather than death itself is incredibly powerful.

“Sometimes I wonder which one of us will be the first to not answer.”

Friendship. There are some friendships that come and go, but the ones that last, they’re the people you can always call to rely on– whether it’s a call to rant about a mishap, to share good news, or just catch up. But I never consciously thought about how my friendships would transpire as we grew older. My closest friends are :always within and next to me– I don’t need to think abut things we did or said. Some people just become part of you. That feels comforting.“ Even now when I’m young, who knows what can happen?

"When you are my age, you will probably meet people who are scared to die. I have been to the hospital so many times and visited family who no longer can get out of bed or care for themselves that I think we should not be scared of death but of living too long. When death comes just hope it is quick. Take it from me, someone who lived through death, it does not have to be unpleasant at all.”

Death. I believe that coming to terms with death is one of the greatest accomplishments one can do. If you accept that death exists and that it will eventually come unto you, life is all the more freeing. You can live life with no regrets. You can enjoy life in the present than the future. You can take on life more proactively to complete and enjoy it to your fullest. Your worldly perspective is more appreciative and self-actualizing, and you can engage the positives in your life while challenging the negatives with a growth mindset. Knowing that the end is coming is daunting, but the fact that it’s coming will never change, so accepting that fate and accepting that you have no control over when that end appears is key to a fulfilling life.

“Once you have turned eighty, it’s important to have the right sort of wrinkles. Even more important though, is to start laughing early enough to spend more time laughing than frowning. If your wrinkles point upward you will look happy instead of merely old.”

Appearance. With aging, there’s often a pressure to avoid appearing “old.” Whether it’s smoothing wrinkles with botox or dying graying hair, being old is sadly frowned upon. When the pressure to avoid these physical features begins as early as individuals in their twenties, a movement to accept one’s aging features is a refreshing perspective. If getting botox or dying your hair makes you confident, by all means do so. However, if you don’t want to but feel pressured to, by all means do so as well! To accept how you envision yourself to age is powerful, regardless of what that entails.

Magnusson’s words of wisdom resonated deeply with me and are qualities I seek to incorporate into my own life. She is blunt, humorous, takes initiative, and embodies self-actualization that I can only dream to achieve.

This is a sweet and simple book of life lessons from Margareta, whom I wish I could know in real life. What a treasure her words are—I actually look forward to aging gracefully as she has. This is a book I can recommend to all the older women in my life.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. Once again, the author looks at life from the perspective of being closer to the end of life. She touches on death cleaning, the subject of her prior book, but gives all sort of advice about how to age more gracefully and how to enjoy this latter part of life to the fullest.

When the top 10 tips on aging beautifully only focus on things like 1. Use Sunscreen 2. Use retinoid to reduce wrinkles 3. Exercise... it is a breath of fresh air to find a piece of work that takes the priority away from focusing on one's appearance. The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly gave its readers an adventurous and positive outlook on a different type of commitment to self-care.

This falls nicely in the current trend of easy to read books that share cultural "tips" from other countries. I enjoyed the stories but this doesn't really stand out as much as other books in the space.

Thank you Margareta Magnusson, Scribner, and Netgalley, for this advanced reader copy of "The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You" in exchange for an honest review.

I think I may have gone into requesting this one with a different mindset than the book meant me to, and so it took a while to find myself in the right pace and place with the book. While I thought this would be more like the book before it, I found this one more a self-help commentary on what to do and not do in much younger years in your life, instead of in a more 'aged' state.

Charming and quirky, but nothing ground breaking. But still think the notion of ‘death cleaning’ is just brilliant.

This book.is less a "How to" than reflections from a woman aged "80-100" in her own words. She gives a lot of practical advice with anecdotes from her life. It is a fast, enjoyable read.

I adore this book! It is witty, yet practical. Serious -- but uplifting. Highly recommended. Growing up in Europe, I can relate to the dry, unemotional humor Magnusson shows throughout the book. This is something I will re-read often.

I was motivated by Ms. Magnusson's first title - The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning and I found this one just as full of practical and motivating information. I enjoyed the reminiscences about her family and friends. She has had an interesting life. All her advice is given gently and I find it inspiring.

Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for e-ARC of the book.

The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly is a compilation of short stories that provide life lessons and advice. This book is very easy to read because Margareta’s keen sense of humor and nice approach to life. Even though I a long journey ahead of me before I see 80 years or any sort of retirement, I will use some of the ideas touched upon in this book to enrich my life today.

I enjoyed “The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly” so much! Margareta’s writing voice is kind and full of curiosity, rather than chastising with a hint of tsk tsk. I found all her advice solid and great, with personal stories used as supportive evidence, this book was an absolute delight I could not put down, I was sad when I reached the end and hope for more from her in the future!

A collection of thoughtful, nostalgic, and compelling short essays from octogenarian Swedish author Margareta Magnusson.
It's like having a conversation over a cup of tea with a beloved older relative.

I haven't read her death cleaning book but it is referred to often in this book.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

With THE SWEDISH ART OF AGING EXUBERANTLY, Margareta Magnusson once again proves the articulate, eloquent, and straight-talking wise one we all long to be when we grow up -- young or old, her perspective and attitude to life are refreshing, actionable, and joy-filled. I laughed, learned, mused, and enjoyed every minute with her. While I related personally to the time she accidentally took her children to a porn film and to the tiny blue library where she tended the books and read to children, there are countless,. well-told stories of ways one woman lived a remarkable life by being her genuine self, doing as came to her to do. I loved her first book and this one is even more pithy, useful, and accessible -- my fingers are crossed for a happy, healthy, and energizing 2023 for her, that she connects for gin and tonics with friends near and far and reads to those small, upturned faces. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.