At 94 years old, Judith Viorst is still going strong in her Final Fifth of life. In "Making the Best of What's Left," the author of "Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," shares insights into the joy that can be found in the later stage of life, despite the losses and transitions that age inevitably brings.

Each new chapter is preceded by a poem that sets the stage for what's to come. A variety of topics are covered, and she doesn't just share her thoughts and feelings, but she also shares insights from friends and neighbors she has interviewed in her retirement community as well.

At times, witty and other times, sad, there is still much more wisdom Judith has to share with us in this lovely book about aging well. (Forget about gracefully!)

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Another wonderful and sweet book by Judith Viorst. She has written many books about decades of life and this one is about reaching 90 years old (she is 94 by the way). Her poems are spot-on -humorous and poignant at the same time. She effectively describes the joys and indignities of getting older as well as the pain of loss -- of her husband, of close friends. As my parents and in-laws experience their late 80's and 90's, this book helped me gain an important perspective into their thoughts and feelings as well. It also helps me think about my old aging process and important shifts and perspectives and health concerns. But again, I want to emphasize her humor -- I laughed a lot as well as smiled in recognition at some of her musings. Definitely worth a read - now I will go back to some of her earlier decades to see what I can glean.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

Making the Best of What’s Left by Judith Viorst is a poignant, humorous, and deeply relatable exploration of aging, loss, and the human capacity for resilience. Known for her sharp wit and empathetic insight, Viorst brings her signature blend of honesty and humor to this introspective collection, making it a compelling read for anyone navigating the later stages of life or contemplating the inevitable changes that come with aging.

Viorst’s book is less a traditional memoir and more a series of reflective essays that collectively paint a nuanced portrait of aging. Throughout the book, she grapples with themes of mortality, regret, acceptance, and the importance of finding joy in the present. The title itself encapsulates a core message: despite life's inevitable losses, there remains a profound opportunity to make the most of what we have left.

One of the book’s strengths is Viorst’s candidness. She openly discusses her own experiences with aging—declining health, the loss of loved ones, and the shifting dynamics of her relationships—yet she does so without succumbing to despair. Instead, she advocates for embracing life’s imperfections and cherishing small moments of happiness and connection.

Viorst’s tone is warm, humorous, and sometimes bittersweet. Her writing style is accessible and engaging, marked by sharp wit and a conversational voice that makes readers feel as if they are confiding in a close friend. Her use of humor acts as both a coping mechanism and a way to illuminate the absurdities of aging, making difficult topics easier to digest.

I loved that Viorst’s honesty about her own vulnerabilities resonated deeply with me along with her witty observations serve as a reminder that even in challenging times, laughter can be a powerful tool for resilience. The essays offer thoughtful reflections on what it means to grow older, emphasizing the importance of perspective, gratitude, and acceptance. I felt Viorst demonstrated genuine compassion for the readers’ struggles, encouraging one to find meaning and pleasure despite life’s inevitable losses.

Making the Best of What’s Left is a beautifully written, heartfelt meditation on aging. Judith Viorst’s candid storytelling, humor, and wisdom make it a valuable read for anyone facing the realities of growing older, as well as for those who wish to better understand the aging process from an empathetic perspective. It reminds us that while life may be finite, our capacity for joy, reflection, and love remains boundless if we choose to embrace it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for a digital ARC of this book. Judith Viorst has written another book in her series on navigating life’s decades and their attendent challenges and joys. Now in her tenth decade or what she calls “Life’s Final Fifth,” the years from eighty to one hundred years of age, Viorst covers both the philosophical and practical in this book. She writes about downsizing from a large home to a small retirement apartment, the loss of her beloved husband as well as the myriad other changes accompanying aging. The love and pride she has for her sons and their families is evident throughout the book. Highly recommend for those who are aging, have aging relatives and friends or anyone who wants some insight into “Life’s Final Fifth.”

This book is very interesting because you read a poem.And this will explain what's the chapter about.And it's very interesting because the Poems are tied in with the story. I like how she explains old age and how people do change over time. Especially like the widow part about it.Because when you lose somebody it's sometimes it's hard to start over again when you're older but some people make the best of it This is really interesting because it shows a positive way of looking at old age. People always think people are old. They have nothing to offer, but they do. They're amazing people, and if you really understand them, they have great stories to tell. I like the old stories because they were before all this computers and all this technology. What a wonderful way to grow up and how things have changed in their time. The title says it all make the best of what you have, but make it good.

I love Judith Viorst so so so much. She has shared her reflections on life with her wonderful picture books and with these books reflecting on her life at different ages. In this one, she is older and her husband has died, and she's sharing the experiences of herself and her family and friends.
Everyone is different and she respects the differences, looking at life with a clear and compassionate gaze. Now in her 90s, she's just as intelligent and clear-eyed as ever. It's so easy to relate to her and the people she portrays.

Judith Viorst, now in her mid-90s, has written an incredibly insightful book on what it's like to be in the "final fifth" of your life, that is from the ages of 80-100. Downsizing from their beloved Washington, DC home to a small and compact apartment in an RC (retirement community), Viorst describes the adjustment that she and her husband Milton made and then her own adjustment to widowhood when Milton passes away.

Describing not only the physical, but also the mental decline that comes with age, Viorst describes how she and her fellow RC residents are coping, adjusting, but also thriving with this last phase of life. I appreciated the balance of humor (and there are laugh out loud moments in this book) as well as the heartbreak that she describes of residents who have lost their soulmate or are dealing with the physical and/or mental decline of their loved one.

No matter the age of the reader, this is an insightful and lovely read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Simon&Schuster for this electronic ARC of #MakingTheBestOfWhatsLeft.

Making the Best of What's Left: When We're Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered, by Judith Viorst, is a short combo of reflection, memoir, and advice about life in the "Fifth Fifth" of your life. Written at age 94, she defines this as 80 to 100 years old. As with other volumes on earlier decades, this volume is insightful, a bit sad, often very funny, and wise. I am a big fan of her wisdom and brutal honesty about life...death. Some of her poetry is fun; some I could do without. This book could make a great gift for an elder in your life, even if they have not yet reached 80! For me, if and when I reach the Fifth Fifth, I hope I navigate the terrain with as much grace as Viorst suggests! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC. It was a pleasure.

Judith Viorst was a favorite author of my children when they were young readers. I found this book interesting, given that I am now a senior citizen looking back and forward about my life. This book is worth a read.

If you are a woman of a certain age, or if you are a woman approaching a certain age--or even just a woman who believes she will someday be of a certain age, then this book is for you. Viorst is thoughtful, amusing, and continues to make the most of her life as she shares her thoughts on what she calls the fifth stage of life. She discusses the kind of issues that may have fleetingly crossed your mind and she doesn't hesitate to dig deeply--but always in a very caring way. When she talked about feeling diminished by society's ageism it really resonated with me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I hope it isn't the last one that we see from Viorst.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Judith Viorst. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

I have loved all of Judith Viorst’s books, from reading her children’s books to my boys to her decade poem books that I’ve bought for myself and others, so I couldn’t wait to read her latest. Judith reflects on her life in the Final Fifth, as she terms the period from age 80-100, and living after the loss of her husband. There are heartbreaking and heartwarming stories, as well as much good practical advice and her trademark humor, honesty, and practicality. As the caregiver for my mom who’s in her 90s, this one hit home on many fronts. Highly recommended!

In my mid-70s, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book but I'm glad that I did. It was a very witty, insightful look at the "Final Fifth" and was very thought-provoking in terms of how we should all look at all of our lives and how to make the best of the last part. Because we don't get another shot at it.

This book is a series of essays on life. Judith Viorst is in her twilight years and still writing. She has done a lot of living and she reflects on her life and what is ahead. With age there is some loss but there is also a lot of joy. She talks with people in her retirement community about their feelings about life. This book will lead you to believe that it is never too late for anything and planning for tomorrow is a joy.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #JudithViorst, and #Simon&Schuster for a copy of this book.
#MakingtheBestofWhatsLeft

In Making the Best of Whats Left, Judith Viorst gives us, via poetry and prose, an interesting look at the last fifth of life, ages 80-100. Told with heart, hope, and humor, she informs and entertains with honesty.

This is a lovely book, written by beloved author Judith Viorst, about what it means to grow old. I first read Viorst's "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" when I was a child, and it perfectly spoke to the girl I was then. If we're lucky, we get older; "Making the Best of What's Left" speaks to the newly-retired me just as strongly.

Viorst is now 94 years old and as sharp and witty as ever. She writes about her own life as she ages, and the health, loneliness, widowhood, and other challenges she faces. She also discusses how society as a whole treats seniors differently. 

Overall, it's a wry, realistic, balanced, and honest view of aging that will appeal to people of her generation as well as those who want to understand what it means to be a super-ager.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Now in her 90s, Judith Viorst has written a memoir with essays and poems about the last stage of life, what she calls the 'fifth fifth.' It is funny, poignant, wise, thought-provoking and, at times, terribly sad.

When I reach that age, I intend to still buy green bananas and plan to carry on as if I'm going to live forever. Defiant until the end, lol.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this memoir via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Making the Best of What's Left is a collection of essays and poetry from Judith Viorst. She writes about what it's like to be in the final fifth of life - from age 80 - 100. (She's 94) She looks at what it means to be a widow - how it feels to leave the comfort of your longtime home and move into a retirement community - how often seniors feel invisible - and the need for community and intimacy. This book is great for people with older parents and grandparents - and even if you're in this demographic, especially if you're a complainer. Viorst writes candidly about everything it means to be older. This book will make you laugh and cry.

Don't wait until November to read this non-fiction from Judith Viorst.

Review of Making the Best of What's Left: When We're Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered by Judith Viorst

At 94, Judith Viorst speaks with vulnerability, honesty, and wit about what it's like to be living in "the final fifth" of life (ages 80 - 100). You've probably heard the phrase "growing old isn't for sissies", and Viorst shows the truth in that. She shares her experiences on having to deal with downsizing, moving to a retirement community, increasing health issues, grieving the loss of her beloved husband and more and more friends to death, being lonely, feeling invisible, trying to figure out who she is now, and balancing being realistic and optimistic about her new reality.

Though I'm not in her age group, I found her writing style and words to be very relatable and a sneak-peak of what lies ahead. Warm-hearted, poignant and funny, this book had me laughing out loud one minute and tearing up the next. Reading this was like having a porch visit with a treasured friend. You laugh and cry together and come away feeling seen, heard, and understood.

I highly recommend this book!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for allowing me to access a DRC of this book via NetGalley. Publication is 4/1/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

I have some relatives in their 90s and when I saw this book, I wanted to read it, thinking it would help me understand them better and what they are going through. Someday, I will or could be there, and it would also give me an idea of what I would be facing. It gave me better understanding of what life is like for the 90-year-olds. After reading the book, I talked to one of my aunts, and we talked about what her life is like. Loneliness was the big thing, which surprised me, because she lives in a place with people her age and so many things to do. I thought she was busy all the time.It took reading this book, to ask some questions, so I am glad I read it. I think any age would enjoy this book, and it will give them insight on elderly people they know. You have to go beneath the surface to see what really is going on, and this book for me was going beneath the surface.
I really encourage people to read this book. I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley.

A short, sweet little book about the trials of getting older and how to face death, loneliness, and some of the other indignities and challenges of old age (losing a spouse, feeling isolated). I especially enjoyed her description of her retirement community (often abbreviated to "the RC") and her neighbors and friends. Although not in the "final fifth" of my own life, her perspective on life in her nineties helped give me fresh perspective and empathy for my own older relatives and friends.