Mishaps, Mayhem, & Menopause: Letters to Shirley

Before the advent of e-mail and cell phones, there was the art of letter writing to communicate with one another. In Mishaps, Mayhem, and Menopause, author Carolyn Hendricks Wood shares a series of personal letters written to her sister Shirley during a seventeen-year-period, from 1980 to 1997. Separated by eight hundred miles, Wood kept Shirley updated with stories about special friends and family through her letters. Humorous and insightful, the letters recall events from childhood, confess embarrassing moments, bemoan the passing of youth and memory, and make growing old seem almost fun. Mishaps, Mayhem, and Menopause takes a lighthearted look at aging, menopause, and family life as Shirley shares her experiences, observances, and thoughts. While musing over the consequences of growing older, this collection of heartfelt letters provides reassurance to women everywhere that they are not alone in their battles against both the physical and mental effects of aging and menopause.