Defying Gravity: A Celebration of Late-Blooming Women

By Prill Boyle

Book Overview

Every day, regular women are accomplishing extraordinary things later in life. Prill Boyle gathered the encouraging stories of twelve daring and determined women who accomplished incredible things at an age when most people are beginning to wind down.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1578602084
• ISBN13: 9781578602087
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Clerisy Press
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Its never too late to be what you might have been!

"Defying Gravity" is a must read for any women "of a certain age" who yearns for a new career but thinks she's over the hill. Each chapter is a different story about a late blooming woman who went on to live out her dream. The author's ability to find the voice of each "late bloomer" as well as her own journal entries at the end of each chapter makes the book easy reading. These are ordinary women, who after raising a family, working at other jobs, created careers beyond their wildest dreams, at forty, fifty even sixty years old. Who should read this book? Anybody who has ever thought I'd love to... but I'm too old. Or anybody who just wants to read a good book. As a perennial late bloomer, I now have documentation that my own dreams can come true, if I work for them.

Inspirational and Oh So Human!!

As inspiring as all of the women are in her book, Prill Boyle openly shares herself with her readers throughout this wonderful book. This book could not have come at a better time in my life (or my sister's). At 43 yrs old I struggle with procrastination, fear, lack of focus (all that human stuff) as I work to develop a charity from scratch, get a degree in film and video production and learn to understand who I really am.

Soaring High on Your Own Wings

Defying Gravity is one of the few books about midlife that combines realism with inspiration. Author Boyle interviewed twelve women who were determined to follow their dream, as we are so often advised to do. They didn't win lotteries or buy themselves new careers. They made choices, worked hard and won. Perhaps most famous is the 70-year-old Mesa AIrlines flight attendant, who's been profiled in AARP magazine. She'd always wanted to fly and now that weight and vision restrictions are relaxed, she's up there having a ball. She began with a position as a gate agent, using those contacts to reach her ultimate goal. Ironically, another woman had been a flight attendant, but realized she couldn't complete her college degree while flying. One person's dream is another's past life. Rejected from the Peace Corps in her twenties, another woman finally made it to Eastern Europe as a business consultant. She describes in (literally) wrenching detail her struggle to meet the Peace corps health requirements, going so far as to have three healthy teeth pulled. Academic dreams ranged from law school to a Seven Sisters college. They may have had to apply more than once, but once there, they excelled and rejoiced. Twelve diverse dreams, all achieved by persistence, determination and sacrifice. They knew exactly what they wanted and remained focused. And they're all winners. Author Boyle intersperses the stories with her own journal of writing the book. Rejected by fourteen publishers, she and her agent persisted. As a writer myself, I find these reports a little too close to home, but I'm very glad she persisted. And as a career consultant, I suggest that these women will be role models to those who can cling to a dream. However, we shouldn't be too quick to say, "If they can do it, anyone can!" Women who find themselves adrift, whether through layoffs or their own internal shifts, rarely have a sense of what they want to do. Dreams can't be created in a workshop or even several months of coaching. They have a life of their own. And women who have enjoyed successful careers often want to keep going rather than find new adventure or meaning. They aren't necessarily ready for sacrifice, yet when a job goes away and you're over-fifty, the system offers little help. However, Defying Gravity does suggest a new way to think about the rest of a life: Soar to a dream. Reframe your next move as a great adventure. And, if you really want adventure, go for it!

Inspirational and enjoyable.

Defying Gravity is an honest and charming account of twelve (actually thirteen) women's belief in themselves at a time in one's life when many of us merely settle. The book is truly inspirational, empowering and a delightful read. Reminds us all of the wonderful and unique opportunities ahead if we're just willing to look... and put in a little effort.

loved it!

I loved Defying Gravity because it had all the elements of a terrific book. It was a great read. I was moved to cry and laugh and most of all it inspired me! Prill's journal entries intertwined between the first person accounts of women's lives and accomplishments tied the whole thing together for me. Prill's honest account of her own life experiences is courageous and touching. Her ability to capture the sprit of these 12 women and share their stories is amazing. It's a beautiful book that I can't wait to share with my Mom, my sisters, and my cousins, friends and colleagues.