Turning Forty

By Mitch Rubman

A displaced New Yorker, a planetary scientist by training, observing human nature in a purple-lit Hollywood cafe as he turns forty.

His millionaire aunt falls down the stairs at 3 am when I returned from the strip club. The police were also there.

Staying up all night and partying on the Sunset Strip

The Sudden Need to build a ten-foot shark in my living room.

The book is brilliant, not so much because of the protagonist's actions, but because of the symbolism and the emotional and internal rationality it conveys.
Hanging out with the 6th Street royal family. Working as a therapist. Hanging out in Malibu. Strip clubs and sex therapy.
Then there is the existential class, working at the Clinic

Turning Forty by Mitch Rubman is a thoughtful, candid exploration of a milestone often loaded with anxiety and expectation. With humor and honesty, Rubman reflects on aging, identity, ambition, and the recalibration that comes when youth-driven timelines fade.

Personally, what I enjoyed most about this book was its unpredictable style. The author weaves in personal reflections, anecdotes, and observations about Los Angeles culture with remarkable ease. At times it reads like a diary, at others like an essay on modern life. It's not your typical story, but that's precisely its charm-it gives us the feeling of listening to someone tell unique stories in a Hollywood caf .
There's a quiet loneliness running through this book that caught me off guard. It hides behind jokes and random stories, but it's there

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 173331105X
• ISBN13: 9781733311052
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Mitch Rubman
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"