In this no-holds-barred guide, Mariella shares her own journey through the menopause, along with the latest science, advice from leading experts and humorous illustrations – to provide an informative source of wisdom and enlightenment.

I appreciate what the authors are trying to do, raise awareness of the menopause, so rating this is problematic because it was so boring, it could have been way shorter with bullet points, my eyes kept slipping ahead; significantly. And if the authors are right about magnesium spray for calf pain. They will get another 2 stars. (when I went to the doctor her 'helpful' advice was, "we all get aches and pains as we get older"!!!) This meticulously researched book looking at all aspects of the stages of the menopause (before, during and after) is told in a frank and often very sarcastic manner, which took a bit of getting used to, but I enjoyed by the end. Mariella Frostup gives her personal experience in each chapter, but they also include the voices of lots of different women, and some men, and this helped to show how diverse an experience it can be. There is so much information here, that it can be a lot to take in, but I plan to get a hard copy (having enjoyed the audiobook) so that I can use it as a reference book too. A groundbreaking, no-holds-barred guide to the menopause - that combines a passion to enlighten and inform as well as entertain - from inimitable broadcaster, writer and campaigner Mariella Frostrup and award-winning health journalist Alice Smellie.maybe because of this it reads like an anxiety inducing gloom, gloom, gloom another way you age and have to overcome it with products. Although she does cheer up in the epilogue. It’s high time we renovated and elevated this life change. Despite the centuries of speculation and propaganda, we are not overheating or inherently cold, we are not hysterics or boiling vats of toxic poisons, we are not dried up or washed up, we are simply menopausal.

It's high time we renovated and elevated this life change. Despite the centuries of speculation and propaganda, we are not overheating or inherently cold, we are not hysterics or boiling vats of toxic poisons, we are not dried up or washed up, we are simply menopausal.

My other disagreement is her insistence in several places of equating gender with genitals, which was just unnecessary and hugely problematic. Off course she can write from her own perspective but when writing about others in this way it is exclusionary and off-putting. My quest for inclusive information about the menopause continues. This book started well, as you might expect from a journalist Mariella Frostrup opens with a thorough and detailed description of what menopause actually is, including the difference between peri-menopause and post menopause, as well as detailing the hormones whet they do for us and how their changes affect us. It then began to lose its way a little and became much more of her own particular experience of the menopause and whilst that was helpful in understanding more about her particular issues insomnia, hot flushes and brain fog, there was less space for understanding the other numerous symptoms although some are mentioned, I would have welcomed an equally deep exploration of the full range of symptoms. This book is nothing short of revolutionary! Finally, some validation for women who've been swirling around aimlessly seeking answers in tomes of patriarchal gibberish. This book arrives at exactly the right time; a guidebook for that stage in life, previously only surviving in shadows and whispers. MENOPAUSE, at long last: a badge of honor. -- Naomi Watts Overall I would say the beginning of this book is a helpful exploration of menopause but for details of the full range of symptoms and an inclusive way of managing them, I would suggest you look elsewhere, although our search for that may be continuing.

Optimistic, hilarious and informative. A rallying cry for women to love and look after themselves at any age. -- Susannah Constantine

Summary

Mariella Frostrup is one of the UK's most respected broadcasters and columnists. Her contribution to arts and literature along with her advocacy on gender and social issues have placed her at the forefront of the cultural landscape. She made the groundbreaking BBC1 documentary The Truth About the Menopause and she currently presents her own daily show on Times Radio covering issues of the day, from arts and culture to politics. She lives in Somerset with her husband and two children. This friendly, feisty book has all the myth-busting facts, tactics and strategies we need to sail through menopause and not just survive, but thrive. -- Alice Hart-Davis, founder of The Tweakments Guide