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Reviews and Endorsements

Here are book reviews and endorsements that have appeared for The Couples Retirement Puzzle:

George S. Klavens, M.D.

The Couple's Retirement Puzzle is a friendly, welcoming and digestible book. It addresses issues that most of us avoid discussing with our partners. Thanks for the wonderful contribution. Brava!
 

Barry Silverstein, ForeWord Reviews

"This is a comprehensive, well-organized, and well-written book that delivers on its promise to guide couples through the conversations they need to have about planning for retirement. Given the fact that seventy million baby boomers are beginning to enter their retirement years, and that life expectancy has lengthened considerably, the timing of The Couple's Retirement Puzzle could not have been better."

Ruth Nemzoff, Resident Scholar, Brandeis Women's Studies Research Center, and author of Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children (Palgrave/Macmillan,2008)

“If you and your spouse or you and your children are ever at a loss for topics of conversation, read The Theory of Relativity: Relationships with Family in Mintzer and Taylor's book The Couple's Retirement Puzzle. The topics they cover are all important and are ‘musts’ for strengthening your family relationships.”

Richard Leider, Bestselling author of The Power of Purpose and Repacking Your Bags

“This book will encourage and support many couples who—reluctant to confide in friends, or even each other—had imagined they were the only ones challenged by the retirement transition. A must read which teaches couples to work together as a team on the must have conversations. Roberta and Dorian are great life coaches… They know how to bring couples together on a question that often divides them—‘What's it all about in the next part of our lives?’ Their understanding of and attention to the purpose part of the retirement puzzle really gets the dialogue rolling!”

Olivia Mellan, speaker, money coach, money conflict resolution expert, and author of Money Harmony

“The Couples Retirement Puzzle is a book that every couple in retirement transition needs to run out and get pronto. It is practical, inspiring and insightful – a real gem in a field where we all need more resources to read and think about!”

Carleen MacKay, Director, Mature Workforce Initiatives, Career Partners International Workforce Policy Advisor, AARP/California, and Author of Plan 'B' for Boomers, The 50,000 Mile Career Checkup, and co-author of Return of the Boomers, Boom or Bust, and Myth Cards

“The Couples Retirement Puzzle offers both a clear glimpse of the challenges we all face in our ever longer lifetimes and a blueprint for a successful quality of shared life and relationships in retirement. The authors are among a very few experts on the subject and, as the saying goes, if you read one book about the subject, let it be The Couples Retirement Puzzle.”

Lin Schreiber, Retirement Revolutionary, www.RevolutionizeRetirement.com

“Every baby boomer couple should own his terrific, couple-friendly guide to successfully navigating the retirement transition. Filled with must-have conversations, real-life examples and a boatload of invaluable tips and techniques for productive communication, this is the book I wish I had written. Roberta Taylor and Dorian Mintzer have crafted an outstanding book.”

William Sadler, Ph.D. Co-founder and Director of Research for the Center for Third Age Leadership, and Professor of Sociology and Business at Holy Names University in Oakland, California. Author of six books, including The Third Age: Six Principles of Growth and Renewal After Forty.

“If you and your partner are questioning how you can experience a fulfilling life in retirement, then here is the book you've been waiting for. If you are setting off in a new direction to redefine retirement, but your partner is holding back, then this is a must read book for both of you. Your journey forward in the second half of life is not a solitary venture. Couples need to support each other's growth with mutual understanding and encouragement. This book will help you initiate and sustain the dialogue needed to address the tough questions life presents to us at this stage in our lives. Dori and Roberta have drawn on years of professional practice, personal experience, and research into third age development and positive aging in shaping exercises that will launch you on new adventures together.”

Chuck Yanikoski, President of RetirementWORKS, Inc. and founder of the Association for Integrative Financial and Life Planning

“The Couples Retirement Puzzle reveals that, in the context of married lives, the traditional issues related to retirement are far more complex and difficult than is generally recognized. But Taylor and Mintzer also show us that satisfactory resolutions are possible, once the issues are properly understood. In five years there will be a dozen books imitating The Couples Retirement Puzzle, because it is such a critically important and highly useful guide. Although other books may appear, this is the book we will surely want to use and recommend to others.”

Margaret (Meg) L. Newhouse, Ph.D., Principal Passion & Purpose LifeCrafting, Founder of the Life Planning Network.

“The Couple's Retirement Puzzle is a much-needed and eloquent addition to a growing field that has tended to ignore the importance of couples working together to plan and create the post-midlife they want, in whatever form their 'retirement' takes. Roberta Taylor's and Dori Mintzer's wise advice, compelling stories, and practical exercises and resources can only help to improve your communication with your partner, sharpen your individual and joint decision-making, and generally ease your transitions into and within this promising life chapter.”

Marika & Howard Stone Co-Founders, Co-Authors, Too Young to Retire: 101 Ways to Start the Rest of Your Life

“From the beginning of our work in the 'powerful aging' movement 11 years ago, we have noticed time and again couples out of alignment when one or both are transitioning from full time work to their next chapter. We are delighted that Roberta Taylor and Dorian Mintzer, both experienced professionals and 2young2retire Certified Facilitators, have taken on this important project. The Couple's Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Transitioning to the Second Half of Life is a much needed resource.”

Jeri Sedlar, Co-author, Don't Retire, REWIRE! 5 Steps to Fulfilling Work that Fuels Your Passion, Suits Your Personality and Fills Your Pocket

“There is nothing easy about figuring out the future, and when you're a couple it's twice as challenging. Roberta and Dori offer practical, thought-provoking advice as they help you put the puzzle together. Read it before you retire and save yourself some pain!”

Fred Mandell, Ph.D. Co-author with Kathy Jordan, Ph.D. Becoming a Life Change Artist: Seven Creative Skills That Can Transform Your Life (Penguin Putnam Avery, Fall, 2010)

“The Couples Retirement Puzzle begins with the puzzle that is retirement but really ends up being a pathway for those seeking a sensible, self renewing and mutual approach to this next stage of life. The prospect of retirement can be daunting for any one person. The puzzle becomes even more complex with couples. And, surprisingly there are precious few resources available for couples seeking help in figuring out how to address the many pieces of the puzzle together. I cannot think of better puzzle masters than Roberta Taylor and Dori Mintzer. They each have the deep experience, sensitivity and personal insight to guide couples through the maze of issues, challenges and opportunities related to what comes next. The Couples Retirement Puzzle is a treasure trove of practical wisdom for those just beginning the journey and even for those who have already stepped into it.”

Gina Ogden, Ph.D., author of The Heart & Soul of Sex, and The Return of Desire

“Roberta Taylor and Dorian Mintzer have written an indispensible guide for couples who look forward to years of living and loving together. The wise, compassionate conversations in this book turn the fears and dilemmas of growing older into rich and challenging adventures.”

Janet M. Hively, Ph.D. Educator, Gerontologist, Social Entrepreneur, and co-founder: MN Vital Aging Network, MN Creative Arts & Aging Network, & SHiFT Transition Network

“What an achievement! Your 10 upbeat conversation starters hit all of my buttons! After living separately for the last 15 years, my life partner and I have just moved together into a shared home across the country from familiar faces and places. Old attitudes and differences plus new needs and issues have shown up quickly and caused me to wonder where we could find a counselor to help us "get to yes." With your book in hand, we have realized that we don't need a counselor! It's fun and exciting to respond to your questions and practice collaborative decision-making. We hope to create a fertile environment for both personal freedom and sustained togetherness. Thanks for your help in guiding our transition.”

Helen Dennis, co-author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller Project Renewment: The First Retirement Model for Career Women

“Relationships are the most overlooked subject in planning for the future. Financial security, good health and meaningful activities are important but not sufficient for a fabulous retirement. The authors present tools to make the average retirement a fabulous one — by approaching the subject of relationships with knowledge, experience, humor and compassion. Have fun with the puzzle!”

Connie Goldman, author of Late Life Love

“The Couple's Retirement Puzzle deals with second half of life dilemmas and choices from the unique perspective that I haven't encountered before, the couple's angle. I welcome this fine book that offers practical, sensible and useful information for honestly and openly exploring 'what's next.' Life transitions are indeed a puzzle, but a solvable one.”