You are never too old to try something new, or to follow your passion. Even if that means you are in your 70s and you want to fly around the world. Even if that means you want to invent ramen noodles as we know them today. Even if you want to paint and are unhoused. Even if you want to write the classic dictionary or thesaurus. Even if you are over the so-called, “Productive Years.”
In The Swayze Year: You’re Not Old, You’re Just Getting Started!, the people (from ages 35 to age 100), were/are late bloomers: even the ones that had careers, families and more in their background. These were the people that did not become “world famous” or mainstream known until they were “old” (though, honestly, why would someone in their 70s be old? That’s prime time). Some people you might know, while others are new. And you will learn why when you decide to break into someone’s home, be careful of 80-something weight lifters named Willie (she’ll not only hit you with a heavy table, she’ll pour shampoo on you)!
Yes, the authors Colleen AF Venable and Meghan Daly started a joke about their own Swayze years (our hunky dancer was 35 when he got his big break in showbiz and dirty danced his way into our hearts and was in our corner), that would turn into this book. There are a few images scattered throughout the book to accompany the few paragraphs about each person. I was gleefully amazed by the variety of people I did and didn’t know. I laughed, wondered and learned about actors, authors, sports people, and even ol’ Willie herself. But will someone explain to me why she poured shampoo on the would-be burglar?