Title: When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win

Author: Carol Leifer

No. of Pages: 186

First Released: 2009

Synopsis: Stand-up comic and comedy writer Carol Leifer faced a critical dilemma and had only two options: either continue sharing her greatest childhood memory (seeing the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1966) or lie about her age. But the choice soon became clear: “I see now that when you deny your age, you deny yourself, and when you lie about your age, you deny your inauthentic twin. But most important, when you lie about your age, they win. (And of course by ‘they,’ I mean the terrorists).” Now, in this uproarious book, Leifer reveals all – her age, her outlook, her life philosophy – no holds barred.

Comments and Critique: When I was first asked to review this book, I was skeptical. I typically do not read this genre, and I was concerned that I wasn’t in the correct age bracket to truly enjoy the book. It was presented to me that the book is about coming to terms with yourself, coming into your own, and becoming the person you are meant to be. Since turning thirty a few years ago, I am all about coming to terms with myself and coming into my own, so I took the plunge.

I wasn’t disappointed. While I might not have been able to relate to some of the stories Ms. Leifer mentioned, her main message is for all ages. No matter what age we are, life is going to continue to throw us curve balls, but that is what makes life interesting. We can either sit in a corner and hide or we can adapt and grow. More importantly, we are never too old to continue to grow and learn.

Even more vital, Ms. Leifer’s opinions about growing old gracefully are refreshing in this era of plastic surgery and fighting any hint of age on our face. While I still struggle with the idea of death, she did give me food for thought that every wrinkle is a testament to our journey through life, and we shouldn’t be ashamed of that. And to erase those wrinkles (through Botox or face lifts) is not being true to ourselves. It’s a message that I wish more in society would adopt.

In general, Ms. Leifer’s novel was enjoyable. Her list of forty things she knows at age fifty cracked me up to no end. I seriously laughed out loud with that one. At other times, she was quite poignant about the twists and turns her life has taken. In all, she does give food for thought. It’s a quick read that I would recommend to anyone interested in a bit of self-discovery.

Thank you to Anna Suknov at FSB Associates for the opportunity to read and review this novel!