They Aren't Even Trying Anymore
The A's, B's, and DD's of Getting Older — 26 essays, one alphabet, and a body that stopped cooperating right around the time everything got funnier.
Want to read the full back cover?
Yes, show me →By Hollie Grimaldi-Flores
On her 60th birthday, the changes in Hollie's body were unmistakable — and clearly, when it came to her body parts, they weren't even trying anymore. That epiphany became 26 essays, one for each letter of the alphabet, written for anyone who's getting older and could use a laugh (and a little company) along the way.
Blunt, self-deprecating, and never clinical — this is aging talked about the way you'd talk about it with your funniest girlfriend, not your doctor.
An Alphabet of Essays About Aging
A children’s alphabet, for people old enough to know better. Turn a card over to read a line of that essay, in Hollie’s words.
It's like gabbing with a good friend who truly understands you and sharing a good laugh. (Or cry).
Ana Sneed · AmazonI laughed a lot while reading this and at times thought to myself, wow... I guess I'm not the only one going through this!
Doreen Fournier · AmazonIt feels like an older best friend sharing the adventures of aging, all the things your mom never told you.
Jasmine Robinson · AmazonThis is a book where I would hang my DO NOT DISTURB ME UNTIL I'M DONE READING sign on my door knob!
Joni Enders · AmazonA refreshing and hilarious take on the journey of getting older as a woman.
TMG · AmazonBe prepared to laugh, cry and nod in recognition as you journey through these delightful stories.
Nancy · AmazonThis book is relatable and funny on so many levels. I was laughing out loud while reading 'about myself' on many of the pages.
James · AmazonLoved everything about this book. Would have loved to have this thirty years ago.
Amazon customer
What readers say
- ★★★★★
Real, Relatable & so Clever
What a fun read. It's like gabbing with a good friend who truly understands you and sharing a good laugh. (Or cry). Cleverly written, I'm so glad for this compilation of essays!
Ana Sneed · Amazon, 2024-10-20 - ★★★★★
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
For me this book got better and better as the stories moved through the alphabet. The stories have vulnerability and wisdom, and are also written with humor and honesty. I laughed a lot while reading this and at times thought to myself, wow...I guess I'm not the only one going through this!
Doreen Fournier · Amazon, 2024-11-02 - ★★★★★
A perfect birthday gift for your girlfriends!
This is one of those books where you curl up in bed with your furbabies to read a chapter, only to finish the whole thing in one sitting because it is that good! It feels like an older best friend sharing the adventures of aging, all the things your mom never told you. Many sections are relatable even in your 40s, providing a hilarious visual of what to expect going forward. I actually read this on my birthday, a day I normally spend stressing about aging, but it had me laughing and appreciating my latest trip around the sun. The best is yet to come!
Jasmine Robinson · Amazon, 2026-03-13 - ★★★★★
Find a cozy spot and enjoy the read!
To say this is a thoroughly entertaining and delightful read only begins to scratch the surface of this soul-baring, humorous author's peek into her uplifting and marvelously relatable baby boomer's journey. This is a book where I would hang my DO NOT DISTURB ME UNTIL I'M DONE READING sign on my door knob!
Joni Enders · Amazon, 2024-10-31 - ★★★★★
Tired of trying to age gracefully? Instead, try aging with this humorous helper
This book is a refreshing and hilarious take on the journey of getting older as a woman. Full of wit and charm, the author masterfully blends humor with the universal truths about aging, from the aches and wrinkles to the wisdom and freedom that come with time. What sets this book apart is its ability to tackle the serious subject of aging without ever feeling heavy. Instead, it embraces the absurdity and the joy of getting older, celebrating the quirks that come with each stage of life.
TMG · Amazon, 2024-10-23 - ★★★★★
Laughing Through the Years
Be prepared to laugh, cry and nod in recognition as you journey through these delightful stories that capture the ups and downs of aging with humor and grace.
Nancy · Amazon, 2024-11-03 - ★★★★★
Fun, easy read
This book is relatable and funny on so many levels. Not only does it touch on silly childhood topics, but I was laughing out loud while reading “about myself” on many of the pages. The author has captured the thoughts of many women of my era who just haven't taken the time to reflect and memorialize these anecdotes. I enjoyed each short topic and I am looking for the sequel. Maybe the next chapters can be AA-ZZ?
James · Amazon, 2024-11-14 - ★★★★★
Great read. Totally relatable..
Loved everything about this book. Would have loved to have this thirty years ago.
Amazon customer, 2024-11-11
Read it? Hollie would love to know what you thought.
Where to buy it
$13.95 in paperback.
Or pick it up in Nevada County
Three shops down the road from where it was written.
From the back cover
“I hope these essays … resonate with you on some level and that you are left with a smile, some insight, or simply feeling a little less alone.”
Hollie, in the introduction
A delightful and empowering collection
On her 60th birthday, the changes in her body were unmistakable—her neck had developed a noticeable sag, her breasts had lost their firmness, her upper arms were softer, and her belly had become more prominent. It was clear that when it came to her body parts, “they weren’t even trying anymore”. This epiphany inspired 26 essays for anyone who is getting older and struggling with the process.
With a blend of humor, wisdom, and raw honesty, this collection offers a refreshing perspective on the realities of growing older—laughing along the way through menopause, gratitude, intimacy, and the simple joys of a body that still mostly works.
ISBN 9780982672389 · Paperback
Bring it to your book club
A free discussion guide — six questions to get a good conversation going. (Full printable guide coming soon; use these to start.)
- 1. Hollie writes about the paradox of becoming more fearful as we get older, even though we have less left to lose. Did that land for you? Where have you noticed it in your own life?
- 2. Each decade in the book gets its own verdict — best, hardest, most surprising. If you had to rank your own decades so far, which one wins, and why?
- 3. Hollie's family reshaped itself more than once — a blended family, a "party of nine," kids who grew up and left. How has your own definition of family changed over time?
- 4. The book finds gratitude in small, physical things — a full night's sleep, a quiet house, a cat's fur. What's on your own short list lately?
- 5. Humor is Hollie's main tool for talking about hard things. Did that make the hard parts easier to sit with, or did you want her to slow down and stay serious?
- 6. If you wrote your own "alphabet of getting older," which letter would you want to tackle first — and what would you title it?