BOOK REPORT

Updated 12/21/20

Note: This article contains affiliate links that might help us earn a small commission at no cost to you. See our disclosure policy for more information.

Book Report on

Your Second Act by Patricia Heaton

If you have just retired or are making plans to retire after a difficult 2020, welcome! I just finished a book that might help you or someone you know to forge a path forward in 2021: Your Second Act by Patricia Heaton.

You have probably heard of the phrase “second act” before. Although there is no set definition, the phrase reflects historical changes to the concept of retirement in the United States. According to Richard N. Bolles in The Three Boxes of Life and How to Get Out of Them: An Introduction to Life/Work Planning, the Industrial Revolution produced three sequential life stages for education, work, and then retirement. The final “retirement” stage was reserved for unproductive leisure time due to workers’ declining health.

When lifespans grew longer in the 20th century, however, the retirement stage developed two different periods. The third period or “age” after education and work was characterized by significantly reduced responsibilities and continued health and vitality. It was in this third age that some retirees felt the need or desire to commence a “second act” or “encore career.” See Chapter One of What Color Is Your Parachute? for Retirement by John E. Nelson and Richard N. Bolles.

Patricia Heaton’s Your Second Act goes one step further by defining the “second act” as a personal journey that (1) is triggered by a choice or change in circumstances, and (2) results in the redefinition of life goals in pursuit of self-fulfillment or service. The questions posed by this book are “what will you do if, and when, you have that added freedom, health, and vitality to choose a new path, and how will you do it?”

A. Why buy this particular book?

Picture this: you’re at a dinner party at your friend’s incredible Swiss chalet. As the guests arrive, the host has arranged for waiters to circumnavigate the room with a series of wafer-thin appetizers and light, fizzy apéritifs. At 6:30 p.m., everyone files into the dining room for the main course, which is followed by a dessert bar of sweets with coffee in the living room.

In that dinner party world, this particular book would be the appetizer before a wonderful and fulfilling life with stunning alpine views.

For a millisecond, you might wonder if it makes sense to read a book about second acts written by a highly successful actress. I had that same thought, but one day I happened to listen to this interview with author Patricia Heaton on the excellent Second Act Stories podcast with Andy Levine and was sold.

As someone who was over 50 with an empty nest and canceled television show, the author was in exactly the right position to find relatable stories to enlighten everyone contemplating a second act. Now that I’ve read the book, I have also discovered that the author is a terrific writer who will keep you entertained as she tells you her own story and walks you through the essays featured in this book.

B. Who would you give this book to as a gift?

This inspirational and empowering book would make a terrific gift for anyone who is thinking about retiring from their current job or switching career paths within the next 5 years.

This book is perfect for not only the big dreamers out there but also for anyone who just aspires to do more with their lives. Whether you are about to take a big leap or What About Bob? baby steps towards your second act, this book has the potential to affect your trajectory. Even if you’ve already experienced a few years swimming in the shallow end of the post-retirement pool, you could still benefit from reading this book if you are interested in making changes and debating your next move.

That said, this book is a practical planning tool written to raise some important preliminary questions. Therefore, I would refrain from gifting this book to anyone who has already made firm plans (like paid tuition or moved to another state) in pursuit of their second act.

C. What topics does this book cover?

Your Second Act includes 14 chapters sandwiched between the author’s introductory/concluding chapters at the beginning and end of the book.

The 14 chapters all have the same format: (1) a short introduction to the essayist; (2) a first-person essay describing a second act story; (3) illuminating questions and answers with the author and the essayist; (4) “Patty’s Points” highlighting how the essay can be used to inspire our second acts; and (5) reflection questions asking us to think about how the essay relates to our own lives.

Back to the dinner party analogy, those 14 first-person essays are the main course of this book. Even if the format is the same in each of those 14 chapters, the wisdom imparted in each essay is different and covers how to:

recognize your abilities/passions and focus on the opportunities in life that can lead to your second act;
decide what to do with your second act;
identify when you’re ready to pursue your second act;
learn how to feed your dreams when it’s difficult to stay on track; and
keep an open mind and the flexibility to consider different ways of pursuing the same objective when your initial ideas don’t pan out.

With 14 real-life stories as proof, Your Second Act shows us that others have climbed similar mountains in their lives by just putting one foot in front of the other, and we can, too.

D. Writing Style/Reading Strategy?

The author’s writing style throughout is highly conversational and entertaining. She is like your fun, smart best friend writing you an email all about the amazing people she has met and attaching their letters. In my opinion, most people will find this book to be an extremely fast and easy read. That said, I would spring for a hard copy of the book to take full advantage of the journaling sections at the end of each chapter.

For other “second act” resources, see our “Second Act Articles” tab on the HOME-DO page. Newsletter subscribers are notified whenever we update that page with new second act articles, so please subscribe at the bottom of this page or share it with someone who could benefit from it.

As always, if you have any other book or podcast suggestions for me, please leave a note in the comments.