Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No by Kate Kaufmann. As my sister and I both approach sixty as solos, I’ve tried to find more resources about aging alone and related topics. Beth Baker’s book, “With a Little Help from Our Friends: Creating Community as We Grow Older” was quite good on the subject of alternative living experiences to traditional continuing care facilities. But I was curious about Kate Kaufmann’s title, especially since I see Facebook friends’ posts about college visits, graduations, and the occasional grandchild almost every week. The book’s target audience is definitely non-moms rather than non-dads, but there was a lot of great information for any reader, no matter what their background. Although I found the chapters on aging solo and leaving a legacy most useful, I also appreciated and learned from those on the professional, relationship, emotional, and physical challenges faced by women who don’t give birth. Throughout, Kaufmann clearly identifies the differences between childless (due to infertility or other reasons) and childfree (choosing not to be a parent). Where she really shines is in blending her personal story, a multitude of accounts from other women, and data on this growing segment of the population. There is no index for the book, but the end notes have lots of links to the cited research and other resources like thenotmom.com web site. I certainly feel smarter after reading Kaufmann and better prepared for a game of Breeder Bingo at my next high school reunion.
For all my previous “books of the year” lists, see my dedicated page for these titles.
The unset alarm clock 
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