The Late Bloomer’s Revolution: A Memoir by Amy Cohen (a review)

In the space of a year in her early thirties, Amy Cohen loses her mother, her boyfriend, her television writing job and even her looks (she develops a rash on her face), and is confronted with what she calls “the biggest reinvention of all.” The Late Bloomer’s Revolution, which chronicles this reinvention, is a brave, frank, sweet and laugh-out-loud funny memoir in the form of a series of personal essays. The first chapter managed to make me both laugh and feel weepy, which was definitely a good start to a book!

I also consider myself a late bloomer—mostly because I still haven’t quite figured out what I want to do when I grow up. I must admit I expected Amy to spend more time on figuring out what she wanted to do next; instead, much of the book is focused on her search for a man with whom to settle down and have children. Since I already have a man, I didn’t identify as much with her dating stories. Although they often made for funny reading, I wished she hadn’t glossed over her process of finding a new job. My favourite chapters therefore tended to be the ones in which she focused on something other than dating—the best being the chapter on learning to ride a bike at age 35. This is Amy at her bravest—it’s inspiring and a bit crazy and heart-wrenching all at once. (For more of Amy’s thoughts on learning to ride a bike and being a late bloomer, read her guest post at Prill Boyle’s Defying Gravity, a blog dedicated to late bloomers.)

At some point later in the book, Amy says:

“You’re so brave” can be interpreted in two ways. The first kind is what you might say to a fireman. This is the version that says, “I admire you. I’d love to be more like you.” The other is what you might say to someone who was just in a terrible car accident but is making a full recovery. This is the one that says, “You make me feel better about myself, because I’m not you.” (p. 252)

Well, I think Amy qualifies for the first kind of brave—I admire her and would love to be more like her. I think I need to buy myself a bike.

To read what others thought of this book, head over to these blogs:
Citizen Reader • not enough books • Trashionista

To read interviews with Amy, head to these blogs:
Books and Beliefs • Gather • Mommy Writer Blog

Thank you to Amy Cohen and Hyperion Books for sending me this book to review.