03-06-2025
6 books about menopause that tell it like it is
2. 'The Menopause Manifesto' by Dr Jen Gunter
Above 'The Menopause Manifesto' (Photo: Piatkus)
Canada-born OB-GYN Jen Gunter has made a career of cutting through wellness hype and medical misinformation. Her Menopause Manifesto is a brisk, evidence-packed response to the gaslighting many women endure from the medical establishment and popular culture alike. Gunter's tone is direct, peppered with dry humour and righteous frustration. She arms readers with facts and practical advice, rejecting the idea that menopause is something to be silently endured or glossed over with vague self-care platitudes. 3. 'What Fresh Hell Is This?' by Heather Corinna
Above 'What Fresh Hell Is This?' (Photo: Piatkus Books)
Heather Corinna's book stands out for its radical inclusivity and refusal to universalise menopause. She writes unapologetically for people often overlooked in mainstream books about menopause—across lines of race, gender identity and sexual orientation. With a mix of sharp wit and anger, Corinna dismantles the cultural myths that frame menopause as simply a loss, highlighting instead its complexity and variability. This guide is a vital resource for readers who want their experience represented without gloss or judgement. 4. 'Flash Count Diary' by Darcey Steinke
Above 'Flash Count Diary' (Photo: Canongate Books)
Darcey Steinke's memoir takes a literary, existential approach to menopause. More meditation than manual, it explores how the body's changes intertwine with questions of feminism, ageing and mortality. Her prose is lyrical and candid, inviting readers to confront the often unspoken feelings of loss and uncertainty that menopause can bring. This is not a checklist of symptoms or remedies, but a textured narrative that honours the emotional depth of this stage of life. 5. 'Older and Wider: A Survivor's Guide to the Menopause' by Jenny Eclair
Above 'Older and Wider: A Survivor's Guide to the Menopause' (Photo: Quercus)
British comedian Jenny Eclair delivers menopause with unapologetic humour and a dose of sarcasm. In a culture that often demands women hide their discomfort or wear ageing lightly, Eclair's candid rants and relatable anecdotes are a breath of fresh air. Older and Wider offers the same tone of wry acceptance and self-deprecation as Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck —perfect for anyone who prefers their books about menopause with a side of laughter. 6. 'Cracking the Menopause' by Mariella Frostrup and Alice Smellie
Above 'Cracking the Menopause' (Photo: Bluebird)
Journalist Mariella Frostrup combines personal experience with rigorous reporting in this accessible book about menopause. Cracking the Menopause takes aim at misinformation and silence by weaving interviews with experts and women from diverse backgrounds. The result is a well-rounded exploration that balances facts, feelings and social commentary. It's part memoir, part advocacy manifesto and all about destigmatising menopause and improving the conversation around it.
These six books about menopause reflect that shift, speaking with clarity and complexity about what it means to live through this stage. If you're tired of the tired clichés or the relentless cheerleading, this reading list will provide something more real.
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