The Joy of Retirement

I’ll admit, I approached *The Joy of Retirement* skeptically. Another book telling me to ‘find my passion’? But Borchard’s approach surprised me—it’s less about *discovering* purpose and more about *engineering* it. The early chapters on ‘unretirement’ hit hard, especially his breakdown of how identity crumbles when you lose a job title. I appreciated his case studies: not just the usual ‘started a bakery at 65’ fare, but stories like the corporate lawyer who transitioned into mediation (and the brutal year it took to rebuild her network). Sean Pratt’s narration grows on you—his voice is steady, almost professorial, which suits the dense sections on Social Security optimization or negotiating part-time roles. That said, his monotone during lists (and there are *many* lists) made my attention wander. The audiobook’s pacing also stumbles in the middle, where Borchard’s financial advice feels overly granular for an audio format (I found myself rewinding to catch percentages). Where this shines is in its psychological insights. Borchard’s chapter on ‘the retirement void’—that existential panic when Monday rolls around and no one needs you—should be required listening. His solution? ‘Structured flexibility,’ a phrase that stuck with me: carve out rigid blocks for new projects, but leave room for spontaneity. The production is polished, though I docked a point for the lack of chapter markers in some sections, making it tough to revisit key takeaways. Ultimately, this isn’t a feel-good listen—it’s a toolkit. If you’re after fluffy inspiration, look elsewhere. But if you’re staring down retirement with equal parts dread and curiosity, Borchard’s unsentimental roadmap might just be the kick in the pants you need.