Leap!: What Will We Do with the Rest
of Our Lives? by Sara Davidson
Inspirational And Very Well Written Book!
Thirty years ago, Sara Davidson wrote the phenomenal bestseller Loose
Change, the definitive book about the boomer generation’s coming-of-age.
Now this witty social observer has again turned her discerning eye to her
contemporaries, with Leap!, a no-holds-barred, illuminating, and hopeful
look at the choices and challenges we face and the roads open to us.
For many years Davidson earned a living as a successful journalist and
screenwriter, but in her fifties she saw her life come apart: She could no
longer find work, she endured a break-up with her partner, and her children
left for college. For the first time ever, she had nothing to do. She felt adrift,
but she found that she was not alone.

In Leap!, Davidson sets out on a passionate quest to learn how to do the
coming years well. Drawing on her own experience and that of others, she
explores such questions as
• How does a high-powered person learn to walk down the ladder
gracefully?
• How can women continue to be sensual and not touch-deprived?
• How do we arrange to grow old with our friends?
• What will be the fire at the center of our lives?
• Why are we still here?
Davidson interviews people from across the country and from all walks of
life, including such icons as Carly Simon, Tom Hayden, Tracy Kidder, Jane
Fonda, Ram Dass, and Iman, as well as teachers, writers, psychologists,
businesspeople, and spiritual leaders. The candid portraits are both
inspiring and cautionary.
True to character, boomers will approach these years differently from
previous generations, and there will be no single path. Some will feel free
for the first time to take risks; others will embark upon a spiritual search;
some will want to give back, to make the world a better place; others will
want to play or make creativity a priority. But they will not fade quietly into
the sunset.
With Leap!, Sara Davidson holds up a mirror for readers, allowing them to
see not only themselves and those around them but their potential future.
With Davidson as a guide, the possibilities are boundless.
From the Hardcover edition.
Personal Review: Leap!: What Will We Do with the Rest of Our
Lives? by Sara Davidson

I really enjoyed this book. This book gave me a new meaning to life.
Always look forward to tomorrow, and at the end of the day, nothing really
matters for everything is temporary. So enjoy every moment of your life!
By giving real life examples, the author demonstrates that it is never too
late to start anew. Some people achieve more in their old age, so never
give up, regardless of your age. She starts off by citing herself as an
example. After writing several bestseller books and many successful TV
scripts, the author found herself without a job. Her books, scripts, and
magazine articles were being rejected. She thought that it was the end of
the world. But it was not so. We are all given second, third, fourth, and fifth
chances. And if need be, we can be given many more chances. The author
soon reclaims her previous glory, and this book `Leap!' is now on the New
York Times bestselling books 30 years after her last bestselling book,
`Loose Change'.
The author draws on the experience of famous people such as Carly
Simon (who ends up having a hit after many in the music industry gave up
on her); Jane Fonda (she demonstrates that there is life after the smash hit
`Barbarella), Iman (a model from Ethiopia who ends up being a sensation
in New York and ends up marrying David Bowie); and many others. You
will also hear stories from writers, professors, psychologists, and spiritual
leaders.
The chapter on spiritual leaders was my favorite one, for I found it very
controversial. One Indian guru says that organized religions are bad, for no
one can tell you the path you should take. Every person should find his
own path that leads to the truth. No two persons can take the same path.
Put in other words, "truth is a pathless land, and it cannot be approached
by any path whatsoever, by any religion, or any sect. The spoken or written
word is not the truth...if an organization be formed for this purpose, it
becomes a crutch, a weakness, a bondage, and must cripple the
individual." (p. 244). To find the truth, we must be absolutely and
unconditionally free! I found this concept interesting. This same guru
abolished his own sect, despite the objection of his followers, for again, he
was against organized religions and sects.
Another guru leaves all his worldly belongings and lives a life of spirituality
and begging. He neglects his body so much that he does not feel the bugs
eating at his body. Is this the way to attain the ultimate truth? Which path
will you follow?
Who are we, and who is asking the question? Are we our body, or our
conscious; or maybe both? When we reflect on our life, who is doing the
reflecting? Who is observing our life? Who is the observer? Is the observer
our conscious? I found those questions very intriguing. To find the answers
to these questions is worth living every minute of our life, and this is what
this book is all about!

I am by no means old, but I do constantly think about death. As the author
explains, some Indian gurus recommend we meditate on death on a daily
basis. We will all die, and we better accept this fact at an early age.
Knowing that one day we will die should give us power. With death
looming over our head, we are actually motivated to enjoy life for we know
that one day it will all end.
By thinking about dying, I actually empower myself. Whenever things don't
go the way I want them too, or whenever I am sad, lonely, or depressed, I
think of death. I say to myself, "One day I will day, and none of this will
matter." This thought is enough to put me back on my feet with zeal!
Thinking of death is not such a bad thing after all!
It is never too late to enjoy life and start new careers. As the author
explains, some people start new careers in their sixties and seventies!
Others acquire new hobbies such as learning new languages.
The strange thing is that some people opt to end their lives rather than get
old. Dying is one thing, getting old is another. It might be easier to accept
death than a long life of suffering and inactivity due to old age. The author
discusses this and offers real life examples.
The book ends with two pages entitled, "Reading Group Questions and
Topics for Discussion." This is the first time I see this in a book (other than
in text books), and I think it is a great addition for reading groups. Some of
the discussion questions you will find:
1. Why was `surrender' painful for the author? Did her understanding of
surrender change? (None of us should ever surrender. It is never too late
to start anew. There is always light at the end of the tunnel).
2. Have you considered having plastic surgery or decided against it? Did
reading the author's report on a face lift affect your thinking? (After reading
her chapter on plastic surgery, I don't think I'd ever recommend it to any
healthy person).
3. The author explores whether we're `hard-wired' to seek a romantic
partner. What is your experience? (I personally think we are `hard-wired' to
seek our other half!)
4. Davidson discovers a great range of sexual behavior after fifty, from
those who give it up to those who discover new sensations. What intrigued
or disturbed you about her reporting on sexuality? (The chapter on
sexuality was intriguing and I learnt things I never knew. I am sure many
readers will find that chapter both informative and enjoyable. The
passages on the G-spot were quite informative).
5. The author says we're a society of workaholics, but the imperative is not
merely to work but to align yourself with your purpose. How would you go

about doing that? (Life is not all about work. What's the point of having a
career and being successful if you are not happy? Our goal should be to
attain happiness, not success. Success might be a by-product of
happiness).
6. If you knew the world was going to end in two days, what would you do?
(This is one of the most important questions in this book. Whatever you
think you should do, DO IT NOW!)
7. Is there such a thing as `rational suicide'? (I am personally against
suicide, but if I was terminally ill (God forbid) and saw the suffering of those
around me as a result of my hopeless state, would I contemplate suicide to
end the misery of my loved ones? If one commits suicide as a selfless act,
would that be `rational suicide'?)
8. What's the purpose of a `life review'? (A `life-review' will make you the
observer, separating you from `the you'. You are no longer `you' but the
observer).
Note: If you purchased `Leap!' you may download the free workbook,
which has exercises to help you define what's right for you in the years
ahead. Go to saradavidson.com and click on `Free Workbook."
To sum up, I think the back cover of the book summarizes the importance
of this book: "Davidson holds up a mirror for readers, allowing them to see
not only themselves and those around them but their potential futures...and
the possibilities are boundless."
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