Reinventing Retirement

My Time: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life , by Abigail Trafford. Basic Books. 273 pp.

It's Never Too Late to Plant a Tree: Your Guide to Never Retiring, by Mel Helitzer and Morrie Helitzer. University Sports Press. 330 pp.

Retire on Less Than You Think : The New York Times Guide to Planning Your Financial Future , by Fred Brock. Times Books. 191 pp.

Only a century ago, most Americans worked until they dropped. Or, at best, scraped out a few quiet years at home after quitting the mill or the shop.

But we’re living longer, and living healthier longer, as Abigail Trafford points out. Even with the turbulent economy pushing many seniors back to work, increasing numbers of Americans are spending two, three, even four decades in retirement.

Doing what? That’s the $64,000 question.

In My Time, Trafford, health columnist for the Washington Post, writes insightfully and convincingly about the unprecedented challenge of reinventing that stage of life between the gold watch and the rocking chair. “Instead of winding down after age 50,” Trafford writes, “you’re having to gear up. Longevity’s imperative is regeneration.”

This new phase of life brings emotional upheaval, as Trafford’s interview subjects express with candor and clarity: illness or death of loved ones, divorce, the loss of identity that can come from the end of a career. The personal stories of Trafford’s interviewees acknowledge this, but they also brim with personal growth, resilience, and a sense of renewed purpose. Trafford introduces readers to seniors who pulled up stakes to start anew in Alaska, opened a charter boat business in the Caribbean, or bought an RV to build homes around the country for Habitat for Humanity. The result is a book that makes its points without excess psychological jargon or simplistic five-step wonder plans.

Portraits also are the strength of It’s Never Too Late To Plant a Tree, by Mel and Morrie Helitzer. The book includes 65 profiles of retirees—including some former educators and NEA-Retired members—who reinvented themselves after retiring from the 9 to 5. You’ll meet folks like a former PR executive who’s become a competitive ballroom dancer, and a 90-year-old Canadian woman who helped rid her community of drug dealers and pros-titutes. It’s an inspiring read, especially if you savor it a few profiles at a time.

Of course, reinventing your life requires some attention to financial realities. Fred Brock’s Retire on Less Than You Think breaks with the conventional wisdom (repeated ad nauseum in financial magazines) that you need 80 or even 100 percent of your income to make ends meet during retirement.

Brock’s premise: “You can retire sooner and on less money than you think, and live quite well, if you are willing to make a few relatively painless lifestyle changes.” These include moving to where the cost-of-living is lower, tapping your home equity, or even working part-time to earn a little green. Targeted to pre-retirees, the book has plenty of solid advice for seniors of all ages, as well as worksheets to ease your number-crunching.

Short Takes

Just Pencil Me In: Your Guide to Moving and Getting Settled After 60 , by Willman Willis Gore. Quill Driver Books. 176 pp. $12.95Ready to make a move to another city or state, or to an adult-oriented home or community? Here’s a book to help with everything from packing boxes to getting settled in your new community. The book’s tips for downsizing your possessions are particularly useful.

A Guide to Elder Planning: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Yourself Legally and Financially , by Steve Weisman. Prentice Hall. 256 pp. $24.95. This just-the-facts guide to handling legal and financial affairs will be useful to seniors for their own planning as well as those who are looking after a parent. The book surveys facts you need to know about Social Security, insurance, wills and trusts, and a host of other topics. It also includes tips that may help you at tax time.

RV Camping in State Parks , by D.J. Davin. Roundabout Publications. 256 pp. If you’ve got the RV bug, this book could be invaluable. Provides descriptions of more than 1,600 state parks and recreation areas in 49 states that serve RVs. Also includes general maps and contact information as you plan your trip.