Wow, just WOW! I created a PDF of this one and am keeping it in my Substack file so I can refer to it for inspiration. 2 days ago I turned 82, and had been writing sporadically on Substack since late 2023. I am loving it and all the amazing elderwomen I am finding here. I've been told for years by friends I should write a book about my life, and this is inspiring me to finally do just that. Thank you SO much for sharing Abigail Thomas!
I’m using a Mac (since 1986) and I have the capability to highlight the text I want, select Copy, Paste it into a Word document, send it to Print command, and instead of printing it, I have the option to save it as a PDF. It’s fairly simple and I use it a lot.
Yes, I have had a start for over 15 years, which I have hidden on my hard drive. It’s from a Learning Autobiography I was required to write for a class at De Paul University. It has the bones, and now I have to add the meat. I appreciate your support!
Right?! My husband keeps trying to get me to switch to the sugar free syrup. What's the point of French Toast without the good syrup - and real butter?
What a wise and vibrant woman! If this were a paper article I would have highlighted more than half of it. The piece about guilt > regret! Her advice about writing. And also this: Yes. "Desperately staying strong and healthy is so boring. Have a piece of cake. Have two. It seems so humorless."
Thank you for this interview. Abigail Thomas has been one of my favorites for a long time. Love her writing, sense of humor, and wit. I have several of her books, but of course, my favorite is A Three Dog Life. I like to tell myself my writing is a tad like hers. Something worth striving for anyway, right?
As a woman who is between your age and Abigail’s, I can definitely say I don’t give a sh*t about a great many things. I write, I love, I am fulfilled. Beyond that, I don’t have the desire to give other things that much energy.
I remember my immigrant grandmother, my fearless irreverent role model, in her 80s wondering "why am I drinking fat-free milk??" And went to her full fat for her ever present coffee. I usually don't like/follow "old lady" Substacks/newsletters. They rarely live up to this multilayered, profane, chaotic life I've curated. Yet here I am.
Kathleen, I am taking that as the highest compliment ("I usually don't like/follow "old lady" Substacks/newsletters). You've nailed it: my goal is to reveal how life is "multilayered, profane, chaotic." I’m trying to walk the line between being proudly [b]old and brutally realistic about getting old--in these Q&As and also my essays. Thanks for your comment!
When I first read about and then *actually* read, Abigail Thomas' work, I suddenly realized that I am an essayist. And that this is a legitimate thing to be. (As opposed to "real" writers who write novels, thank you Mean Voice from Within haha ...) I was riveted by every simple every-day-thing that she talked about and felt buoyed up after reading. Especially her honest descriptions of dread - I had thought it was only me who kept company with the demons during the night. Thanks for this wonderful interview Debbie! And super hard to pick a fav quote from here but this is mine: "I write really for clarity, for myself."
Wonderful interview. Does she have a Substack? I do care less as I age in some areas of life— what people think of me. But I care more about issues in the world.
Discovery of extraordinary people fuels my days. Thank you for introducing Abigail Thomas. Most of all, I am inspired by writers like Abigail Thomas and Parker Palmer, both in their 80's who have published many books and each one is original. They don't do another version of an earlier book. The writing is aspirational because every word is measured twice and cut once. Any book that makes me say, "I would love to write that well" is worth my energy and money. I'm not feeling that vibe with the glut of online writers, not yet 40, who offer their hacks (and online course) for life and work.
Thanks for this, Debbie. Abigail is so inspiring. It was through another guest post by her (via Oldster magazine's Substack) that I originally found her writing earlier this year, just as I was starting my own Substack. As you've mentioned, her keen curiosity means she's extremely good at giving prompts. She thought to ask me what was in my Wendy's World jar of bits and bobs and with that, I was away!
Her published memoirs are extraordinary and I always want to know what she's thinking on her own Substack, What Comes Next?
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!i8Z0!,w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdaaca764-d8d6-4a1b-bf58-61dbb72810fc_842x842.png)
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!i8Z0!,w_36,h_36,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdaaca764-d8d6-4a1b-bf58-61dbb72810fc_842x842.png)
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fEcd!,e_trim:10:white/e_trim:10:transparent/h_72,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F95ad4442-e435-4ebc-a8d2-9c9b89a8bdb6_2100x400.png)
Wow, just WOW! I created a PDF of this one and am keeping it in my Substack file so I can refer to it for inspiration. 2 days ago I turned 82, and had been writing sporadically on Substack since late 2023. I am loving it and all the amazing elderwomen I am finding here. I've been told for years by friends I should write a book about my life, and this is inspiring me to finally do just that. Thank you SO much for sharing Abigail Thomas!
Taru, cool idea, thanks. What did you use to convert the web page of the Q&A to a PDF?? I googled around and couldn't find anything truly "free"!
I’m using a Mac (since 1986) and I have the capability to highlight the text I want, select Copy, Paste it into a Word document, send it to Print command, and instead of printing it, I have the option to save it as a PDF. It’s fairly simple and I use it a lot.
Thank you for liking it. So now you have to get started on your memoir.
Yes, I have had a start for over 15 years, which I have hidden on my hard drive. It’s from a Learning Autobiography I was required to write for a class at De Paul University. It has the bones, and now I have to add the meat. I appreciate your support!
Wow, Good for you. She is an inspiration beyond measure. A keeper.
Fantastic interview! We need an Abby club - we can get matching tee-shirts.
Seriously, I plan to buy her book and would not have known about it or her without this interview. Thank you for bringing her to our attention.
for the T-shirts: “French Toast whenever we want it”
Right?! My husband keeps trying to get me to switch to the sugar free syrup. What's the point of French Toast without the good syrup - and real butter?
don’t switch!
I'm sure she won't!
We are, indeed, a house divided.
ALAS!!!
There's no point. And you need to fry it in lots of butter too. Maple syrup!
Butter is good for you.
The Canadian maple syrup is the best.
YES.
Oh. What a funny idea! Can I be president?
And thank you, and Debbie, for her excellent questions.
What a wise and vibrant woman! If this were a paper article I would have highlighted more than half of it. The piece about guilt > regret! Her advice about writing. And also this: Yes. "Desperately staying strong and healthy is so boring. Have a piece of cake. Have two. It seems so humorless."
Sarah, thanks for this! I was a newspaper reporter way back, so I know exactly what you mean. And the cake... I love cake and icing too!
Thank you very much. How lovely.
Incredible interview!
I have it saved as I’m gonna keep reading it until I push this block I have.
And I love someone’s idea of starting an Abby club, with matching tee shirts of course. 👏🏻💝
Inspired. Full of gold!
Thank you very much.
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for this interview. Abigail Thomas has been one of my favorites for a long time. Love her writing, sense of humor, and wit. I have several of her books, but of course, my favorite is A Three Dog Life. I like to tell myself my writing is a tad like hers. Something worth striving for anyway, right?
Thank you, and thank you for the compliment.
As a woman who is between your age and Abigail’s, I can definitely say I don’t give a sh*t about a great many things. I write, I love, I am fulfilled. Beyond that, I don’t have the desire to give other things that much energy.
Me too. Energy reserved for writng and family, friends, too.
This rocks! Thank you Debbie!
I remember my immigrant grandmother, my fearless irreverent role model, in her 80s wondering "why am I drinking fat-free milk??" And went to her full fat for her ever present coffee. I usually don't like/follow "old lady" Substacks/newsletters. They rarely live up to this multilayered, profane, chaotic life I've curated. Yet here I am.
Kathleen, I am taking that as the highest compliment ("I usually don't like/follow "old lady" Substacks/newsletters). You've nailed it: my goal is to reveal how life is "multilayered, profane, chaotic." I’m trying to walk the line between being proudly [b]old and brutally realistic about getting old--in these Q&As and also my essays. Thanks for your comment!
And what a line to walk it is! I look forward to reading more and see how this all unfolds, too. x
When I first read about and then *actually* read, Abigail Thomas' work, I suddenly realized that I am an essayist. And that this is a legitimate thing to be. (As opposed to "real" writers who write novels, thank you Mean Voice from Within haha ...) I was riveted by every simple every-day-thing that she talked about and felt buoyed up after reading. Especially her honest descriptions of dread - I had thought it was only me who kept company with the demons during the night. Thanks for this wonderful interview Debbie! And super hard to pick a fav quote from here but this is mine: "I write really for clarity, for myself."
Thank you again, it means a lot to me.
Thank you very much. Happy that was the quote you liked. We do write for clartiy. Clarity is comfort.
You are the best! Your encouragement means so much.
Absolutely love Abby! Got to spend a morning with her last year with a mutual friend sitting in her living room talking and laughing. What a treasure!
We did have fun, Molly I was so glad to meet you.
Wonderful interview. Does she have a Substack? I do care less as I age in some areas of life— what people think of me. But I care more about issues in the world.
CK, yes, good point, thanks for adding. Find Abigail here https://abigailthomas.substack.com/
Issues in the world are horrifting. So are the politics in this countdy. Half of us are out of our mind. Dunbfounding
So so good, so many threads of gold in this.
Thank you. I love the idea of threads of gold.
Discovery of extraordinary people fuels my days. Thank you for introducing Abigail Thomas. Most of all, I am inspired by writers like Abigail Thomas and Parker Palmer, both in their 80's who have published many books and each one is original. They don't do another version of an earlier book. The writing is aspirational because every word is measured twice and cut once. Any book that makes me say, "I would love to write that well" is worth my energy and money. I'm not feeling that vibe with the glut of online writers, not yet 40, who offer their hacks (and online course) for life and work.
Georgia, what an interesting comment. I must say I feel the same way about older writers (and older women): they fascinate and inspire me!
Delightful. Abby has piqued my appetite for French toast. It has been too long.
Go make sme right now.
Thanks for this, Debbie. Abigail is so inspiring. It was through another guest post by her (via Oldster magazine's Substack) that I originally found her writing earlier this year, just as I was starting my own Substack. As you've mentioned, her keen curiosity means she's extremely good at giving prompts. She thought to ask me what was in my Wendy's World jar of bits and bobs and with that, I was away!
Her published memoirs are extraordinary and I always want to know what she's thinking on her own Substack, What Comes Next?
Wendy, love that her prompt was so inspirational for you!
It really was, Debbie. Thank you, Abigail!