“There Was an Old Woman is neither a memoir nor an angry fist-shaking rejection of the stereotypes, but instead a clear-eyed, moving, personal exploration of what it means to be growing older.” — Molly Gloss, author of The Jump-Off Creek and The Hearts of Horses

“Andrea Carlisle’s glorious wry wit and brilliant wisdom have always lit up her readers and listeners so thoroughly that we stand in line waiting for her new book with greatest joy and gusto – as you might stand at an old-fashioned train station trembling to see your long lost loved one coming home at last.” — Naomi Shihab Nye, author of Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners and The Tiny Journalist

Andrea Carlisle isn’t struggling with her new identity as the Old Woman in the ways society seems to think she should. In fact, she is finding her later years to be an extraordinary and interesting time. In trying to understand the discrepancy, she interrogates the sources of negativity in literature, art, and received wisdom that often lead women to dread this transformative time of life. Given the cultural pervasiveness of ill will toward older women, it is small wonder that growing older is not seen as a natural, even desirable, process. Although some elements of aging are hard to reckon with, there is much to make use of and delight in, along with mysteries, surprises, and revelations.

In these personal essays, Carlisle looks for new ways to bring herself more fully to this time of life, such as daily walks with other women and connecting to the natural world that surrounds her houseboat on an Oregon river at the foot of a forest. She writes about experiences shared with many, if not most, older women: wondering at her body’s transformation, discovering new talents, caregiving, facing loss, letting go (or not) of pieces of the past, and facing other changes large and small. Those curious about, approaching, or living in old age will find wisdom and insight in her unique perspective.

In a voice that rings with clarity, humor, and humility, Carlisle shows us that old age is not another country where we can expect to find the Old Woman grimly waiting, but is instead an expansion of the borders in the country we’re most familiar with: ourselves.

Publisher: Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon

Andrea Carlisle taught fiction and nonfiction for the Oregon Writers’ Workshop and other writing organizations in Oregon and Washington. Her work has been published in literary journals, newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and by independent presses. Go Ask Alice . . . When She’s 94, a blog about her mother, brought attention to aging and caregiving before they became subjects of national interest. She has received fellowships from the Oregon Institute of Literary Arts and the Oregon Arts Commission.

“It’s a gift to the world, not quite a novel, not quite a collection of short stories. Although in tone it resembles Saint-Exupery’s Le Petit Prince and Gertrude Stein’s The World is Round, it is not a children’s book…very simply a book of the heart.”

From the OSU Press (print) catalog:

40th anniversary edition of a rediscovered classic of Pacific Northwest literature.

When Pubah and Lazy LaRue move to a houseboat on an Oregon river, they find themselves immersed in a life filled with adventures. Even though their dwelling is ancient, tippy, and in need of endless repairs, their affection for it, for river life, and for one another does not wane. These linked stories teem with life and with love for their friends and for new neighbors – other houseboat people, ducks, beavers, muskrats, and all else the river has to offer.

Filled with humor, optimism, and playful exploration, the stories in these pages bring warmth and inspiration. Illustrations by Mary Narkiewicz capture the quirky quality of the tales with splendid charm and add to the dreamlike quality of the storytelling.

New afterword by the author.

Pre-order and receive a 20% discount and free shipping for domestic orders here. Enter code S26 at checkout.

In A RIVER RUNS UNDER IT: 40 YEARS ON A HOUSEBOAT IN OREGON, Andrea Carlisle looks back at how she came to find her place in a floating home outside of Portland. Although she originally thought she’d reside in a moorage for a few years at most, the author fell in love with the neighborhood and the natural world around her. She found herself staying on despite hardships and inconveniences, including a family of beavers living in her basement. The book contains a glossary of houseboat terminology with funny or poignant anecdotes helping to define each term. Photos of houseboat life, including bird and animal life, are sprinkled throughout the text.

A preview:

A River Runs Under It is currently available on Amazon and through IngramSpark (catalog). Go here if you’d like to order a copy.