Brooke Shields’ next book will tackle the subject of aging.
Flatiron has acquired the rights to the actor’s new book, as yet untitled and co-written with Rachel Bertsche, the publisher announced in a news release. It says the book “will candidly explore both the humility and power of aging, providing readers with a comprehensive resource to mid-life.”
Shields first rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a child with her roles in films including Pretty Baby, Tilt, and The Blue Lagoon. From 1996 to 2000, she played the lead role in the popular sitcom Suddenly Susan.
She wrote about her experience with postpartum depression in the 2005 memoir Down Came the Rain, and in 2014 she published a book about her relationship with her mother, There Was a Little Girl.
In their new book, Shields and Bertsche “will embark on an investigative journey, interviewing a variety of experts and women in this exciting new era of their life, to explore how their 40s, 50s, and beyond can energize women for [a] second wind of opportunity and self-discovery,” Flatiron says.
In a statement, Shields said, “The freedom and empowerment I felt as I got older was entirely unexpected. After all, the narrative we’ve been served for years is that it’s all downhill for women after 40. Imagine my surprise when I got there and found myself at the most exciting era of my life!”
There’s currently no publication date for Shields and Bertsche’s book.
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
