Who couldn’t use some good advice these days? Well, for those of us getting on in years, advice about the tough stuff- be it death or finding purpose and meaning late in life- is surely welcome. And now, there are some new entries for your bookshelf or Kindle that provide that advice, along with an extra helping of wit and humor to soften the edges around these heavy topics. Ready for some new good reads? Let’s take a look.

First up is a new book by the woman behind the popular podcast, Death, Sex and Money. Journalist Anna Sale first created the podcast in 2014 after the unraveling of her own first marriage and the realization that it’s important to talk about the stuff everyone avoids- even if you come to no resolutions. In fact, her point is precisely that: The goal is not to “fix things” but just to try. Her new book, “Let’s Talk About Hard Things” homes in on 5 difficult-to-discuss topics: death, sex, money, family, and identity. Using a combination of insights from her podcast, sprinkled with personal anecdotes and expert opinion, Sale wants to encourage conversation without the pressure of reconciliation. Further, she makes the valuable point that often your role is not to talk in such conversations but to listen. On the topic of death, for example, Sale advises, “I think what’s important when you feel you don’t know what to say to make it better is to acknowledge that your job in that moment is not to make it better. Instead, it’s to show up and offer care. And listen, and say, I’m so sorry. And let go of the expectation that you’re going to say something that’s going to make a grieving person feel better.” To better understand her point of view on the rough conversations, take out your tissues and read here.

Finding purpose in your life is a challenge for many older adults, especially once retired. For executive coach Richard Leider, and his co-author philosopher David Shapiro, that is the hard topic of conversation addressed by their new book out July 13th, Who Do You Want To Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging. Framed as a conversation between these two authors, the book weaves inspiring stories, provocative questions, and real-world practical advice to provide guidance to readers in search of purpose and open to self-examination. We know from previous research that having a purpose in later life can be critical to healthier aging and even longer life. To find out more, take a listen to a recent podcast interviewing Leider as he discusses this anticipated new work.

Finally, if you find these topics a heavy lift, you may want to explore the new humorous book about to come out from writer Steven Petrow,  Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old: A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong. Based on a column he previously wrote for The New York Times and enhanced by subsequent add-ons, including suggestions from commentators of his article, the book candidly and humorously addresses some of the fears, frustrations, and stereotypes that accompany aging – his own as well as the experiences of his parents. For a laugh and a listen, click here for a recent podcast interview with Steven about the book, his own personal experiences, aging insights, and his life as an award-winning writer and humorist. And Happy Summer Reading!