When You Can't Remember Shiitake

It's easy to pile up the negatives about getting older, but for Debbie Klein, they aren't something to feel down about. Sure, eyeglasses and the cell phone might disappear seemingly at will, but on the bright side, she still has her teeth, driving at night is still moderately feasible, and her kids are grown up and truly appreciative of all she's done for them.

When You Can't Remember Shiitake is a collection of thirty-two short stories from Klein's life, starting when she was forty-three and her whole world suddenly went to shiitake. Single after a lengthy marriage, with two kids to put through college, only a high school education, and no job, Klein clawed and scratched her way through to stand triumphant on the other side-older, wiser, and with an arsenal of poignant yet hilarious stories to show for it all.

Klein's stories cover the trials and funny moments of family life, motherhood, love and dating, and of course getting old. She delves into the eternal effort to remain young with hairstyles and makeup selections, addresses the influence of celebrities in women's lives, and caps it all off with her unfiltered view of the world today.