Bad Ass Grandma: Living Large, Finding Awe

Silver Medal, Readers Favorites Awards for Nonfiction 2026

“Funny, bracing, a little reckless, and fully alive.” — San Francisco Book Review

“Thoughtful, inspiring, and deeply human… like a heartfelt conversation with a wise friend.” — Manhattan Book Review

“Bad Ass Grandma redefines what it means for an older woman to be bad ass… a time of active choice and possibility. Five stars.” — Readers’ Favorites

Bold living doesn’t have an expiration date. And you don’t need to ride a Harley or jump out of airplanes (though you could). Being Bad Ass in your later years means deciding what matters now — and having the nerve to go after it.

Meet women who swim in cold oceans. Volunteer. Forgive ex-husbands (more than once). Care for dying spouses with fierce tenderness. Start over in their 50s and later, if they want.

Part memoir, part manifesto, Bad Ass Grandma explores how to grow older without shrinking — and how courage, curiosity, and even loss can open the door to awe.

An ideal choice for book clubs, it sparks rich conversations about aging, resilience, purpose, and what it truly means to live large.

Alesa Lightbourne is a writer and educator who has lived in six countries. Her previous book, The Kurdish Bike, earned three international awards and was translated into five languages. It was a book club favorite in the United States, Europe and Middle East.