“Age is Nothing” by Dana Falsetti is a quick read. The premise is that Dana’s husband, Joe, has decided to remarry and brings up their young son with his new wife. The new family has a mix of nationalities in the house and as the family matures, the differences between the members begin to blossom. The author portrays a strong mother, father, and children who are very different from each other but to love each other. The book is entertaining and at times controversial as some of the comments that follow are not for everyone.
In the first chapter, we meet Joanna, who has very little knowledge of her own nationality. She is relieved when her husband tells her that she is not from Ireland and does not even know what the word Irish means. Joe gives her a map of Ireland, which helps her understand what nationality she really is. As her nationality begins to be defined, her emotions are torn between her desire to fit into American society and her longing to be accepted by her own family.
From there, the author takes a good look at age gap, size of family, how parents relate with their children, sexual orientation, race, class, and religion. The author portrays various relationships outside of marriage that happen throughout the years. It is interesting to see how much the family structure has changed over the years and how those changes affect the children. The author also covers the topic of heights and how it relates to both men and women. Heightism can be a dangerous addiction and there are many cases where those who suffer from it have ruined their lives and those around them. It is important to note that this book is not for the squeamish.