Guess who’s snapping up copies of “MenOpop: A Menopause Pop-up & Activity Book”? Men.
“It’s fascinating how many sales we’ve had from men,” says Michelle Cohen, a co-creator of the book. “We’ve had bosses buy it for people in their offices. Men buy them for their wives, guys for their moms. . . . We’re even in Maxim! Men legitimately are interested and want to know what’s going on.”
OK, but enough about men. After all, the book, from its pop-up ovaries to its frazzled Tooth Fairy-turned-Menopause Fairy and its centerfold Miss MaPeriod, is meant to help women laugh about what can be a frustrating experience.
“The idea that menopause is the end of our lives is shifting,” says Cohen, 36. “You could live another 50 years! So many women have decided to take charge of their lives and their bodies. There really is this mood of `I’m feeling my most powerful, my most full of myself’ [at this stage]. We’re staying vital so much longer.”
“MenOpop” ($24.95) is available at bookstores and the Web site www.menopop.com, which includes games, pop quizzes and loads of encouraging words.
“We figured menopausal women might be up in the middle of the night anyway with nothing to do,” Cohen says. “Our goal is to make the site an online community funhouse,” including a chat room down the way.
Back to men for a second: Wouldn’t an anatomical pop-up book to help them through hard (or not) times be a natural?
“We’ve thought about that,” Cohen says. “We’re thinking of calling it `MenOPorsche.'”