ISABEL ALLENDE, 55
The most recent book of the Chilean-born author (The House of the Spirits) is Paula, a memoir based on the death of her only daughter at age 28.
When I reached 50, I couldn't celebrate. It was the same year that my daughter was dying. I was totally absorbed with what was going on, and I didn't even notice my birthday. But when we reach this age, we become witches in a way, good witches. We have wisdom, we have a network, we have a sort of secret strength that we can use for good causes. We are not so distracted as we were by motherhood, by being attractive, by the sexual energy that was there indiscriminately. We can focus better, and we have this strength that is so extraordinary. Have you noticed that men in their 60s, who would correspond to us, are not interesting? They are just very boring. The really interesting men are the men who were raised by feminists. But they're much younger than we are. When I look around, I'm very happy that I have a husband, because I wouldn't know whom to reach for.
I don't make plans for the future. I don't know how life is going to be at 60. I don't care. I've done everything I came to do. I've had children, grandchildren, lovers, husbands; I still have my mother, I have friends, and that's it. What else?
JUDITH JAMISON, 54
The artistic director and choreographer of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is in the middle of a world tour.
You can assess your life at 50, but why not assess at 60? The more I assess, the more I realize the more I have to do. There is always somebody ahead of you. It's always someone who has had just a little more experience, someone you can learn from. But what's nice about being 50 is the beat, the rhythm, the movement. Nobody's stopped.
BILLIE JEAN KING, 53
The tennis great runs World Team Tennis, a coed pro league, and still competes on the Virginia Slims Legends tour.
I think 50 now is what 35 used to be. It's a great age, the best. Spiritually and emotionally you get stronger. You're in a much better place. If you talk to anybody at 50 and over, or even around 46 and 47, a central theme that keeps coming up is simplify, simplify, simplify. In your youth you run around like crazy. A lot of people run around obtaining material possessions, and by the time they're 50 they want to get rid of most of them. When I was 11 I wanted to be the best player in the world and change the sport of tennis. I did that. Most everything I set out to do, I did. The only thing different is that I thought I would have children. I do not. I think I'm O.K. about it. I've been in and out on that one. But in some ways I have more time to help kids, and I've got some favorite kids in my life, so it's fine.
FAYE WATTLETON, 54
President of Planned Parenthood for 14 years, she now heads the Center for Gender Equality. She admits to seeing a plastic surgeon and increasing workout routines.