On hormones and such, I liked books by John Lee MD about menopause and perimenopause. They are packed with information about what is happening physically and psychologically, and he writes with a funny sense of humor.

Since I had lots of problems with extreme depression and anxiety, I read about anything I could get my hands on that might shed some light about what was going on with me. I particularly liked books by Thomas Moore. He writes about matters of the soul, not in a particularly religious sense, but more of a psychological sense. I have found "Dark Nights of the Soul" and "Care of the Soul" particularly good ones, but you have to be at the right point to appreciate them.
For dealing with depression, I often find that reading funny books really helps me get out of the deep darkness. There is a book titled "God is No Laughing Matter" that is absolutely wonderful. I can't recall the author's name at this time, but doing a google search should bring it up. Seriously, it was delightful.
Also, "The Mermaid Chair" was a great read. It's written by Sue Monk Kidd, whose writing style really appeals to me. It's the story of a woman in her "midlife crisis" and how she deals with it.
At this point, I've decided to make midlife a soulful experience and try to see the light in the darkness. I've recently become really interested in psychology, namely Jungian psychology. I read "Meeting the Shadow" which is really interesting, and recently finished "In Midlife" which is a take on what is going on mentally and spiritually during this time of life. I realize these aren't to everyone's taste, but I would like to know what kind of reading material gets you excited about life and its passages.
Anyone?
Mrs H