late bloomer, n.
1. An adult whose talent or genius in a particular field only appears later in life than is normal—in some cases only in old age. [Wikipedia]
2. A person who doesn’t give a pomegranate about what’s normal and blooms in their own time; see LaterBloomer.com. [Debra Eve]
Ernestine Shepherd became a professional bodybuilder at 71
Welcome to Later Bloomer
A Captivating Archive of Lives Well-Lived
Madeleine L’Engle: Why Her Beloved Novel A Wrinkle In Time Almost Wasn’t Published
Madeleine L’Engle was over 40 when she wrote her beloved children’s book. A Wrinkle in Time. Twenty-six publishers rejected it, so she put it in a drawer. Why did they find it so difficult?
Saloma Furlong: Her Courageous Path to a University Degree at Age 50
Saloma Furlong’s parents wouldn’t let her attend high school and no one prosecuted them. How is that possible in a country with compulsory education laws?
Jerrie Thill: A Remarkable Nonagenarian Jazz Drummer Who Started During Prohibition
Jerrie Thill, a 93-year-old jazz drummer, started playing in her teens and never stopped. Allee Willis (who wrote the “Friends” theme) created a fabulous music video to honor her.
Leo Fender: The Accountant Who Revolutionized Rock Music in His 40s
Leo Fender has been called “The Henry Ford of electric guitar.” But this late-blooming rock innovator started out as an accountant and didn’t even know how to play or tune a guitar!
Anne R. Allen: How She Turned a Publishing Fiasco into Hilarious Late-Blooming Fiction
When all seemed lost, author Anne R. Allen landed a publishing contract that included digs in an old mill near Sherwood Forest! But it turned out less than legendary…
Peace Pilgrim: Her Astonishing Spiritual Journey from 1920s Flapper to 1950s Activist
There was nothing remarkable about Mildred Norman at first. You’d never guess that, at 45, she’d give away all her possessions, don a tunic emblazoned Peace Pilgrim, and walk the U.S. for 28 years preaching nonviolence.
Later Bloomer is currently on hiatus. Please enjoy the archives!
There is nothing in the caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.
—Buckminster Fuller,
who patented the Geodesic Dome at age 50