My new book “Midlife Solo” is now available.

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Loose Woman: my odyssey from lost to found

Finalist for the Whistler Independent Book Award

Loose Woman tells of the life-changing year, 1979, when a quasi-alcoholic, successful, lost young actor surprised herself by agreeing to live and work in a community of intellectually disabled men in the south of France.

In this intimate, sometimes hilarious memoir, she leaves behind the bars and backstages of the Canadian theatre scene to embark on an extraordinary odyssey of self-discovery and redemption.

Audiobook, read by the author, available at Audible

From the prologue

My encounter with Jean Vanier’s friends that day had been my only contact with the mentally and physically challenged. Until this summer.

Now here I was, just turned twenty-nine, an actress who’d temporarily left behind a blossoming career and a social life unhinged after a decade of bad choices — the wrong drugs, the wrong men, possibly even the wrong profession, the right booze but far too much of it. Usually to be found in a small Vancouver apartment with her cat.

Now living in an ancient farmhouse in central France with six severely handicapped men. At the moment, trying to sleep beside Jean-Claude and Emile in a sodden tent in a dwindling thunderstorm in a sea of sheep.

The motto of L’Arche was “Changing the world, one heart at a time.” So far, the place was working wonders with mine.

Praise from readers

“Your book is wonderful; you are a terrific writer, Beth, I am so impressed. And what a life. God!”
ABIGAIL THOMAS, beloved author of four memoirs, fiction, and children’s books
“I loved it!! Fascinating reading. I found the journey from actor to writer highly intriguing, with lots of the emotions we have all felt. And the whole sojourn in France, the heart and soul of the book. A brilliant, talented lady.”
MARTHA HENRY, Canada’s foremost actress
“I loved reading this hugely enjoyable book, page turning and honest. And it’s funny! Any woman torn between motherhood and career will identify with this.”
DAME HARRIET WALTER, one of Britain’s foremost actresses
“Just finished listening to you read Loose Woman and loved it. Such an interesting story. Your writing is musical, a pleasure to hear.”
CASSIE ARNOLD, visual artist

Loose Woman: my odyssey from lost to found by Beth Kaplan available here

Audiobook, read by the author, available at Audible.