Monday, May 1, 2017

Senior Citizens in New Novels

Now that I have achieved the much wanted (ha ha) title of senior citizen I am finding some novels that have older main characters ranging in age from late fifties to age 100.
Here are a few I have read recently.

"Old Age Private Eye" by A.W. Blakely. The first in the Old Age Pensioner Investigations series about Stanley, a pensioner about 68 years old who is so bored in retirement that on a whim he posts a notice that he is a private investigator. He is amazed when he is hired for a job and finds he needs to hire help so he hires his daughter who is newly divorced and job hunting; the other team member is his trusty dog, Roobarb. The setting is "the heart of England."

"The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules" by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. The first book in the League of Pensioners series, all the main characters use Zimmer frames or as we call them in the USA, walkers. The main gal, Martha is 79 and decides to begin a life of crime to free her from her home from the aged, which she compares to a prison. The setting is the Netherlands and she recruits four friends from the home where she lives to form a gang. They pull off some dramatic crimes, and attempt jewel, bank and art robberies. They are so inept sometimes they succeed. After all, who could believe these harmless oldies could steal priceless Impressionist paintings?

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman
Ove is a curmudgeon, a widower with a short fuse and he is a mean and prejudiced neighbor to people trying to be helpful. I don't know why Ove is a mere 59 in this novel, he seems like 69 or older. Against his will he is befriended by the young couple who move next door. You will find humor, despair and hope here, and the novel deserves the description of "heart warming." The author is Swedish. I love this book and plan to read the others Backman wrote.

"The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. Alan has no plan except to escape out a window in order to miss his 100 year birthday party at the retirement home. Wow, does he have adventures. He finds stolen money, there are murderous thugs chasing him, he meets a friendly elephant and makes friends along the way. The author is a Swedish journalist. I read that there is a sequel to this book and Alan is 101 in it.
Are there other books you can add to this list? Please add them in comments, I think we would all like to hear about more books featuring senior citizens.

22 comments:

Jennifer said...

I really enjoyed Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse. The main character ages from mid 20's to her 80's in the course of the book. I think you'd like it too! :)

Pom Pom said...

Terra! I love your attitude about books! Smart!
I loved Ove. I watched the movie, too. What a character!
You might want to see if your library has Advanced Style (there are two coffee table books). I like the idea of honoring age and accepting it that we are getting older and we don't have to be "cool" but we ARE smart and helpful. Yay!
God be with you today.

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

I love read read mystery's but unfortunately I must say that I have not heard of them. But will look them up on Amazon. I have a Kindle and read between 1 to 3 books a week, if I have the time.

I must say that I am a old Senior Citizen LOL will be 82 in July and still dancing (as they say).

Have a terrific week.

Mary

kath001 said...

I loved 'Ove.' I didn't read 'The Hundred Year Old Man' but caught the movie of it on Amazon Prime a few weeks ago.

I absolutely loved 'The Widow's War' by Sally Gunning and will read it again. Story of a whaling captain's widow in pre-Revolutionary Cape Cod.

Also really liked 'The Love Song of Miss Queeney Hennesey by Rachel Joyce, which is a sequel to 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye.' Both very good.

My reading challenge this year has a category of 'a genre you've never read.' For which I had to do some research and found something called 'hen lit' which is like 'chick lit' but for an older reader. :) The one I read was 'Never Too Late' by Jo Barney...okay, but not crazy about it.

I just finished 'Old Friends' by Tracy Kidder. I love his work, but this one struck a bit close to home with its story of two nursing home roommates. But I liked 'The Best Exotic Maarigold Hotel' which is VASTLY different from the movie based on it.

Interesting topic!

donna baker said...

I really enjoyed A MAN CALLED OVE per your advice. It was funny and endearing.

only slightly confused said...

That's a great selection. It's nice to think we oldies still have some zip left.

Michelle said...

The Little Old Lady book has piqued my interest.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I read The Old Man by Thomas Perry a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It's a new mystery by this author. I liked it so much that I decided to go back and reread some of the books by this author that I read 20 years ago. I'll add the ones you've mentioned to my reading list too! Hugs!

Lin said...

I read "Ove" and loved it!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

My favorite book of the year was A Man Called Ove. I am sure that even younger people could enjoy it also.

kath001 said...

@Lavender Dreamer, thanks for alerting me to The Old Man. I love Thomas Perry, but did not know he had a new one out. I have just put a reserve on it at the library. Looking forward to it!

Blondie's Journal said...

A Man Called Ove sounds interesting. I will look it up. I agree...the age thing is odd. I remember when I was thirty, fifty seemed ancient. It keeps going on but still, for the sake of mentality and physical wellness, this character should be acting younger, if anything!

Thanks for the recommendations, Terra.

Jane x

The Weaver of Grass said...

I can't recommend any more but I shall certainly look out for these.

Sr. Ann Marie said...

Thank you for these suggestions! I'll have to check them out...always on the look out for books and appreciate recommendations!

Thanks for visiting my blog!

happyone said...

I'm about to start A Man Called Ove. It's the book selection for my book club this month.

DawnTreader said...

I was going to suggest "The hundred year old man..." until I got to the last post and saw that you'd already read it! ;) I haven't read A man called Ove, but I have seen the movie. There is a movie of The hundred year old man... as well. I have them both on DVD. (All in Swedish, of course.) There is also a sequel which I haven't read or seen (yet) - The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared

Ginny Hartzler said...

I have not heard of these! But you need to read my all time favorite book! One Hundred Years Of Solitude. And don't forget those senior discounts. Some are not even advertised, like KFC.

Wanda said...

Well I certainly fit the bill for Senior reading... HaHa...Will have to check into these. I started A Man Called Ove....and couldn't get into it....I'm sure that's my problem, and should have kept reading. If a book doesn't pull me in fairly soon, I usually don't keep reading. My dearest thinks I'm was to impatient...and he's probably right when it comes to reading. When I find a book I like... I done in a day or two.

Lowcarb team member said...

Great to read about your selection here ...thanks.

All the best Jan

Draffin Bears said...

thank you for sharing your book recommendations - will have to keep them in mind.
Have a great week
hugs
Carolyn

The Queen of Fifty Cents said...

Try the fun light mystery series about Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman. The 1st (came out in 1966) was The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. They're a hoot! And of course we should remember Agatha Christie's Miss Marple as well.

BTP said...

If you liked, "The 100-year-old Man...," you will enjoy "Oldies but Goodies," the story of three seniors who sneak off from a retirement home to right the wrongs of their pasts.