Please suggest some books in which a character, male or female, is old, but has some depth and is not based on silly stereotypes. A book like The Old Man and the Sea or Drive your Plow over the Bones of the Dead. NOT stereotypical grannies or grumpy old men. But instead, a character that is a fully developed human that happens to be old. Many thanks for your suggestions.
by sprredice
6 Comments
Well if you like Hemingway, Pilar from For Whom the Bell Tolls is wonderfully written.
The Old Filth series by Jane Gardam. He’s a retired judge coming to terms with the death of his wife, recalling events of his life and career in the meantime.
The buried giant, by kazuo ishiguro, has a wonderful old man main character.
The Stone Angel by Margaret Lawrence. The MC is in her 90s and is anything but typical
An Elderly Lady is Up To No Good and the sequel. 88 year old serial killer that deliberately plays into stereotypes to not get caught. Short, easy, hilarious. It might not 100% fit what you’re looking for, but would recommend it as a detox read that’s really close.
If you don’t mind science fiction, I’m currently reading a book about two elderly sisters surviving in a world where they’ve been isolated by climate change, and it’s wonderful. It’s called The Garden.
Lolly Willowes is an absolute classic for a reason, about a spinster aunt who takes her fate into her own hands, and it has a lot to say about the way that women are discarded/overlooked/underestimated once they’ve passed their childbearing years.