In the past few years I’ve noticed more books with lead characters who have several decades of living under their belts. Perhaps publishers have come to realize that a good chunk of their audience is comprised of older adults who would like to see themselves represented in stories and another segment contains readers who want to imagine a future in which they don’t disappear into the background as they age. Then there’s the fact that the more past a character has, the more richly layered their backstory is. Here are a few titles with older and bolder protagonists:

“Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame” by Olivia Ford has been called a “coming-of-old-age tale.” After nearly 60 years of marriage, Jenny Quinn’s husband seems content to believe the time for new adventures is past. But Jenny surprises him, and herself, by winning a spot on a reality TV show, “Britain Bakes,” where she wows the world with her baking skills. Each edible creation relates to her past in some way, which serves to unfold her story. But as her fame grows, she finds herself struggling with the possible revelation of a secret she’s kept for decades. Continue reading “Older and Bolder: Fiction”

Books and beats to give texture to these long, hot days.

“Pathemata, Or, The Story of My Mouth” by Maggie Nelson
Publication Date: April 1, 2025

Why I Picked It: “Pathemata” arrives as a companion to “Bluets” (2009), an astonishing work of prose poetry of which I’ve memorized whole passages (speaking more to the way Nelson writes — with stunning precision; straight to the heart — than to my memory). In “Bluets,” Nelson lifts up the color blue as a lens, muse, mirror. In a similar fashion, “Pathemata” makes chronic pain its precious subject.

Recommended For: Anyone who is familiar with pain, especially pain that doesn’t go away, that demands an answer. Anyone who still visits early memories of the COVID-19 pandemic with a feeling of grief and fascination.

Continue reading “Quick Recs: Three Books and an Album”

100 years ago, two of the top 10 most popular names in the United States were Doris and Donald. My grandmother was named Doris and the current U.S. president is a Donald. In 2024, Olivia and Liam topped the list. Times and tastes change but what does it matter? What is in a name?

Florence Knapp’s book, “The Names,” begins with a mother heading to the registry office to register her baby. She must decide upon his name. What follows is three different storylines based on what his life might have been depending on the name she chose. How will her son be treated if he is named Gordon or Julian or Bear? How will it affect his future or people’s perception of him? What burden would he carry if he is named after his abusive father, Gordon? Publishers Weekly says, “Readers won’t be able to stop talking about this intelligent exploration of a single choice’s long tail of repercussions.” Continue reading “What’s in a Name?”