Readers' Most Anticipated Books for Fall 2025

Ask the Author: Ellyn Lem

“Please send any questions about my upcoming book "Gray Matters: Finding Meaning in the Stories of Later Life," from Rutgers University Press' Global Aging series mid-August.” Ellyn Lem

Answered Questions (5)

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Sorry Ellyn, I ran out of space. My name is Karen Murphy and I am a reviewer here on Good Reads. My email is marymorrisette31@gmail.com. Thank you so much and please don't feel obligated. Are you selling them at some point?
Ellyn Lem Sorry for the late response, Karen. Thank you for asking about the book and it is now available through Amazon and from Rutgers UP. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/197...
Hope you have a chance to read it. Would love to hear back when you do
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What books are on your summer reading list this year?
Ellyn Lem I just finished "My Dark Vanessa," which was thrilling and thought-provoking, not always a pairing. Next up is award-wining James McBride's "Deacon King Kong." On the horizon, "Parakeet," which was just reviewed in the NY Times Book Review recently in their "best summer books." Planning on getting to "The Second Home" (novel about Milwaukee), "On Vanishing: Mortality, Dementia and What if Means to Disappear," "Three Strong Women" and "All My Mother's Love."
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Hi Ellyn:) Elyse and I have been friend's for years. On Saturday her and I had a long telephone conversation about your book. She suggested that I write to you and mention that we are dear friend's and that I would love to get a kindle copy of your book "Gray Matter." Or a physical one--which ever one that you have available. I know that I would get so much out of it. No pressure:) I feel sort of funny asking?
Ellyn Lem Hello, Karen. Thank you so much for reaching out. I am excited that you are interested in the book and love that Elyse is "spreading the word" about her appreciation of "Gray Matters." Print copies are not out yet (I don't even have any copies!), but they will be in August in all formats, including e-book. The publisher was able to send a copy to Elyse at my request since she is such a prolific reviewer for Goodreads. I am not sure they would like me to keep asking to do this. Is there any way Elyse can share hers? Sorry I can't be more helpful at this time, but here is the link to Amazon. The ebook version should be added shortly and maybe available sooner. If so, I will let you know for sure. Thank you for connecting!! https://www.amazon.com/Gray-Matters-F...
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What are you currently working on?
Ellyn Lem I am looking at aging. We are so much a culture that glorifies youth and yet, we are about to have a society dominated by those over 65. There are now novelists and film makers turning their attention to the latter years in life and I want to look at how they help show us certain truths about the aging process but also how they might obscure it. Even Erica Jong has a book about getting older!!
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Ellyn Lem The topic of being pulled between work and family life is something I live every day, and I noticed that television, movies, and advertising sometimes were really good at capturing the expectations for mothers and fathers who divide their time between their workplaces and home; often times, though, there are awful depictions like the film "I Don't Know How She Does It." The bad examples made me want to investigate why popular culture does not do a better job representing the conflicts we face.
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