Task #23: A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60

[Bonnie G.]

Melissa wrote: "I will try the Mrs. Pollifax series, but I wonder about books where the protagonist is over 60 and is neither prim and proper nor embroiled in a mystery.... Any ideas?"

Quartet in Autumn and Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All come to mind. Maybe also Driving Miss Daisy.

[Chrissy]

Melissa wrote: "I will try the Mrs. Pollifax series, but I wonder about books where the protagonist is over 60 and is neither prim and proper nor embroiled in a mystery.... Any ideas?"

The two I recommended earlier in the thread both fit your description!

[Jessie]

In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende would work for this. One of the 3 main characters is a woman in her early 60s.

[Melissa]

Thank you for your suggestions. I am also wondering if a non fiction would work here. I think I will try one of these suggestions, but Diana Nyad's Find a Way looks interesting too

[[deleted user]]

I'm going to read A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark by Harry Connolly. The lead character is a 65 year old former Buffy-esque heroine who tries to rule Seattle through pacifism.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

The One-in-a-Million Boy or Elizabeth Is Missing

[May]

An Unnecessary Womanis absolutely fantastic! It'll give you insight on Middle East politics and history.

[Karen]

For this challenge I am leaning towards The Summer Book - grandmother in her eighties or An Unnecessary Woman - age 72 . I can also recommend The Stone Angel - Hagar is quite old - 80 or 90.

[Nancy]

Angela wrote: "Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey"

That's a really good book!

[Candace]

I just ordered Like a Mule Bringing I’ve Cream to the Sun for this task. I can’t wait to read it!

[Laura]

Sanna wrote: "I´m thinking this one! Britt-Marie Was Here"

This was the first one that popped into my head, too! But I think I'm going to go with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

[Chris]

Britt-Marie Was Here is absolutely amazing. If you haven't read it, it would be a great choice for this topic!

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

Another one is The Boston Girl.

[Seth]

I would highly recommend The One-in-a-Million Boy.

[Kat]

Teresa wrote: "I'm thinking The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax or Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage.
Water for Elephants showed up on a list. Can anyone tell me if it qual..."

The protagonist of Water for Elephants is a young male, so I would think not. It's a lovely book and worth a read, though!

[Angelica]

I've been staring at An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine for the longest time as it sat on my bookshelf. Now... it is time.

[Edie]

I'm reading (and loving) one of Catarina Ingleman-Sunberg's books The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again. It's the madcap sequel to The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules. The books are about a group of Swedish pensioners (in their 70s and 80s) who conduct a number of capers stealing in order to help the poor. Not high literature but lots of fun.

[Cait]

Riah wrote: "I just came across The Lady Astronaut of Mars, which is about a female astronaut in her 60s, so I'm super excited to read it for this challenge. It's a Hugo-winning novelette and av..."

Terry Pratchett's Witches!! I hadn't even thought of them as an option. Such a good time to reread Witches Abroad or Lords and Ladies!

[Patty]

This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Evison.

[Julia]

I heartily recommend Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, if you've read other books or novellas in the Vorkosigan saga.

I've been wanting to read Remnant Population for years.

[Catriona]

In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, is Evelyn Hugo definitely over 60?

[Maureen]

I recommendhttps://www.amazon.com/Lillian-Boxfis... by Kathleen Rooney.
Such a great book! And it takes place on New Year's Eve! Ok, link isn't working. It's Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk! Google it!

[Julia]

Two more recs:

Except the Queen by Jane Yolen, which is fantasy

And Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler, which is some variety of speculative fiction.

[Jennifer]

Would Mrs. Saint and the Defectives work for this? I read it last year and it was wonderful

[Kristi]

Julia wrote: "I heartily recommend Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, if you've read other books or novellas in the Vorkosigan saga.

I've been wanting to read Remnant Population for ..."

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen would also qualify for the SF woman protagonist written by a woman category too.

[Kireja]

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. The protagonist is a 79 year old woman.

[Dayle]

Catriona wrote: "In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, is Evelyn Hugo definitely over 60?"

From USA Today "At 79 years old, Hollywood darling Evelyn Hugo has lost everyone she's loved, including all seven of her husbands."

[Drew]

Julia wrote: "Two more recs:

And Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler, which is some variety of speculative f..."
I got excited since I need more excuses to read Butler but the blurb says the protagonist is 53.

[Zoe]

Has anyone read Life, Death and Vanilla Slices who can tell me Jean's age?

[Julia]

I and Drew wrote:
>> And Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler, which is some variety of speculative f..."
>I got excited since I need more excuses to read Butler but the blurb says the protagonist is 53.

Well, crap. That's what I get for reading only my own blurb, and it wasn't even a blurb from Fledgling, but from Except the Queen, where I suggest that books about older people should be called AK books, vs. YA. (AK is Yinglish for 'alte kocker,' or slightly rude thing to call an old person.)

P.S. One never needs an excuse to read Octavia E. Butler!

[Emily]

Thinking about reading a novel from the Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves. Couldn't find what her exact age is but I'm pretty sure she's over 60...

[Holly]

Try The Purge by Sofi Oksanen. A fabulous book and one of the two main characters is over 60. Trigger warning for sexual abuse.

[Ebony]

I have The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules on hold for this one. Protagonist is 79, it's supposed to be a crime book and it was published in Swedish first which could also make it a contender for the genre fiction in translation category...

[Jessica]

Sarah wrote: "I may use The Blind Assassin for this one...its blurb says it has a female octogenarian narrator. Or maybe The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman? Trying to find somethin..."

The Blind Assassin is fantastic! Its the story of a family but is told from the perspective of one of the daughters at the end of her life. For most of the story the characters are much younger but I think it counts since the narrator is remembering her life throughout the course of the book.

[Allyson]

Would Howl's Moving Castle count since Sophie is cursed as a very old woman for most of the story?

[novelteathoughts]

When I googled for elderly women in books I found one with a 3000-year-old sorceress lol. I'll take it! Polgara the Sorceress

[Beth]

Several years ago I read The Sister by Poppy Adams that would fit this category. Since it was quite a few years ago and I really enjoyed it, I am considering rereading it for the challenge.

[Rachel]

I'm thinking of a biography. Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been on my list. She was exactly 60 when she became a supreme court justice. Any thoughts?

[Julia]

Rachel, that Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a great book and I predict you will be very glad you read it, as I was. It's not only about her time on the Supreme Court, but it's mostly about that.

[[deleted user]]

Jordan wrote: "According to wikipedia: "While Miss Marple is described as 'an old lady' in many of the stories, her age is mentioned in "At Bertram's Hotel", where it is said she visited the hotel when she was fo..."

Thanks...I read Murder at the Vicarage for this task

[Kate]

Sarah wrote: "I may use The Blind Assassin for this one...its blurb says it has a female octogenarian narrator. Or maybe The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman? Trying to find somethin..."

The Blind Assassin is fantastic!

[Kate]

My partner has recommended I read Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King. The protagonist is a 65-year-old widow. It's a psychological thriller, rather than horror/supernatural like many of King's works, so I think I will enjoy it.

[NV]

Audra wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Audra wrote: "Is the main character in The Elegance of the Hedgehog over 60? This is on my TBR so I really hope so."

She is, I looked it up for myself."

Everything I..."

Where is this information? I can't find anything on the age. I wanted to read this for this task.

[Bonnie G.]

Naitasia wrote: "Audra wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Audra wrote: "Is the main character in The Elegance of the Hedgehog over 60? This is on my TBR so I really hope so."

She is, I looked it up for myself."..."

Wikipedia and Amazon have this info. From Wiki:

Renée Michel is a 54-year-old widowed concierge. She has never been to college because she considers herself to always have been poor, discreet, and of no significance.[6] Renée, however is self-taught; she reads works of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant and Russian writer Leo Tolstoy (and even names her cat "Leo"), disdains the philosophy of Edmund Husserl, adores 17th-century Dutch paintings, likes Japanese art-house films by Yasujirō Ozu, and listens to the music of composers Henry Purcell and Gustav Mahler.[7][8]

[Susan]

Sanna wrote: "I´m thinking this one! Britt-Marie Was Here"
I loved that one and hope you do, too!

[Lisa]

I think Anne George's Southern Sisters series would work. The first one is Murder on a Girl's Night Out.

[Bobby]

I'm planning to read October Light, by John Gardner, since I already have a copy and have wanted to read it for years.

Another option would be the play August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts. I've seen the play, but not read the script.

There is also the play Glorious! The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Worst Singer in the World, by Peter Quilter.

[Miranda]

Do you think I could count Nobody's Fool for this task because of Miss Peoples? She's in her 80s and plays an important role in the novel, but she isn't the primary focus.

[Robert]

There are a lot more options if you consider Fantasy or Science Fictions - lots of ancient vampires and immortal beings. I'll be reading Ann Leckie's Ancillary Sword, whose main character is 1000 years old.

[Elizabeth]

I'm honestly hoping to find like a fantasy or sci-fi story with a 60+ female protagonist who is fully human/naturally aged. Like I want basically.... granny goes on an epic journey?