Aging

"Nature abhors the old," said Ralph Waldo Emerson, and yet poet John Donne wrote, "No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace / As I have seen in one Autumnal face." So, is aging a gift—or a curse? In this thematic collection, we present texts that reflect on this question.

Rules of the Road

by Joan Bauer

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Family, Aging

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Travel Literature, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

Rules Of The Road is a contemporary young adult novel by established author Joan Bauer, first published in 1998. It is the first book in the Rules of the Road series. The second book, Best Foot Forward, was published in 2005. Joan Bauer’s own complicated childhood with an alcohol-addicted father inspired Rules of the Road, which was met with critical acclaim. It won both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Golden Kite Award... Read Rules of the Road Summary

Sabbath's Theater

by Philip Roth

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Aging, Death, The Past

Sabbath’s Theater by Philip Roth, published in 1995, is a work of literary fiction that follows the titular character Mickey Sabbath, an aging yet lustful man, as he navigates life after the passing of his long-time mistress, Drenka. As Sabbath runs from his loss and his unhappy marriage, he finds himself in New York City, confronting the pain of his first wife’s disappearance and the death of his older brother, Morty, during World War II... Read Sabbath's Theater Summary

Sandwich

by Catherine Newman

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Marriage, Aging, Nostalgia, Memory, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Love, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Mothers, Beauty, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Literary Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Sandwich Summary

So Far Gone

by Jess Walter

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Aging, Environment, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Action & Adventure, Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read So Far Gone Summary

Something Borrowed

by Emily Giffin

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Aging, Forgiveness, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Shame & Pride, The Past, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Marriage, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Apathy, Conflict, Loneliness

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships

Something Borrowed is a work of romantic fiction from author Emily Giffin, published in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews and landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel was Giffin’s first, and she has published several more books in the same genre. Some of her other books include Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), and Something... Read Something Borrowed Summary

Starters

by Lissa Price

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Aging, Siblings, Death, Social Class, Childhood & Youth, Community, Memory, Science & Technology, Future, The Past, Guilt, Family, Appearance & Reality, Trust & Doubt, Fear, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Beauty, Truth & Lies, Good & Evil, Conflict

Tags Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Lissa Price’s Starters is a young adult science fiction novel set in the near future after the Spore Wars, during which biological weapons were used against the United States and wiped out much of the unvaccinated middle-aged population. As a result, many teens were left without families, and the elderly feared for their place in society. Starters without grandparents were barred from essentially every type of work. This led to teens being rounded up to... Read Starters Summary

Still Me

by Jojo Moyes

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Aging, Community, The Past, Perseverance, Social Class

Tags Romance, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Finance, Social Class, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Still Me Summary

Stone Mattress

by Margaret Atwood

Publication year 2014

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Aging

Tags Victorian Period, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

Stone Mattress: Nine Wicked Tales is a 2014 collection of nine short stories from Canadian author Margaret Atwood. While Atwood has published fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, she is probably best known for her dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale. Other works by this author include Cat’s Eye, The Testaments, and Oryx and Crake. Atwood often tackles the power of the written word in her work. Many of the characters in Stone Mattress: Nine Wicked Tales are... Read Stone Mattress Summary