Long, sunny days offer the perfect opportunity to unwind with a good book. At Flagship Health, we believe that stories can be a powerful source of inspiration, comfort, and connection—especially when they reflect our own journeys and stages of life.

This summer, we invite you to explore a curated selection of books that put seniors at the heart of the narrative. Whether based on real events or fictional adventures, these stories celebrate the richness of aging, the complexities of memory, and the power of second (or third!) chances.

📖 Fiction Featuring Journeys of Growth and Second Chances

1. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

Arthur, a recent widower, spends his days visiting his late wife’s grave—until a chance friendship with a troubled teenager and a lonely neighbor changes everything. Together, they form an unexpected family and find hope in each other.

Bonus: This is the first book in a series. Night of Miracles and The Confession Club revisit the same small town, expanding the lives of its characters while honoring the quiet influence of Arthur’s gentle spirit.

2. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

Eighty-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy sets off to Antarctica to visit a research center studying penguins. This unlikely adventure opens her heart to connection, compassion, and the beauty of second chances.

This is the first in a trilogy. Veronica’s story continues in Call of the Penguins and concludes with Gone with the Penguins, where her passion for adventure—and for penguins—leads to new friendships, deeper purpose, and unexpected joy.

3. The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

Albert Entwistle, a 64-year-old postal worker in Northern England, lives a quiet, solitary life—until his upcoming retirement prompts him to confront the truth he’s long buried. With courage and the help of newfound friendships, he sets out to find the man he once loved. Tender, funny, and full of heart, this novel is a joyful celebration of authenticity, connection, and second chances.

4. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Recently retired Harold receives a letter from an old friend and, on a whim, decides to walk 600 miles to deliver his reply in person. As his journey unfolds, he confronts long-buried memories, unexpected encounters, and the quiet transformation that comes from putting one foot in front of the other. A gentle, redemptive story of healing, hope, and late-life awakening.

Bonus: This is the first in a trilogy. Harold’s story continues in The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy and concludes in Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North, which offer deeper insight into the people who shape—and are shaped by—his pilgrimage.

📕 Fiction About Aging, Identity, and Change

5. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

In this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel-in-stories, retired schoolteacher Olive Kitteridge observes and intervenes in the lives of her neighbors in a small Maine town. Sharp, complex, and deeply human, Olive is a vivid portrait of late-life resilience and imperfection.

Bonus: Olive’s story continues in Olive, Again, where she grapples with aging, change, and connection in even more nuanced and tender ways.

6. Still Alice by Lisa Genova

A celebrated Harvard linguist receives a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Told from Alice’s point of view, this novel offers an intimate and deeply empathetic look at how identity, memory, and relationships shift in the face of cognitive decline.

Bonus: This novel was adapted into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Alice.

✍️ Memoirs and Nonfiction About Purpose, Aging, and Perspective

7. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

This groundbreaking book challenges how we think about aging and end-of-life care. Through personal stories and medical insight, Dr. Gawande advocates for dignity, independence, and quality of life in our final years.

8. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

Written in the final months of his life, renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks offers four poignant essays that reflect on love, work, nature, and death. With grace and humility, Sacks embraces aging not with fear, but with thankfulness for a life fully lived.

9. Essays After Eighty by Donald Hall

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall explores the pleasures and indignities of old age with unsentimental honesty and literary finesse. These essays, written in his eighties, are at once funny, reflective, and deeply wise—an eloquent meditation on memory, mortality, and meaning.

👭🏾 Bonus Pick: A Feel-Good Tale of Unexpected Friendship

10. The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

Eudora Honeysett is 85 and tired of life—but everything begins to change when she meets her ten-year-old neighbor, Rose. Their unlikely friendship helps Eudora rediscover joy, purpose, and what it means to live fully. Touching, hopeful, and quietly humorous.

📚 Formats to Fit Your Reading Style

Many of these books are available in a variety of formats to suit your preferences and needs—including large print, audiobooks, and e-book editions. Whether you enjoy listening while walking, prefer the ease of digital text, or need enhanced readability, there’s a format to make your reading experience comfortable and enjoyable.

💗 Why These Books Matter

At Flagship Health, we understand that seniors want to see their lives, challenges, and triumphs reflected in the stories they read. Books featuring older protagonists can:

• Foster empathy and connection
• Normalize aging and the realities of later life
• Offer models of resilience, purpose, and adventure
• Provide mental stimulation and emotional release

Whether you’re looking to laugh, cry, reflect, or escape, this summer’s reading list offers a window into the many dimensions of growing older with grace and spirit.

So grab a glass of iced tea, find a shady spot, and get reading—you’re the hero of this story.