Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 23rd Read Harder task.

How old is Agatha Christie's Miss Marple? Would she qualify?

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 fourteen and almost sixty years have passed since then."

So it sounds like yes, Miss Marple should qualify.

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..."

Thank you! Then I'll be reading a Miss Marple mystery then for this task :)

Me too! I've had And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie on my TBR list for quite some time. I'll be interested to see what others find/suggest for this task though.

I am excited to read Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun.

For those that like cozy mysteries, last year I read the first of a fun Singaporean series, Aunty Lee's Delights about a widowed chef. I am pretty sure she is over 60.

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Elle wrote: "Me too! I've had And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie on my TBR list for quite some time. I'll be interested to see what others find/suggest for this task though."
I've read the book 3 times and watched the 1945 movie twice ☺.

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 qualifies?

Mrs Pollifax is a retired, senior citizen, grandmother so she is probably over 60. I enjoyed the books in this series in the past.

Teresa wrote: "Water for Elephants showed up on a list. Can anyone tell me if it qualifies?"

I'm going to say no. It's similar to The Notebook in that there are particular scenes where the protagonists are very old, but for the majority of the book they are in their twenties.

Kate wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Water for Elephants showed up on a list. Can anyone tell me if it qualifies?"

I'm going to say no. It's similar to The Notebook in that there are particula..."
Thanks.

I’m planning to read The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington. It sounds utterly bonkers in the right kind of way.

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 something other than an Agatha Christie book!

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

I was going to go with an Agatha Christie Miss Marple book, but I just got The Woman Next Door in the Book Riot Best of 2017 box. The blurb doesn't specify the main characters' ages, but it hints that they're older, so it may qualify.

Miss Marple is appealing, but I think The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Elle wrote: "Me too! I've had And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie on my TBR list for quite some time. I'll be interested to see what others find/suggest for this task though."

I'm not sure And Then There Were None would work for this prompt. It's not a Marple and is more of an ensemble piece, so it's hard to point out a protagonist. The two or three characters I would consider most likely for the role are either male or quite young.

The Night Guest is a good one for these prompt. I don't remember the exact age of the protagonist but she's definitely over 60.

True Grit would fill this one and also #7 Western

The novel is narrated by Mattie Ross, churchgoing elderly spinster distinguished by intelligence, independence, and strength of mind. She recounts the story of her adventures many years earlier, at 14, when she undertook a quest to avenge her father's death at the hands of a drifter named Tom Chaney.

Could anyone clarify if Remnant Population works? I've seen it on several lists, and while the description mentions a lot of events I would associate with 60+, it also mentions 40 years, but I couldn't tell if it meant 40+x.

The protganist of True Grit is 14 years old. The narrator is her old self, but this book is not about a woman over 60.

Eujean2 wrote: "I am excited to read Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun."

I really liked it - only wished it was a little longer.

Carolyn Wanatee wrote: "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney"

LOVED this book! I think it was in my top 5 of the year.

I'm thinking about either The Elegance of the Hedgehog or The Summer Book.

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

I am leaning towards Emily, Alone, but I'm open to searching for a new book when the time comes.

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.

I'm wondering if Anna Pigeon qualifies as someone over 60. The series has been going since 2003 when she was already middle aged but her age has never been specifically mentioned in any of the books. I was looking at

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 am seeing shows that she is 54.

Chickadee wrote: "I'm wondering if Anna Pigeon qualifies as someone over 60. The series has been going since 2003 when she was already middle aged but her age has never been specifically mentioned in any of the book..."

It's been awhile since I've read the series, but I think she is in her 50's at the oldest, in the later books. I could be wrong though.

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..."
You are right. The one thing I looked at said 64 but it must have been a typo. I need to find someting new!

Bonnie 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."..."

I really wanted you to be right :) ARGH

I'm thinking I might use The Little French Bistro for this one but I really wanted "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" to work for this task.

What about the Miss Julia line of books? Is she over 60? They're by Ann B. Ross & I've always wanted a chance to check them out.

Audra wrote: "Bonnie 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 ..."

Ha! It bummed me out too. Goodreads has a list of books with protagonists over 60 and Elegance is on there! I think I am going to use Wish You Were Here. I have it sitting on my shelf at home which is a big plus.

Bonnie wrote: "Audra wrote: "Bonnie 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'm going to do Harold and Maude.

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk has been on my list for a while. The Japanese Lover could also work.

The Pet Portraits series by Sandi Scott - a Goodreads author - features twin sisters that are 66 when book 1 begins.

Murder in the Art Gallery
Murder on the Great Lake
Murder on the Movie Set

Cute, short mysteries.

Did anyone mention Mrs. Pollifax? She's over 60.

I have seen The Blind Assassin and The Snow Child as picks for this, but can anyone confirm if the female protagonist is over 60? It sounds like the Blind Assassin might just have an older narrator? Thanks!

Thanks Maegan, that's really helpful!

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 available online for free here: https://www.tor.com/2013/09/11/the-la...

Otherwise I would have read one of the Witches books from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, like Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters or Witches Abroad for this one.

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen seems perfect for this one. It's part of a series that I've been reading off and on for the last couple of decades and may not work well as a stand alone. This universe is built upon a foundation of over 20 novels, short stories (no I haven't read all of them) etc in the Vorkosigan series. The books don't have to be read in order but there are 3-4 critical novels required to understand the universe.

A stand alone novel folks can consider would be Remnant Population.

Two terrific books I read this year that would fit the prompt are: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney.

I highly recommend The Summer Book.

I highly recommend The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence or Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

Maegan wrote: "I just read the Snow Child and the female protagonist is in her 40s."

Darn, I was considering this one. All I could find on them was decribed as an "elderly couple." I'm 48, and I don't feel or look elderly.

Could someone confirm the age of the protagonist(s) of The Joy Luck Club ?

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout could work for this - Olive's age is never mentioned but she is retired. Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper is about a woman over 80 who wants to see the sea before she dies so she leaves her husband to go on a long walk.

Miriam wrote: "The Night Guest is a good one for these prompt. I don't remember the exact age of the protagonist but she's definitely over 60."
This is what I immediately thought of too... Wonderful, wonderful book, and yes, the protagonist is over 60.

I might go with Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk for this one. Read the Night Guest last year >.<

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?