Three Things about Elsie

The author of this novel is, like me, a doctor-writer. I imagine we share the same motivation to tell stories. As a psychiatrist, Joanna Cannon’s writing portrays her compassion and deep understanding of the human condition. In this novel, the mundane existence of eighty-four-year-old Florence in her care home is upset by the arrival of a man she is convinced she recognizes from her past, a man who supposedly died years before. Only her lifelong friend, the eponymous Elsie believes her. My favorite author Somerset Maugham (also a doctor) attributed his success as a writer to his powers of observation… show more.

Cannon’s Three Things About Elsie is so funny, warm, and a downright pleasure to read. The novel follows an elderly woman in a retirement home, somewhat struggling with memory. When an unexpected and potentially-dangerous visitor arrives who she’s sure is from her past (despite everyone else telling her she’s crazy), she must untangle the timeline of her own life with her life-long best friend at her side. Cannon’s novel emphasizes the durability and care of female friendship while exploring the relationship between femininity and age in a balance of humor, sincerity, and mystery.

Another story set in a care home, and my favourite of the books I've recommended – I’ve saved the best till last! Narrator Florence is beginning to suffer from dementia, but she is still sharp enough to spot a shady figure from her past when he puts in an appearance. Cannon’s turn of phrase is absolutely beautiful – she expresses the challenges and frustrations of old age with humour and poignance, without risking the temptation to sugar coat anything whilst leading us through the mystery at the heart of the book. If you only read one book from this list,… show more.