The best funny books about the lighter side to aging

Why am I passionate about this?

As one of Australia’s bestselling observational comedy authors, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to write about the fact that I’ve recently become my parents’ go-to expert on just about everything. From solving technological dilemmas to coaching through society’s ever-changing correctness and reminding them to eat their greens, the elders in my life have inspired me to look at the funny side to aging, and to explore how a middle aged child sometimes crosses over from being helpful to just plain interfering.


I wrote...

Over the Hill and Up the Wall

By Todd Alexander,

Book cover of Over the Hill and Up the Wall

What is my book about?

A heart-warming journey with parents of a certain age and a son he thinks he knows best, Over the Hill and Up the Wall will strike a chord with readers of all ages. It is hilarious, insightful, poignant, and universal and light-heartedly explores the frictions that can occur when we take a more active role in our parents’ lives.

It asks questions such as: why does it take parents so long to fasten a seatbelt, why do they find cell phones so impossible to use, and why can’t they remove all metallic jewelry before choosing to enter an airport?

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village

Todd Alexander Why did I love this book?

Unconventional in its representation of romance during later years, I love this book’s huge heart and the way it lets older readers in on the joke, rather than merely poking fun at aging. 

Very well crafted, it’s a fun and captivating read with countless belly laughs and totally unforgettable characters.

By Joanna Nell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A moving, funny, heartwarming tale of love and friendship, for anyone who loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Keeper of Lost Things and Three Things about Elsie.

It's never too late to grow old disgracefully...

The life of 79-year-old pensioner Peggy Smart is as beige as the decor in her retirement village. Her week revolves around aqua aerobics and appointments with her doctor. The highlight of Peggy's day is watching her neighbour Brian head out for his morning swim.

Peggy dreams of inviting the handsome widower - treasurer of the Residents' Committee and one of the few eligible…


Book cover of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4

Todd Alexander Why did I love this book?

Okay, so this book is predominantly about the struggles of a boy going through puberty but its depiction of the magnetic older characters of Bert and Queenie in the Alderman Cooper Sunshine Home are among the funniest scenes in the book. 

Of every book I’ve ever read, it remains one of the most hilarious and if you’ve read it previously, it’s well worth another visit.

By Sue Townsend,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A humorous story first published in 1982, which chronicles the daily life of a teenage boy and all his problems.


Book cover of Wishful Drinking

Todd Alexander Why did I love this book?

And you thought you found middle age challenging? 

Imagine being a former movie icon, recovering addict, single mother, married to one of the world’s most famous musicians, having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, and waking up with your best friend dead in the bed next to you. 

Carrie Fisher writes like she’s sitting next to you at a dinner party, and you will be spellbound by every single word. 

Her wry humour is so witty, it will come back to you time and again at moments you least expect.

By Carrie Fisher,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Wishful Drinking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In WISHFUL DRINKING, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. "But it isn't all sweetness and light sabres." Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace hairdo), Carrie also spends her free time battling addiction, weathering the wild ride of manic depression and lounging around various mental institutions. It's an incredible tale - from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother,…


Book cover of A Man Called Ove

Todd Alexander Why did I love this book?

This laugh-out-loud funny book is also a charming exploration of some of the assumptions we tend to make about older people, particularly those with challenging quirks and personalities. 

It is told in a light and engaging way, but really packs a punch with some insightful and thought-provoking messages.

The character of Ove will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book and it has the power to change the way you think not only about the older people in your life, but also your own future.

By Fredrik Backman,

Why should I read it?

18 authors picked A Man Called Ove as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'THE PERFECT HOLIDAY READ' Evening Standard

'A JOY FROM START TO FINISH' - Gavin Extence, author of THE UNIVERSE VERSUS ALEX WOODS

There is something about Ove.

At first sight, he is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots - neighbours who can't reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d'etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents' Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.

But isn't it rare, these days, to find…


Book cover of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Todd Alexander Why did I love this book?

Quirky, original, and featuring very engaging characters, this very funny read has the added bonus of being set in a fascinating location – India. 

Exploring the quirks of falling in love later in life, this book is part holiday from hell, part love story, and full of heartwarming anecdotes that will sound very familiar to a lot of readers. 

By Deborah Moggach,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Now a major motion picture starring Jude Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Tom Wilkinson, and Maggie Smith.
 
When Ravi Kapoor, an overworked London doctor, reaches the breaking point with his difficult father-in-law, he asks his wife: “Can’t we just send him away somewhere? Somewhere far, far away.” His prayer is seemingly answered when Ravi’s entrepreneurial cousin sets up a retirement home in India, hoping to re-create in Bangalore an elegant lost corner of England. Several retirees are enticed by the promise of indulgent living at a bargain price, but upon arriving, they are dismayed to find that restoration of the…


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Lap Baby

By Amy Q. Barker,

Book cover of Lap Baby

Amy Q. Barker Author Of Lap Baby

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Avid reader Nature lover Park ranger wanna be Best Nana ever

Amy's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

A story you'll never forget about survival, forgiveness, healing, and love.

Twenty years ago. A plane crash. Three women survivors are inexorably connected by fate, destiny, and a cause. 

Julie Geiger, a flight attendant, told five sets of parents to place their babies on the floor of the plane when it was going down. Now, she must live with the consequences. Will changing the emergency rules bring her healing and forgiveness? And where does love fit into her life now?

Marie Stanley lost her baby boy on that flight. And she knows exactly who to blame. Julie. The problem is that vindictiveness festers. And eats into your soul. How will Marie learn to move past her hate and save her marriage in the process?

Paige Montgomery, the lap baby who survived the flight, would love to forget it ever happened. After all, she’s happy. And she’s on the cusp of a new relationship. How will she learn to forge her own path, one that integrates all the elements of her past, including the crash, the loss of her parents, and her subsequent adoption?

Lap Baby

By Amy Q. Barker,

What is this book about?

Twenty years ago. A plane crash. Three women survivors inexorably connected by fate, destiny, and a cause.

Did you know that lap babies (children under the age of two) are instructed to be placed on the floor of a plane during an emergency? Sounds crazy, but it’s true.

Julie Geiger, a flight attendant, told five sets of parents to do just that. Now she must live with the consequences. Will changing the rules bring her healing and forgiveness? And where does love fit into her life now?

Marie Stanley lost her baby boy on that flight. And she knows exactly…


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