Social Icons

Late Bloomers: Heroes Aged 90 and Beyond

6 min read
Readers with Wrinkles

Finding inspiring heroes in their nineties—and beyond—is a bit like searching for your reading glasses: more challenging than expected, but entirely worth the effort when you finally succeed. Who knew that fictional adventurers with a few wrinkles (and perhaps a stubborn refusal to go gently into that good night) would be so rare? As I polished my reading glasses and embarked on a quest for novels starring heroes deep into their ninth decade (and beyond), the pickings were indeed slim. Tales starring super-aged protagonists are in short supply, which only makes the ones discovered feel even more precious.

I guess the literary universe saved the best till last, because many of these stories are among my favorites.

So as my birthday month (which was the iinspiration for the Ages & Pages Series) comes to an end, let's celebrate these remarkable characters who prove that heroism doesn’t expire along with a driver’s license. These excellent reads showcase wit, wisdom, and wild adventures well past the ninth decade, proving that age really can be a superpower. So settle in, set your bifocals to “epic,” and enjoy stories where ninety is just the beginning.

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Protagonist: Allan Karlsson, 100
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Adventure
Allan Karlsson escapes his nursing home on his 100th birthday, triggering a wild adventure involving criminals and a suitcase full of cash. The story interweaves his present with flashbacks from his remarkable century-long life. It’s both a comedic romp and an exploration of world history through Allan’s accidental involvement in major events.

The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington


Protagonist: Marian Leatherby, 92
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Marian Leatherby is sent to a bizarre retirement home after her family discovers she's hard of hearing. There, she uncovers mysterious secrets, surreal happenings, and inadvertently becomes part of an apocalyptic prophecy. Leonora Carrington weaves absurdity and wit with feminist undertones.

West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

Protagonist: Woody Nickels, 105
Genre: Historical Fiction
West with Giraffes centers on Woodrow "Woody" Nickel, a 105-year-old man reflecting on his youthful journey driving two giraffes cross-country in 1938. At age 17, orphaned during the Dust Bowl and full of determination but haunted by loss, Woody finds meaning and hope as he bonds deeply with the animals during their perilous trip to California. My favorite read in 2023!

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood


Protagonist: Ona Vitkus, 104
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
At age 104, Ona Vitkus forms an unlikely friendship with a young boy helping her catalog world records and memories. Their bond reshapes both their lives and families, blending humor and heartbreak. Monica Wood’s novel gently explores themes of aging, loss, and hope.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

Protagonist: Grace (90+ years old)
Genre: Contemporary, Humor
Grace, in her nineties, refuses to conform to expectations, proving that life doesn’t have to fade into the background with age. Her story unfolds as she embarks on new adventures and forms unlikely friendships. Pooley’s novel is a witty, heartwarming tribute to the continued vibrancy of senior lives.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman


Protagonist: Britt Marie, 90+
Genre: Literary Fiction
Britt-Marie, over 90, entrusts her granddaughter with an important mission to deliver letters after her death. The book interweaves fairy-tale elements with emotional reality, celebrating difference, family, and intergenerational bonds. It’s both inventive and sweetly poignant.

Soul Dancing by Gail Priest


Protagonist: Shirlene Foster, 90
Genre: Women's Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Ninety-year-old Shirlene Foster defies death to care for her ailing husband, but her body gives out. She is then transported into the body of a young woman who is dying during childbirth. While coping with a newborn, the eventual death of her husband, and an attraction to the baby's uncle, Shirlene must embrace her second chance at life and motherhood.

The Making of Genevieve by Judy Lannon


Protagonist: Genevieve Austin, 94
Genre: Women's Fiction, Family Saga
At 94 years old and lying in a hospital bed, Genevieve Austin reflects on her long and eventful life. The story weaves through her memories as a headstrong teenager, her college days, marriage, motherhood, and her career as she contemplates a 70-year-old secret. The narrative explores whether this long-held secret shaped her identity or if she was always destined to be the woman she became.

Elizabeth's Mountain by Lucille Guarino

Protagonist: Elizabeth, 90
Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction
Elizabeth, a feisty 90-year-old widow, is keeping a secret from her children about a lucrative offer from developers for her beloved Blue Ridge Mountain home. As she agonizes over the decision, her granddaughter Amanda moves in, and their stories begin to intertwine. The novel connects the past with the present as Elizabeth sees her younger self reflected in her granddaughter, who may hold the key to her legacy.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines


Protagonist: Jane Pittman, 110
Genre: Historical fiction
Framed as the recorded oral history of a 110-year-old Black woman in Louisiana, it spans from emancipation through the Civil Rights era. Through Jane’s first-person voice, the novel explores Reconstruction, segregation, racial violence, and Black resistance across a century. Long recognized as a landmark of African American literature, it was later adapted into an Emmy Award–winning television movie starring Cicely Tyson.

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Allan Gurganus

Protagonist: Lucy Marsden, 99.
Genre: Historical fiction.
From her nursing home, ninety-nine-year-old Lucy recounts marrying a fifty-year-old Confederate veteran at fifteen and the tumultuous life that followed. Her century-spanning saga—raising nine children and witnessing the South’s transformations—interrogates memory, gender, race, and Confederate mythmaking. A bestseller and prizewinner, it has been adapted for stage and screen, including a 1994 TV miniseries that earned multiple Emmys.

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

Protagonist: Ptolemy Grey, 91
Genre: Fiction
Ptolemy Grey, a 91-year-old man, is offered a medical treatment that briefly restores his memory. As he reckons with long-buried secrets, he must decide whether to leave behind a legacy before dementia catches up. This poignant, literary novel tackles aging, memory, and redemption.


Finding unforgettable protagonists in their 90s and beyond might have required a little extra research, but each one featured here proves that adventure and heroism know no age limit. While my hunt for books starring nonagenarians and centenarians came up a bit short, the remarkable handful I discovered are truly worth cozying up with, whether you’ve got wrinkles to match or you just like reading about those who do.

This is the grand finale of the Ages & Pages Series, inspired by August and my own milestone birthday. Though a magician never reveals their true age, rest assured that I come equipped with plenty of wrinkles and at least two pairs of reading glasses, depending on where I last misplaced them. Here's to celebrating every chapter of life, one page (and maybe one wrinkle) at a time!

Remember: no character is ever too old for a new adventure just as no reader is ever too seasoned for a fresh story. Thanks for turning the pages with me!

Tagged in:

Book Lists, Book Talk

Last Update: September 19, 2025

Comments