Best fall reads for older adults, according to Atlanta booksellers
Fall colors and cooler temperatures bring on their own moods and traditions. For many book lovers, they’re an invitation to dive into reads that fit the season.
“What’s better than a pumpkin latte, a cozy fire and a good book?” said Sandy Huff, 61, owner of Virginia Highland Books. “I tend to read a little darker or a heavier, thought-provoking book in the fall.”
Whether you’re looking for a spooky tale, a trip down memory lane, fascinating nonfiction or something a little offbeat, Atlanta booksellers are sharing their recommendations to make your fall reading list a little more interesting.
Screen adaptations
Charles Robinson, a co-owner of Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, said many readers enjoy revisiting titles they may have first come across when they were younger and noticing how the book hits differently at a later stage of life.
He recommends “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck and “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry, both of which have upcoming screen adaptations that are sure to bring the stories back into conversation in a new way.
Huff also suggests Homer’s classic “The Odyssey” and the Jane Austen staple “Pride and Prejudice,” which also have recent highly anticipated adaptations on the screen.
New releases
New books this fall that Annell Garcia Gerson, co-owner of Bookmiser in Marietta, said have captured their readers’ attention include Ariel Lawhon’s “The Pirate Queen,” an adventure novel inspired by the true story of a 16th century Irish sea captain; John Green’s “Hollywood, Ending” that explores themes of fame and celebrity culture; and Barbara Kingsolver’s “Partita,” which won the John Steinbeck Award in October.
Alice Hoffman’s “The Witches of Cambridge” which dips into magical realism and political oppression; and Jodi Picoult’s “Hollow Bones” focusing on a government bureaucrat who is trying to make the world safer after losing her mother in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when she was only an infant, also make Gerson’s list.
And current books Huff describes as “still selling like crazy among all customers” include spring releases “The Calamity Club,” the Kathryn Stockett novel set in 1930s Mississippi; and “Whistler,” Ann Patchett’s novel exploring how brief seasons can shape entire lives.
Virginia Evans’ “The Correspondent,” a 2025 novel told through notes and emails from its aging protagonist as she processes her life, is another fan favorite. Matt Dinniman’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl” science fantasy; and Shelby Van Pelt’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures” account of a 70-year-old woman forming a surprising connection with an intelligent octopus are two others that make Huff’s list.
Georgia authors
One nonfiction new release Robinson especially recommends is J. Tom Morgan’s “A Rainy Night in Georgia.” The book tells the true story of the early 2000s murder of a newly elected sheriff and Morgan’s role as the district attorney prosecuting the case.
Huff noted other new or still popular releases by Georgia authors include “Kin” by Atlanta author Tayari Jones, whose novel follows two friends as their lives unfold in the Jim Crow-era American South; the crime fiction thriller “The Secrets We Hide” by Atlantan Karin Slaughter; and “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi, who grew up in Columbus, Georgia.
“So many of our wonderful Georgia authors have put out new books recently,” Gerson said. “You can’t go wrong reading (Jonathan W.) Jordan’s newest book, ‘Ike and Winston: World War, Cold War, and an Extraordinary Friendship,’ Ann Hite’s book about Leo Frank’s wife, ‘I Am a Georgia Girl,’ (and) Atlanta History Center’s book, ‘Atlanta in 100 Objects: A Century of Stories.’”
Senior stars
Gerson said that while Bookmiser serves customers of all ages, the majority of its book club members are over 55.
That trend is reflected in the ongoing interest in “Theo of Golden,” a novel about an elderly Portuguese widower and the connections he makes in a small Southern town.
“For those wanting books with mature characters, I love recommending ‘The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife,’ (which is) like Theo but funny, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ series by Richard Osman, ‘Mad Mabel’ by Sally Hepworth, ‘Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk’ by Kathleen Rooney, ‘Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books’ by Kirsten Miller and ‘Killers of a Certain Age’ by Deanna Raybourn, to name a few,” Gerson said.
Bookmiser’s top-selling categories include suspense and thrillers, which fit the spooky spirit of fall, followed by popular fiction and domestic suspense.
But for many of the store’s older readers, books offer more than entertainment. Gerson said she has noticed a growing interest in stories that also teach them something new.
“I think a dramatic way our reading habits change is that seniors enjoy reading to learn, not just for entertainment,” Gerson said. “Discussions over books of historical fiction often begin with, ‘I never knew …’”