Louise Welsh

Mind you, I think it was quite controversial at the time it was published.

I can imagine.

We've been talking about Summer by Edith Wharton.

And you're listening to A Good Read, where my guests today are Chris Brookmire and Louise Welsh.

Chris Brookmire, Memento Mori.

I think that's brilliant.

That's, yes, one of the old people.

Gene Taylor says that.

I love this book.

It's one of my favourite Muriel Sparks.

Well, I like a lot from that period.

I mean, this is enormously funny.

I find dark humour very funny and I laugh a lot with this book.

But it also is saying some very serious things, it seems to me, about old age.

I mean, particularly about how those who are less old, middle-aged or younger, how they treat the old and how they patronise them and tend to believe that anything they say is probably not true and that their minds are wandering.

And how easily the old can be bullied or even physically bullied, as happens in one instance in this book.

Even in the best of circumstances, as you've just read, Chris, all your friends are dying.

It is not easy being old.

I mean, I think it's making quite a serious point, isn't it?

I think it really is.