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The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
A masterful, moving novel about age, memory, and family from one of the true literary icons of our time.
Ptolemy Grey is ninety-one years old and has been all but forgotten-by his family, his friends, even himself-as he sinks into a lonely dementia. His grand-nephew, Ptolemy's only connection to the outside world, was recently killed in a drive-by shooting, and Ptolemy is too suspicious of anyone else to allow them into his life. until he meets Robyn, his niece's seventeen-year-old lodger and the only one willing to take care of an old man at his grandnephew's funeral.
But Robyn will not tolerate Ptolemy's hermitlike existence. She challenges him to interact more with the world around him, and he grasps more firmly onto his disappearing consciousness. However, this new activity pushes Ptolemy into the fold of a doctor touting an experimental drug that guarantees Ptolemy won't live to see age ninety- two but that he'll spend his last days in feverish vigor and clarity. With his mind clear, what Ptolemy finds-in his own past, in his own apartment, and in the circumstances surrounding his grand-nephew's death-is shocking enough to spur an old man to action, and to ensure a legacy that no one will forget.
In The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Mosley captures the compromised state of his protagonist's mind with profound sensitivity and insight, and creates an unforgettable pair of characters at the center of a novel that is sure to become a true contemporary classic.
Ptolemy Grey is ninety-one years old and has been all but forgotten-by his family, his friends, even himself-as he sinks into a lonely dementia. His grand-nephew, Ptolemy's only connection to the outside world, was recently killed in a drive-by shooting, and Ptolemy is too suspicious of anyone else to allow them into his life. until he meets Robyn, his niece's seventeen-year-old lodger and the only one willing to take care of an old man at his grandnephew's funeral.
But Robyn will not tolerate Ptolemy's hermitlike existence. She challenges him to interact more with the world around him, and he grasps more firmly onto his disappearing consciousness. However, this new activity pushes Ptolemy into the fold of a doctor touting an experimental drug that guarantees Ptolemy won't live to see age ninety- two but that he'll spend his last days in feverish vigor and clarity. With his mind clear, what Ptolemy finds-in his own past, in his own apartment, and in the circumstances surrounding his grand-nephew's death-is shocking enough to spur an old man to action, and to ensure a legacy that no one will forget.
In The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Mosley captures the compromised state of his protagonist's mind with profound sensitivity and insight, and creates an unforgettable pair of characters at the center of a novel that is sure to become a true contemporary classic.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2010
About the author
Walter Mosley
161 books3,607 followersWalter Mosley (b. 1952) is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins, as well as numerous other works, from literary fiction and science fiction to a young adult novel and political monographs. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Nation, among other publications. Mosley is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, a Grammy, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,442 reviews
April 2, 2022
The Poetry of Old Age
A controversial interpretation of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey: Certain lives matter more than others; some of those lives are Black; and they may even be annoying and useless. Nevertheless they matter more because they know what matters.
A less controversial interpretation of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey: If poetry is the vigourous coercion of words to fit with reality, then the poetry of old age is the hardest to write, not because of too few words but because of too much reality. Old folk have too much memory; this overwhelms speech. There are simply too many connections that can’t be communicated to the young. The connections might make sense to others; but these others are all dead; and it wasn’t necessary to explain things to them in words anyway.
Just at the point when everything begins to make sense in life, when the world and one’s role in it are most coherent, when the interpretation of one’s past becomes honest, just then language becomes useless. This causes confusion, but only because it is a kind of divine revelation: words always got in the way. It was words that opened the way to trouble and hate and misery and death. The white man’s words, the bully’s words, the words of anyone in authority, have always mattered more - on the street, in the law, in your own head. But old age knows what matters: “God don’t care what they did to you. What he care about is what you did.” Words don’t matter.
There is only one thing that old people must do, properly or not: they die. “A man only got to do one thing to set him apart. A man only got to do one thing right,” says Ptolemy. This is part of the revelation that allows them to leave words behind. It’s the words that are important to abandon because money is words, reputation is words, promises and lies are words. So leaving words behind leaves all that and more. This may be frustrating for other people but it is liberating for those who know how to die well. This matters greatly.
A controversial interpretation of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey: Certain lives matter more than others; some of those lives are Black; and they may even be annoying and useless. Nevertheless they matter more because they know what matters.
A less controversial interpretation of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey: If poetry is the vigourous coercion of words to fit with reality, then the poetry of old age is the hardest to write, not because of too few words but because of too much reality. Old folk have too much memory; this overwhelms speech. There are simply too many connections that can’t be communicated to the young. The connections might make sense to others; but these others are all dead; and it wasn’t necessary to explain things to them in words anyway.
Just at the point when everything begins to make sense in life, when the world and one’s role in it are most coherent, when the interpretation of one’s past becomes honest, just then language becomes useless. This causes confusion, but only because it is a kind of divine revelation: words always got in the way. It was words that opened the way to trouble and hate and misery and death. The white man’s words, the bully’s words, the words of anyone in authority, have always mattered more - on the street, in the law, in your own head. But old age knows what matters: “God don’t care what they did to you. What he care about is what you did.” Words don’t matter.
There is only one thing that old people must do, properly or not: they die. “A man only got to do one thing to set him apart. A man only got to do one thing right,” says Ptolemy. This is part of the revelation that allows them to leave words behind. It’s the words that are important to abandon because money is words, reputation is words, promises and lies are words. So leaving words behind leaves all that and more. This may be frustrating for other people but it is liberating for those who know how to die well. This matters greatly.
June 16, 2022
My GR friend, Will Byrnes, once observed: “Time is a strange thing. We think of it as linear, this happened, then that, and after that something else. We measure it with instruments large and small, slice and dice it up into pieces from eons to ages, millennia to centuries, decades, years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, milliseconds, nanoseconds and god knows what else, and order our lives around it more often than not. But sometimes the personal experience of time, particularly where it intersects with memory, can soften the hard lines that separate this time from that.”
Ptolemy Grey is at that point (over 90 years old) when the past conflates with the present. Not only are certain events of the past uppermost in his mind; he often cannot focus on the present or what someone is saying to him. When he can, he frequently finds that he hasn’t a way to reach the words he needs to respond.
Just old age? Dementia? Some chemical imbalance? Not getting the nourishment he needs? Ptolemy lives alone in an apartment that has slid into disrepair. He sleeps under the dining room table. His toilet hasn’t worked so he uses a local café for his needs. I don’t want to tell you much more about the plot; I’d rather spend a little time sharing what I felt was remarkable about Mosley’s approach to this subject.
If you live as long as Ptolemy, you might have to struggle with a broad and deep family tree that includes great grand nephews and nieces. Keeping track of those “significant others” would be a challenge for anyone when you don’t see them much, if at all.
Mosley lets Ptolemy do most of the telling of this story and we share his pain, fears and frustration as he tries to go about his life beset by memories of childhood traumas, life choices, the real danger of being robbed or beaten, and a brain that just isn’t doing its job. It is with this burden that he tries to understand the reason why his favorite great nephew is no longer around and what happened to a “treasure” that he promised to take care of.
I have read and enjoyed many of Mosley’s literary creations, but Ptolemy Grey is one of the most memorable. Not only does Mosley give us a way to feel what most of us will never experience (being black, over ninety years old and with the onset of dementia), but he has crafted a plot full of characters that are just enough exotic to keep the story moving along.
When a young woman comes into his life to help Ptolemy get things in order we don’t know whether she can accomplish that or whether she is like many others who just want to take something from this old man. When an unorthodox doctor offers Ptolemy a chance to regain his full faculties for a while, we empathize with Ptolemy as he decides whether he can “make a pact with the devil.”
If you conclude that I am skirting around the plot, you are correct. I want it to be your personal experience. Mosley is rightly known for his richly-detailed characters (mostly people of color) and his masterful use of language. If you have already read some of his novels about L.A., this one has quite a different feel, though we are still talking about a city that is racist and violent and confounding in its sections of poverty.
Mosley hasn’t lost any of his anger or skill at social commentary. But this story is brilliant and unique in its willingness to explore the issues at a life’s waning moments. It makes for a great start of a discussion of diminished capabilities.
Ptolemy Grey is at that point (over 90 years old) when the past conflates with the present. Not only are certain events of the past uppermost in his mind; he often cannot focus on the present or what someone is saying to him. When he can, he frequently finds that he hasn’t a way to reach the words he needs to respond.
Just old age? Dementia? Some chemical imbalance? Not getting the nourishment he needs? Ptolemy lives alone in an apartment that has slid into disrepair. He sleeps under the dining room table. His toilet hasn’t worked so he uses a local café for his needs. I don’t want to tell you much more about the plot; I’d rather spend a little time sharing what I felt was remarkable about Mosley’s approach to this subject.
If you live as long as Ptolemy, you might have to struggle with a broad and deep family tree that includes great grand nephews and nieces. Keeping track of those “significant others” would be a challenge for anyone when you don’t see them much, if at all.
Mosley lets Ptolemy do most of the telling of this story and we share his pain, fears and frustration as he tries to go about his life beset by memories of childhood traumas, life choices, the real danger of being robbed or beaten, and a brain that just isn’t doing its job. It is with this burden that he tries to understand the reason why his favorite great nephew is no longer around and what happened to a “treasure” that he promised to take care of.
I have read and enjoyed many of Mosley’s literary creations, but Ptolemy Grey is one of the most memorable. Not only does Mosley give us a way to feel what most of us will never experience (being black, over ninety years old and with the onset of dementia), but he has crafted a plot full of characters that are just enough exotic to keep the story moving along.
When a young woman comes into his life to help Ptolemy get things in order we don’t know whether she can accomplish that or whether she is like many others who just want to take something from this old man. When an unorthodox doctor offers Ptolemy a chance to regain his full faculties for a while, we empathize with Ptolemy as he decides whether he can “make a pact with the devil.”
If you conclude that I am skirting around the plot, you are correct. I want it to be your personal experience. Mosley is rightly known for his richly-detailed characters (mostly people of color) and his masterful use of language. If you have already read some of his novels about L.A., this one has quite a different feel, though we are still talking about a city that is racist and violent and confounding in its sections of poverty.
Mosley hasn’t lost any of his anger or skill at social commentary. But this story is brilliant and unique in its willingness to explore the issues at a life’s waning moments. It makes for a great start of a discussion of diminished capabilities.
March 26, 2011
"PHENOMENAL"! This is my first Walter Mosley book. Wow, I am left speechless with teared filled eyes because I too love Ptolemy. I can say I love him just as much as Robin, if not more. It's been a long time since I've been able to connect with multiple characters in a story. I felt, while listening, like I knew these people personally and I was an invisible person with them on the bus, visiting Neicy, or visiting the Jewish Lawyer. Also, that I was there drinking tea with the antiques dealer and sitting on the couch with Mr. Grey as he gave Al his "gold coin". This was, for me, story telling at it's best. I was completely engrossed and engaged in the story. I didn't want it to end. I am reflective of our duty to assist and love our Nations Elders and how a little love and attention goes a long way.
I listened to the audio version of this "INCREDIBLE" work. I don't know if my opinion of the book would be any different if I read it and not listened however, I do know with certainty that listening to Ptolemy in an Elder's voice made the story come alive. It was exceptional. That voice gave remembrance to all the Elder men in my life that I love. I felt and not just heard the greed of the family members who believed they deserved what they didn't. I felt the fear with Ptolemy when he was confused and couldn't speak of what he wanted to do or say. I knew in my own heart, as Mr. Grey knew in his, that Robin meant him no harm and that she loved him. I just can't say enough. My wish is that everyone could read this endearing story. If there is only one book that you pick up this year to read know with "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" you will get a great read, a good learning, and a few tears.
I listened to the audio version of this "INCREDIBLE" work. I don't know if my opinion of the book would be any different if I read it and not listened however, I do know with certainty that listening to Ptolemy in an Elder's voice made the story come alive. It was exceptional. That voice gave remembrance to all the Elder men in my life that I love. I felt and not just heard the greed of the family members who believed they deserved what they didn't. I felt the fear with Ptolemy when he was confused and couldn't speak of what he wanted to do or say. I knew in my own heart, as Mr. Grey knew in his, that Robin meant him no harm and that she loved him. I just can't say enough. My wish is that everyone could read this endearing story. If there is only one book that you pick up this year to read know with "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" you will get a great read, a good learning, and a few tears.
March 9, 2018
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley is a love story that manages to be both robust and forlorn---because of the characters, the times, the milieu. Somehow it is about family and keeping promises even though many words, bodies, spirits, and bloodlines have suffered through battering times and have not triumphed.
Ptolemy Grey is a 91 year old black man who---suffering dementia---struggles to re-coup the singular lost memory that will allow him to die in peace. His compassionate and unlikely companion in this quest is 17 year old Robyn---a great grand niece who is related to him by circumstances and not blood.
The story takes place in Los Angeles; the characters flawed but not unlikable; the dialogue and movement make this book a natural page-turner but the distillation of Ptolemy’s dementia, his memories and feelings of those memories juxtaposed to his aging body and fleeting mind are portrayed in language crafted with tenderness. Still, this tale is told with plenty of vinegar and a few drizzles of honey.
Occasionally one of the characters will get caught with a huge chunk of philosophy that doesn’t quite fit in their mouth, but this is easily forgiven.
Ptolemy Grey is a 91 year old black man who---suffering dementia---struggles to re-coup the singular lost memory that will allow him to die in peace. His compassionate and unlikely companion in this quest is 17 year old Robyn---a great grand niece who is related to him by circumstances and not blood.
The story takes place in Los Angeles; the characters flawed but not unlikable; the dialogue and movement make this book a natural page-turner but the distillation of Ptolemy’s dementia, his memories and feelings of those memories juxtaposed to his aging body and fleeting mind are portrayed in language crafted with tenderness. Still, this tale is told with plenty of vinegar and a few drizzles of honey.
Occasionally one of the characters will get caught with a huge chunk of philosophy that doesn’t quite fit in their mouth, but this is easily forgiven.
April 11, 2022
Having first read this over four years ago, the second time around is a blessing. A long time fan of Mosley, he departs from his usual detective stories, and spins a tale about Ptolemy Grey, a 91 year old old black man suffering with dementia, loss and in many instances, living in the past.
Driven by themes of love forgiveness and compassion, Ptolemy's love for his deceased Uncle Coy due to the wisdom he shared with "Lil Pea" as a child echoes throughout the story. Nicknamed Coy Dog, his insights serve as an anchor that keeps Grey floating.
Papa Grey is in miserable shape when he first encounters Robyn, a seventeen year old girl who unlike her family, dwells in her heart. Born in a broken home, she'd been living with her Aunt Niecie until she meets 'Uncle' where instant connection surprises them both. As the story unfolds, we get glimpses into Grey's past which is filled with remarkable adventures with Coy Dog. Among them, Coy's acquisition of treasures which he eventually hands over to Ptolemy.
Rather than fill this with spoilers, suffice it to say it's extraordinary. Inspiring, it restores faith in humanity with unique characters, plot and pace. The Apple series is on par though like most adaptations differs which strikes me as unusual since Mosley wrote the teleplay!
Highly recommended on all accounts.
Driven by themes of love forgiveness and compassion, Ptolemy's love for his deceased Uncle Coy due to the wisdom he shared with "Lil Pea" as a child echoes throughout the story. Nicknamed Coy Dog, his insights serve as an anchor that keeps Grey floating.
Papa Grey is in miserable shape when he first encounters Robyn, a seventeen year old girl who unlike her family, dwells in her heart. Born in a broken home, she'd been living with her Aunt Niecie until she meets 'Uncle' where instant connection surprises them both. As the story unfolds, we get glimpses into Grey's past which is filled with remarkable adventures with Coy Dog. Among them, Coy's acquisition of treasures which he eventually hands over to Ptolemy.
Rather than fill this with spoilers, suffice it to say it's extraordinary. Inspiring, it restores faith in humanity with unique characters, plot and pace. The Apple series is on par though like most adaptations differs which strikes me as unusual since Mosley wrote the teleplay!
Highly recommended on all accounts.
August 19, 2021
I can't even begin to describe this book. It's so much deeper than the plot implies. It's so moving and incredibly powerful.
Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old and hes dying. His family has mostly forgotten with the exception of his grand nephew Reggie. Ptolemy is suffering from dementia and he often confuses the past and the present. One day Reggie stops coming by and he later learns that Reggie is dead. At Reggie's funeral he meets 17 year old Robyn and the two quickly become inseparable. With Robyn, Ptolemy is able to get some enjoyment out of his final days.
In less talented hands Ptolemy and Robyn's relationship would be weird but in Walter Mosley's hands the pair are so sweet. Ptolemy and Robyn are part family, part friends, part soul mates.
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is one of those books that I think I'll reread many many times. It feels like the type of book that will hit different each and every time I read it.
I highly recommend this book and just Walter Mosley as an author.
January 2, 2011
The 'Last Days of Ptolemy Grey' is without a doubt one of the best books I have read in a very long time.I picked it up on a whim, and was captivated from the beginning, quickly getting caught up in the life and misty mind of Ptolemy. From the chaos, fear, and betrayal of the opening pages to the poignant ending, Mosely had my attention trough deft use of language, detail, and especially dialogue.
Ptolemy Grey is a man nearing the end of his life. His mind is a misty mixture of old stories from the past, current events from the ever-present television and radio, and a murky recognition of his surroundings. At the wake of his closest relative, he meets Robyn, a seventeen year old orphan, who sweeps into his life and cleans out the squalor while still leaving him diginty. They come to depend upon one another, taking care each other; eventually Ptolemy makes a decision that will both shorten and enrich his life, and allow him to care for her forever.
Though I'd often heard of Mosely, of course, this is the first novel of his that I've read. It won't be the last. His characterizations are achingly real and sharp, and the pace of the story is quick, allowing us a look into a proud man's last days, a glimpse at his past, and hope for the future... all without bogging down in detail at any point. No scene seems cavalierly added; this is obviously a carefully crafted, carefully plotted book. I also admire his dialogue. Ptolemy, his young friend, Robyn, and even greedy Neicie come to life through voices that sound authentic.
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey' is a quick read--277 pages--but not a light read. I found myself stopping to think about many scenes, and I can see that it will definitely be a book I read again.
Ptolemy Grey is a man nearing the end of his life. His mind is a misty mixture of old stories from the past, current events from the ever-present television and radio, and a murky recognition of his surroundings. At the wake of his closest relative, he meets Robyn, a seventeen year old orphan, who sweeps into his life and cleans out the squalor while still leaving him diginty. They come to depend upon one another, taking care each other; eventually Ptolemy makes a decision that will both shorten and enrich his life, and allow him to care for her forever.
Though I'd often heard of Mosely, of course, this is the first novel of his that I've read. It won't be the last. His characterizations are achingly real and sharp, and the pace of the story is quick, allowing us a look into a proud man's last days, a glimpse at his past, and hope for the future... all without bogging down in detail at any point. No scene seems cavalierly added; this is obviously a carefully crafted, carefully plotted book. I also admire his dialogue. Ptolemy, his young friend, Robyn, and even greedy Neicie come to life through voices that sound authentic.
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey' is a quick read--277 pages--but not a light read. I found myself stopping to think about many scenes, and I can see that it will definitely be a book I read again.
November 25, 2012
How many of us wonder how long we’ll live and if we’ll ever get so old we lose the ability to care for ourselves? Perhaps we’ve watched a loved one slowly disappear into the grip of dementia, or watched someone’s life support be shut off. Or simply woken up one day and become shocked at the small and crumbling creature a parent or grandparent has turned into.
Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old and in the moderate stages of dementia. This strange book is told from his perspective as disgruntled family members attempt to help him shop and pay bills while Ptolemy lives in filth and confusion. Ptolemy’s uncertainty about who is who, what he’s doing and in what time he’s living created a chaos to the narrative that I thought was going to be annoying. It ends up being touching and frightening.
Can it really be that someday I will be this old and this reduced?
Robyn is 17 and “If I were fifty years younger and you twenty years older I would marry you”. She takes on the task of cleaning and caring for Ptolemy and her mere presence in his world awakens love and desire.
The book takes a disturbing turn when Ptolemy decides to partake in an experimental drug that will restore his memory and cognitive abilities for just a few weeks. The side effect is death. I wondered…would I do the same? Quality of life over quantity? A small pocket of dignity over a prolonged but inevitable fate?
The story reads quickly and entertainingly and left me sad.
Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old and in the moderate stages of dementia. This strange book is told from his perspective as disgruntled family members attempt to help him shop and pay bills while Ptolemy lives in filth and confusion. Ptolemy’s uncertainty about who is who, what he’s doing and in what time he’s living created a chaos to the narrative that I thought was going to be annoying. It ends up being touching and frightening.
Can it really be that someday I will be this old and this reduced?
Robyn is 17 and “If I were fifty years younger and you twenty years older I would marry you”. She takes on the task of cleaning and caring for Ptolemy and her mere presence in his world awakens love and desire.
The book takes a disturbing turn when Ptolemy decides to partake in an experimental drug that will restore his memory and cognitive abilities for just a few weeks. The side effect is death. I wondered…would I do the same? Quality of life over quantity? A small pocket of dignity over a prolonged but inevitable fate?
The story reads quickly and entertainingly and left me sad.
February 22, 2011
The two-star rating was generous. I'm bitter because I had such high hopes for this book, and the further along it progressed, the more disappointed I became.
The first three discs (of seven) really held my attention. I was so touched by the elderly man who suffered from dementia and was trying to survive on his own, the family who tries to help him but end up taking advantage of his social security checks, the sweet young girl who befriends him and turns his life around... Then it became corny.
Fist, I just couldn't suspend disbelief enough to buy the whole "buried treasure" bit. Really? You're living in squalor and yet you just happen to have a hidden treasure worth millions? Doubt it.
Second, the "devil" doctor who temporarily cures his dementia: the premise had potential, but the author executed it poorly.
Third, I quickly grew tired of hearing how great Robyn's legs were. And Robyn loves Papa Grey and Papa Grey loves Robyn more than anything in the world, and if he were 50 years younger he'd marry her. I GET IT and got it the first 100 times they blathered on about it.
Fourth, the whole "Since I'm going to die anyway, I may as well avenge my nephew's death" bit is old. No creativity.
By disc seven, I was counting down the tracks, waiting for him to croak. Major bummer.
The first three discs (of seven) really held my attention. I was so touched by the elderly man who suffered from dementia and was trying to survive on his own, the family who tries to help him but end up taking advantage of his social security checks, the sweet young girl who befriends him and turns his life around... Then it became corny.
Fist, I just couldn't suspend disbelief enough to buy the whole "buried treasure" bit. Really? You're living in squalor and yet you just happen to have a hidden treasure worth millions? Doubt it.
Second, the "devil" doctor who temporarily cures his dementia: the premise had potential, but the author executed it poorly.
Third, I quickly grew tired of hearing how great Robyn's legs were. And Robyn loves Papa Grey and Papa Grey loves Robyn more than anything in the world, and if he were 50 years younger he'd marry her. I GET IT and got it the first 100 times they blathered on about it.
Fourth, the whole "Since I'm going to die anyway, I may as well avenge my nephew's death" bit is old. No creativity.
By disc seven, I was counting down the tracks, waiting for him to croak. Major bummer.
May 19, 2015
Mosley's consistently eloquent and soulful writing is perfect for this tale told from the point of view of a 91-year old man who is pulled from the depths of dementia in his final days, is inspired to recapture life and love, and ultimately come to grips with painful memories from his past. It was refreshing and eye-opening to follow a protagonist that is almost never featured in books, the extreme elderly. Many of us forget that a man over 90 years old can have the same desires, the same worries, and the same ambitions as the rest of us. And to witness Ptolemy's active transformation and discovery of a new purpose in life was a joy. Wonderful book. Mosley rarely disappoints and deserves much more acclaim.
January 24, 2023
"Ptolemy dawdled over this thought a moment. Here he was, sitting on a folding chair in his home after years of sadness and careless loss. His mind had fallen in on itself like an old barn left unmended and untended through too many seasons."
You cannot judge a book by its cover! Run to the library...search the bookstores...look online. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a page-turner and a heart-tugger.
I am thrilled that my Book Club chose this book written by Walter Mosley. I became immersed in the story and 91-year-old Ptolemy Grey's life...dementia, family, the past, the present. Compelled to find out what was happening next, I kept turning the pages.
I totally enjoyed this beautiful meditation on love, dementia, frailty and old age.
"He could see the old confusion hovering above his crown, waiting to settle back on him like a venomless smothering snake around its prey."
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You cannot judge a book by its cover! Run to the library...search the bookstores...look online. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a page-turner and a heart-tugger.
I am thrilled that my Book Club chose this book written by Walter Mosley. I became immersed in the story and 91-year-old Ptolemy Grey's life...dementia, family, the past, the present. Compelled to find out what was happening next, I kept turning the pages.
I totally enjoyed this beautiful meditation on love, dementia, frailty and old age.
"He could see the old confusion hovering above his crown, waiting to settle back on him like a venomless smothering snake around its prey."
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 11, 2011
In The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Walter Mosley takes us into the feeble mind of a 91-year-old black man. Ptolemy lives alone, almost crowded out of his apartment by a lifetime’s worth of stuff, and largely forgotten by his family except for his great-grandnephew. When the young man is killed in a drive-by shooting, Ptolemy is left in the care of the stunning, yet underage Robyn, a family friend.
Robyn cleans Ptolemy’s apartment and helps him with his errands, but more importantly, sees the man inside the shell. Something his well-meaning great-grandnephew never did. She values him, even though he has been cast aside by society at large. She is “wild and violent” but “sweet and loving.” She becomes his muse, guiding him to fulfill his higher purpose.
In this kind of novel, characterization is king and subtle characterization at that. It’s layers upon delicate layers like the phyllo dough of a baklava. Our protagonist is the very definition of unreliable. His thought process is jumbled. He lives in a haze, and Mosley wisely has the narrator in a state of confusion also, so the reader can’t get a clear beat on Ptolemy, just as it would be in real life. When a family member takes him to the bank to cash checks, he thinks he’s being swindled. Is it true or is it just the faulty memory of a dementia-addled mind? Mosley walks the fine line between perception and reality. How does he make you care about Ptolemy, yet not feel sorry for him? That’s what makes Walter Mosley a master.
Ptolemy is given an opportunity not afforded anyone else. He is the perfect candidate to take an experimental drug that will relieve his dementia, but shorten his life to mere weeks. With his newfound lucidity comes more of his past and an urgency to follow through on a promise made to his Mississippi childhood friend and amateur philosopher Coydog McCann. One lovely Coydog gem: ”The great man say that life is pain…That mean if you love life, then you love the hurt come along wit’ it. Now, if that ain’t the blues, I don’t know what is.” Another: “Money ain’t the root of all evil…They’s some people need money before love or laughter. All you can do is feel sorry for someone like that…Rich man is the man live in his own skin.”
If you’ve read some of my other reviews, you know how I feel about writing in dialect. It is so rarely needed and it is so often poorly executed. The only time it works is when the reader can hear the dialect in his or her head as natural speech patterns thereby not removing the reader from the story to “translate.” A character’s word choice can convey just as much, if not more, than dialect. Robyn says to Ptolemy, talking about a photograph, “Let me put that away someplace safe so we can take it to the drug sto’ copycat to see if they can make a good print of it.” The use of the word “copycat” instead of copier, reveals something about her character, more so than the “sto’” for store. Sometimes Mosley takes the dialect a bit too far (“wif” for with), but what a minor thing in an engaging, brave book.
Why should you read about an old man who, for most of the book, can’t escape his own mind? Because at the heart of this story are the universal truths of true love, fulfilling one’s destiny and validation. Ptolemy is the AARP version of Huckleberry Finn – a character you won’t soon forget.
Robyn cleans Ptolemy’s apartment and helps him with his errands, but more importantly, sees the man inside the shell. Something his well-meaning great-grandnephew never did. She values him, even though he has been cast aside by society at large. She is “wild and violent” but “sweet and loving.” She becomes his muse, guiding him to fulfill his higher purpose.
In this kind of novel, characterization is king and subtle characterization at that. It’s layers upon delicate layers like the phyllo dough of a baklava. Our protagonist is the very definition of unreliable. His thought process is jumbled. He lives in a haze, and Mosley wisely has the narrator in a state of confusion also, so the reader can’t get a clear beat on Ptolemy, just as it would be in real life. When a family member takes him to the bank to cash checks, he thinks he’s being swindled. Is it true or is it just the faulty memory of a dementia-addled mind? Mosley walks the fine line between perception and reality. How does he make you care about Ptolemy, yet not feel sorry for him? That’s what makes Walter Mosley a master.
Ptolemy is given an opportunity not afforded anyone else. He is the perfect candidate to take an experimental drug that will relieve his dementia, but shorten his life to mere weeks. With his newfound lucidity comes more of his past and an urgency to follow through on a promise made to his Mississippi childhood friend and amateur philosopher Coydog McCann. One lovely Coydog gem: ”The great man say that life is pain…That mean if you love life, then you love the hurt come along wit’ it. Now, if that ain’t the blues, I don’t know what is.” Another: “Money ain’t the root of all evil…They’s some people need money before love or laughter. All you can do is feel sorry for someone like that…Rich man is the man live in his own skin.”
If you’ve read some of my other reviews, you know how I feel about writing in dialect. It is so rarely needed and it is so often poorly executed. The only time it works is when the reader can hear the dialect in his or her head as natural speech patterns thereby not removing the reader from the story to “translate.” A character’s word choice can convey just as much, if not more, than dialect. Robyn says to Ptolemy, talking about a photograph, “Let me put that away someplace safe so we can take it to the drug sto’ copycat to see if they can make a good print of it.” The use of the word “copycat” instead of copier, reveals something about her character, more so than the “sto’” for store. Sometimes Mosley takes the dialect a bit too far (“wif” for with), but what a minor thing in an engaging, brave book.
Why should you read about an old man who, for most of the book, can’t escape his own mind? Because at the heart of this story are the universal truths of true love, fulfilling one’s destiny and validation. Ptolemy is the AARP version of Huckleberry Finn – a character you won’t soon forget.
February 15, 2022
What is the weight of a life? What is the cost of ones memories? Do our thoughts and actions make us human or are we human in spite of them? Man o man what a wonderful creation this tale from the incomparable Mr Mosley is. A deeply moving rumination on the horrible cruelty and boundless beauty woven throughout these crazy lives of ours. Simply outstanding.
5 Brilliantly Shining Stars
5 Brilliantly Shining Stars
December 6, 2023
I usually am a huge Walter Mosley fan and have read several of his works over the years. Quite a few of my friends recommended this book to me, and while it was vintage Mosley with an interesting sci fi, time travel theme that reminded me of Octavia Butler’s "Kindred"- it didn’t land quite as well with me as I would’ve hoped.
Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old; his memory is fading fast. He gets a new lease on life after he meets the vivacious and caring Robyn, who is 17- and gets the opportunity of a lifetime to settle a past score when given a chance to fix his memories. There’s Dr. Rubin, Niecie, Sensia, and Coydog who are all part of his memories that shift in and out of reality.
I couldn’t help but feel creeped out when Ptolemy, a 91-year-old man would tell Robyn his sexual feelings towards her- and even more creeped out when she would reciprocate with her own feelings too. I’m glad much of this was just talk between them because I would have really thought the novel as plain old perversion and have forgotten that Mosley is really quite the storyteller. His worlds capture a modern Los Angeles that is dystopic and fading, of sad sunsets and dark hushed skies. He writes with a lot of love between his characters, similarly akin to what James McBride does as well.
Postscript: I only found out there's an acclaimed miniseries based on "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" starring Samuel L. Jackson and Dominique Fishback. I learned that one of my favorite directors, Ramin Bahrani is one of the directors, as is legendary choreographer and dancer Debbie Allen. I have been fortunate to have seen Mr. Jackson in a production of "The Piano Lesson" directed by his wife, Latanya Richardson Jackson last year. I saw that she is also involved with the producing team. Bahraini, Allen, Richardson Jackson- three artists I adore, and respect involved with this series? Of course, I'll watch it.... someday! Must read first!
Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old; his memory is fading fast. He gets a new lease on life after he meets the vivacious and caring Robyn, who is 17- and gets the opportunity of a lifetime to settle a past score when given a chance to fix his memories. There’s Dr. Rubin, Niecie, Sensia, and Coydog who are all part of his memories that shift in and out of reality.
I couldn’t help but feel creeped out when Ptolemy, a 91-year-old man would tell Robyn his sexual feelings towards her- and even more creeped out when she would reciprocate with her own feelings too. I’m glad much of this was just talk between them because I would have really thought the novel as plain old perversion and have forgotten that Mosley is really quite the storyteller. His worlds capture a modern Los Angeles that is dystopic and fading, of sad sunsets and dark hushed skies. He writes with a lot of love between his characters, similarly akin to what James McBride does as well.
Postscript: I only found out there's an acclaimed miniseries based on "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" starring Samuel L. Jackson and Dominique Fishback. I learned that one of my favorite directors, Ramin Bahrani is one of the directors, as is legendary choreographer and dancer Debbie Allen. I have been fortunate to have seen Mr. Jackson in a production of "The Piano Lesson" directed by his wife, Latanya Richardson Jackson last year. I saw that she is also involved with the producing team. Bahraini, Allen, Richardson Jackson- three artists I adore, and respect involved with this series? Of course, I'll watch it.... someday! Must read first!
February 25, 2021
A deeply thoughtful and provocative novel about an old man who is desperately trying to speak the words he once knew. Mosley’s portrayal of Ptolemy’s dementia is well handled, even his foggy and random thoughts in the beginning are an easy read.
January 8, 2016
Well. It's an understatement to say that was not what I was expecting.
Despite being pretty short in page count, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a pretty sluggish read. At first it's difficult to get through the foggy style of Ptolemy's dementia-filtered point of view and used to reading in dialect, which I've always found to be far more difficulty than it's worth. Once I got used to all of that, there were certainly compelling elements to keep me reading--decoding Ptolemy's character through the haze became an interesting exercise, and I was concerned for him more than once, poor man sandwiched between those who take advantage of him and those who are in a position to.
But then, once the drug plot device is introduced, it's tough to get through the same few sentences hammered in a million different times. Fever, devil, twenty years older, etc. etc. The plot starts moving faster, and the dementia's gone, but it doesn't become any easier to slog through the prose. All the potential built in Ptolemy's character is squandered on a disappointingly simplified combination of being independently wealthy and ruthlessly vengeful. There's certainly tons of "lit major" ammo here--I could write seven papers with my eyes shut--but I didn't find it readable, just analyzable.
Stylistically unique enough to be polarizing, I find myself reading through positive reviews simply shrugging and thinking "They all see something in this that I didn't." I'm willing, therefore, to give Last Days the benefit of the doubt-I don't think it's a bad book, I just think that it's not the right kind of book to speak to me.
If you're not familiar with the author, and are coming into Last Days cold like I was, just be forewarned that the dust jacket has sort of painted this very stylized book with a deceptively broad-appeal brush.
Despite being pretty short in page count, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a pretty sluggish read. At first it's difficult to get through the foggy style of Ptolemy's dementia-filtered point of view and used to reading in dialect, which I've always found to be far more difficulty than it's worth. Once I got used to all of that, there were certainly compelling elements to keep me reading--decoding Ptolemy's character through the haze became an interesting exercise, and I was concerned for him more than once, poor man sandwiched between those who take advantage of him and those who are in a position to.
But then, once the drug plot device is introduced, it's tough to get through the same few sentences hammered in a million different times. Fever, devil, twenty years older, etc. etc. The plot starts moving faster, and the dementia's gone, but it doesn't become any easier to slog through the prose. All the potential built in Ptolemy's character is squandered on a disappointingly simplified combination of being independently wealthy and ruthlessly vengeful. There's certainly tons of "lit major" ammo here--I could write seven papers with my eyes shut--but I didn't find it readable, just analyzable.
Stylistically unique enough to be polarizing, I find myself reading through positive reviews simply shrugging and thinking "They all see something in this that I didn't." I'm willing, therefore, to give Last Days the benefit of the doubt-I don't think it's a bad book, I just think that it's not the right kind of book to speak to me.
If you're not familiar with the author, and are coming into Last Days cold like I was, just be forewarned that the dust jacket has sort of painted this very stylized book with a deceptively broad-appeal brush.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2011
Simplicity is a powerful weapon, and often times less truly is more. The title of this book serves as partial synopsis. To flesh it out I will add that Ptolemy Grey is nearly 92 years of age and suffering from dementia that leaves him in a helpless state. He's at the sad stage where he won't even turn off his television or radio which simultaneously play 24/7 because he surely won't remember how to turn them back on. When the grandnephew who visits periodically to check on him is killed and a less good hearted relative replaces him, the final act of Ptolemy's life starts to undergo a transformation. He eventually finds himself with a new roommate who cleans up the pile of filth he lives in without messing with his sacred memories. In fact, his memory and faculties are restored by a doctor's experimental medicine. The medicine is sure to reduce the number of Ptolemy's remaining days but also makes them worth living, allowing him to put his affairs in order, to finish up plans that had been laid to rest, to administer justice as he sees fit, and to remember for awhile what it feels like to love and be loved. This is a beautiful story told by a master craftsman.
April 11, 2019
This story is stunning in what I feel is its authentic presentation of the ways in which a human mind works when it is plagued with memory issues and, likely, mental health issues in the form of depression. The reader is taken on this journey through the story's protagonist, 91-year-old Ptolemy Usher Grey.
As a reader, I felt some of the frustration that the character did, all the while rooting for him to be able to come out on the other side. The sad truth is is that in life dementia may be prevented from progressing for a period of time, but it cannot be turned back or prevented from worsening with time. Here the author has created a solution that is truly a double-edged sword. I won't spoil this part for you -- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is definitely worth reading and experiencing for yourself.
As a reader, I felt some of the frustration that the character did, all the while rooting for him to be able to come out on the other side. The sad truth is is that in life dementia may be prevented from progressing for a period of time, but it cannot be turned back or prevented from worsening with time. Here the author has created a solution that is truly a double-edged sword. I won't spoil this part for you -- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is definitely worth reading and experiencing for yourself.
October 28, 2023
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. CD by Walter Mosley.
This was so lovely. I just can't recommend it enough. A refreshingly realistic story of an elderly man living his last days with a care giver, Robyn, who genuinely has sincere concerns for his well being. This author merits a badge of honor as a story teller first class. Wonderfully read and brought to life by Dominic Hoffman.
File this under my favorites.
This was so lovely. I just can't recommend it enough. A refreshingly realistic story of an elderly man living his last days with a care giver, Robyn, who genuinely has sincere concerns for his well being. This author merits a badge of honor as a story teller first class. Wonderfully read and brought to life by Dominic Hoffman.
File this under my favorites.
June 11, 2012
This is one of the best books I've ever read that I didn't want to end. If you get a chance to listen to it, I would highly recommend it. I could listen to this book over and over and I don't say that about every book. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves to read.
September 21, 2020
I'm going to call this a sentimental story, one of those with GREAT meaning, and sadness, and hopefulness, and all of that. Sorry if this sounds maudlin, as I know this book is a favorite of so many, just how I feel.
Ptolemy Grey is old, 91-years old, and feeling it. In early dementia - and it is early as I know dementia personally, having lived through it with my mother, who incidentally, passed away at 91. Anyhow, Ptolemy is confused, living in a small, dirty and cluttered apartment, dependent on a great-nephew, Reggie, to take care of him, somewhat. (Personally, I don't think Reggie did that great of a job as the apartment is filthy, filled with roaches, mice and other vermin, and a clogged-up toilet, unusable kitchen, etc.) But right at the start of the book Reggie is killed, leaving Ptolemy with almost no one, that is unless you count the witchy drug addict who lives across the street who makes a habit of insulting, assaulting and stealing from Ptolemy on a regular basis.
Three stars.
Ptolemy Grey is old, 91-years old, and feeling it. In early dementia - and it is early as I know dementia personally, having lived through it with my mother, who incidentally, passed away at 91. Anyhow, Ptolemy is confused, living in a small, dirty and cluttered apartment, dependent on a great-nephew, Reggie, to take care of him, somewhat. (Personally, I don't think Reggie did that great of a job as the apartment is filthy, filled with roaches, mice and other vermin, and a clogged-up toilet, unusable kitchen, etc.) But right at the start of the book Reggie is killed, leaving Ptolemy with almost no one, that is unless you count the witchy drug addict who lives across the street who makes a habit of insulting, assaulting and stealing from Ptolemy on a regular basis.
Three stars.
July 26, 2024
Three months to finish but I truly believe it could have taken thirty and I wouldn't have forgotten a thing. The book moved me throughout but it was the next to last paragraph that finally saw me crack. Man, oh man, this is going to the favorites.
"double-u ara eye en gee"
"Her hair was tied back and her eyes saw things that he wanted to see."
"'At some time it come to you that you only thinkin’ ’bout the past', Coy had once said to him. 'When you young you think about tomorrow, but when you old you turn your eyes and ears to yesterday.'"
"'The great man say that life is pain,' Coydog had said over eighty-five years before. 'That mean if you love life, then you love the hurt come along wit’ it. Now, if that ain’t the blues, I don’t know what is.'"
"double-u ara eye en gee"
"Her hair was tied back and her eyes saw things that he wanted to see."
"'At some time it come to you that you only thinkin’ ’bout the past', Coy had once said to him. 'When you young you think about tomorrow, but when you old you turn your eyes and ears to yesterday.'"
"'The great man say that life is pain,' Coydog had said over eighty-five years before. 'That mean if you love life, then you love the hurt come along wit’ it. Now, if that ain’t the blues, I don’t know what is.'"
March 3, 2012
What a wonderful read! The story tugged at my heart throughtout. Ptolemy Usher Grey's last days were filled with confusion, frustration, fear, love, hate, good, evil, revenge and in the end peace. This was a heart breaking story that warmed my heart at the same time.
February 22, 2011
Ptolemy Grey is a ninety-one-year-old man suffering from progressive dementia, but insists on living independently in his squalid apartment. His home is a veritable biology experiment, as the mold and filth has not been cleaned in months, maybe years. Ptolemy urinates in a can because the bathroom is uninhabitable; he uses the diner down the street for the sit-down chore. He remembers pieces of his youth, enough to know there is a treasure and a secret in his past.
At home, the TV news blares 24/7 and competes with the classical and jazz music on the pumped up volume of the radio. The resultant commotion of sounds kindles Ptolemy's confusion, but occasionally serves to unearth pieces of his past or inspire epiphanies. When he walks the streets of this run-down, poor, and sometimes perilous neighborhood, he encounters the personal hazards of the forgotten and the forgetting. One vulgar woman invariably ambushes him, and beats him until she gets his money. Family members often subvert him with their dissembling.
When the comely, young, and earnest Robyn comes to help him, to scrub his dwelling to a habitable sheen, and accompany him on all his excursions, Ptolemy begins a surprising and rejuvenating end to his life that reads like a contemporary fable. Mosley imagines a drug that will restore Ptolemy's mind, but with consequences. Sort of a twist on Flowers for Algernon but with foreknowledge.
This is my first Mosely book, but I am keen to read some more and get into the woolly mind of this half-Jewish, half-black author, who is skilled with storytelling and witty with vernacular. He characterizes, with an economy of words, his black protagonist's experience in a white man's world, but he doesn't back down from exploring Ptolemy's rollicking family--the black man's experience in his own culture. And he does it with empathy and levity. There's no racial grandstanding; the author is too capable for that.
Mosley's assured opening is filled with visual and linguistic cues, placing me right at the scene and into the action, allowing me to quickly amass Ptolemy's precarious existence and his forceful but vulnerable nature. He gives us a contoured and unconventional portrait of a man's twilight days. The novel gradually evolved into something a bit more precious than its irascible beginning, but I was satisfied overall. The story will recede over time for me, but Ptolemy Grey will continue to resonate.
At home, the TV news blares 24/7 and competes with the classical and jazz music on the pumped up volume of the radio. The resultant commotion of sounds kindles Ptolemy's confusion, but occasionally serves to unearth pieces of his past or inspire epiphanies. When he walks the streets of this run-down, poor, and sometimes perilous neighborhood, he encounters the personal hazards of the forgotten and the forgetting. One vulgar woman invariably ambushes him, and beats him until she gets his money. Family members often subvert him with their dissembling.
When the comely, young, and earnest Robyn comes to help him, to scrub his dwelling to a habitable sheen, and accompany him on all his excursions, Ptolemy begins a surprising and rejuvenating end to his life that reads like a contemporary fable. Mosley imagines a drug that will restore Ptolemy's mind, but with consequences. Sort of a twist on Flowers for Algernon but with foreknowledge.
This is my first Mosely book, but I am keen to read some more and get into the woolly mind of this half-Jewish, half-black author, who is skilled with storytelling and witty with vernacular. He characterizes, with an economy of words, his black protagonist's experience in a white man's world, but he doesn't back down from exploring Ptolemy's rollicking family--the black man's experience in his own culture. And he does it with empathy and levity. There's no racial grandstanding; the author is too capable for that.
Mosley's assured opening is filled with visual and linguistic cues, placing me right at the scene and into the action, allowing me to quickly amass Ptolemy's precarious existence and his forceful but vulnerable nature. He gives us a contoured and unconventional portrait of a man's twilight days. The novel gradually evolved into something a bit more precious than its irascible beginning, but I was satisfied overall. The story will recede over time for me, but Ptolemy Grey will continue to resonate.
March 27, 2012
Ever read a book that you don't want to end, but you can't stop reading it? Well, that was The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey for me. Mosley's writing is as wonderful as ever and there were some laugh-out-loud moments but this is a deeply moving book about Ptolemy Grey, an old man who had not fought against the dying of the light until the beautiful and very young Robyn comes into his life.
Ptolemy is 92 and has become a recluse surrounded by the usual clutter of a hoarder which has made his apartment almost unlivable. He has a perfectly good bedroom but is sleeping under a table because it's full of the things he can't let go of, including his dead wife's belongings. Life has become somewhat misty for Ptolemy who gets lost in memories of his childhood and his friendship with the amazing Coydog and doesn't have a very tight grip on the present. Then the great-grandnephew who was looking out for him is killed and Ptolemy is taken to the funeral where he meets Robyn who, as he says, is one of those rare people who doesn't look like anyone else he's ever known.
They form the most unlikely of friendships and she becomes like a daughter and yet a chaste girlfriend to me (you'd have to read the book but it's not in the least bit icky). Robyn's interest in him spurs him on to discover who really killed his greatnephew (or whatever he was).
The way Mosley captured Ptolemy's thought processes was wonderful and I believe he got it exactly right.
Ptolemy is 92 and has become a recluse surrounded by the usual clutter of a hoarder which has made his apartment almost unlivable. He has a perfectly good bedroom but is sleeping under a table because it's full of the things he can't let go of, including his dead wife's belongings. Life has become somewhat misty for Ptolemy who gets lost in memories of his childhood and his friendship with the amazing Coydog and doesn't have a very tight grip on the present. Then the great-grandnephew who was looking out for him is killed and Ptolemy is taken to the funeral where he meets Robyn who, as he says, is one of those rare people who doesn't look like anyone else he's ever known.
They form the most unlikely of friendships and she becomes like a daughter and yet a chaste girlfriend to me (you'd have to read the book but it's not in the least bit icky). Robyn's interest in him spurs him on to discover who really killed his greatnephew (or whatever he was).
The way Mosley captured Ptolemy's thought processes was wonderful and I believe he got it exactly right.
November 7, 2012
“Old man like me don’t have no first blue sky or thunderstorm or kiss. Old man like me don’t laugh at the taste of a strawberry or smell his own stink and smile…My world is made outta ash and memories, broken bones and pain.” I love this strange novel; I was totally transported to another world—one of senility and poverty. Old Ptolemy Grey lives in his fading memories, in a run-down unkempt home in the ghetto, and in relationship with his few remaining family members. Through tragedy and a dash of magical realism, Ptolemy gains back his memory, his clarity and his vigor setting into motion the most satisfying revenge and unexpected May-September love story I’ve read. There are so many triumphant moments! Here is Ptolemy expressing his admiration for his young savior, Robyn, “You pretty, but pretty alone’s not what people see. You the kinda pretty, the kinda beauty, that’s like a mirror. Men an’ women see themselves in you, only now they so beautiful that they can’t bear to see you go.”
May 31, 2022
Walter Mosley did a phenomenal job displaying how dementia takes hold of a person’s mind and with showing older adult life in a way that wasn’t patronizing.
My only gripe is the blurred lines he portrays with Robin and Ptolemy’s relationship.
I’m curious how this book will be handled as it is transferred into a tv series by Apple TV.
My only gripe is the blurred lines he portrays with Robin and Ptolemy’s relationship.
I’m curious how this book will be handled as it is transferred into a tv series by Apple TV.
October 24, 2016
3.5 stars
September 8, 2017
Siz bakmayın kitabın adında saygıdeğer olduğuna Ptolemy Grey o kadar saygı uyandıran biri değil. Çünkü hem çok yaşlı hem de bir afro-amerikalı. Böyle birinin herkes tarafından sevilmeyeceği ve herkes tarafından saaygı görmeyeceği kesin. Romanda da onu koşulsuz sevebilen üç kişi var: Coydog, Reggie ve Robyn. Ama ben kendimi de bu listeye ilave ediyorum, dört olduk. Tüm bu söylediklerimden sonra romanı herkes okumasın istiyorum. İçinde ayrıştırıcı ve ötekileştirici anlayışların tohumlarını barındıranlara bu kitap hitap etmiyor çünkü.
Ya��lılık edebiyatta daha önce bu kadar iyi anlatılmış mıydı hatırlamıyorum. Animal Triste gibi başarılı bir roman vardı ama o yaşlılıktan ziyade geriye dönüşler sayesinde geçmişi işliyordu. Yine okuduğum Asya adlı roman da bu türdendi. Bu romanda da geriye dönüşler var ama daha ziyade yaşlı bir insanın hayatına odaklanıyor. Aklıma sinemadan başarılı örnekler geliyor bir de. Marcello Mastroianni'nin başrolde oynadığı Giuseppe Tornatore filmi Herkesin Keyfi Yerinde ile Art Carney'e Oscar ödülü kazandıran benim favori filmlerimden Harry ve Tonto geliyor. Romana dönersek, böyle bir romanı ancak yaşlı bir yazabilir diye düşünüyorsunuz. Ama doksan birlik Grey dedeye hayat veren Walter Mosley romanını ellili yaşlarda yazıyor.
Hem deneyim abidesi olmak hem de çocuklaşmak. Beklendiği gibi artık sadece hatıralarda, geçmişte yaşamak. İşte bu ruh hallerini başarılı bir şekilde sunmuş roman.
Bir yaşlı için en büyük sıkıntı hatırlamamaktır. Tıp için de yaşlılar çoğu zaman birer denektir. Tıp bilimi bu bakımdan tüm riskleri göze alması karşılığında hafıza açıcı bir ilacı Grey amca üzerinde denemek ister.
Ayrıca da yazar betimleme ve açıklamalardan ziyade karakterleri konuşturduğu için biz okurların merak duygusu roman ilerledikçe kamçılanıyor. Diyalogla anlatmak hem zor hem de riskli bir iştir bence. Ama ben hiçbir çelişki, bütünlüğü bozan en küçük bir ayrıntı bile göremedim. Bu bakımdan Mosley'i bir diyalog ustası kabul ediyor Orhan Kemal ile aynı kategoriye dahil ediyorum.
Afro-amerikalı olmak ayrı bir dert. Hayatta çok sevdiği iki kişi büyük dedesi Coydog ile bakımını üstlenmiş olan Reggie'nin beyaz adam tarafından vurulduğunu düşünüyor Ptolemy Grey. Neyse ki Reggie'den sonra on yedi yaşındaki genç kız Robyn, Ptolemy'nin hayatına girmiştir. Romanın şimdisi ise bu birbirinden uzak bu iki kuşağın dostluğu şeklinde devam eder. Yaşlı adamın genç kızın bacaklarına bakmamak için verdiği çaba bizi gülümsetirken, kırk yıl daha genç olsaydı Robyn ile evleneceğine kanaat getirir Ptolemy dede. Son olarak da spoiler olmak istemiyorum ama romanın sonunda bizi bekleyen bir sürpriz olduğunu söylemek istiyorum..
Ya��lılık edebiyatta daha önce bu kadar iyi anlatılmış mıydı hatırlamıyorum. Animal Triste gibi başarılı bir roman vardı ama o yaşlılıktan ziyade geriye dönüşler sayesinde geçmişi işliyordu. Yine okuduğum Asya adlı roman da bu türdendi. Bu romanda da geriye dönüşler var ama daha ziyade yaşlı bir insanın hayatına odaklanıyor. Aklıma sinemadan başarılı örnekler geliyor bir de. Marcello Mastroianni'nin başrolde oynadığı Giuseppe Tornatore filmi Herkesin Keyfi Yerinde ile Art Carney'e Oscar ödülü kazandıran benim favori filmlerimden Harry ve Tonto geliyor. Romana dönersek, böyle bir romanı ancak yaşlı bir yazabilir diye düşünüyorsunuz. Ama doksan birlik Grey dedeye hayat veren Walter Mosley romanını ellili yaşlarda yazıyor.
Hem deneyim abidesi olmak hem de çocuklaşmak. Beklendiği gibi artık sadece hatıralarda, geçmişte yaşamak. İşte bu ruh hallerini başarılı bir şekilde sunmuş roman.
Bir yaşlı için en büyük sıkıntı hatırlamamaktır. Tıp için de yaşlılar çoğu zaman birer denektir. Tıp bilimi bu bakımdan tüm riskleri göze alması karşılığında hafıza açıcı bir ilacı Grey amca üzerinde denemek ister.
Ayrıca da yazar betimleme ve açıklamalardan ziyade karakterleri konuşturduğu için biz okurların merak duygusu roman ilerledikçe kamçılanıyor. Diyalogla anlatmak hem zor hem de riskli bir iştir bence. Ama ben hiçbir çelişki, bütünlüğü bozan en küçük bir ayrıntı bile göremedim. Bu bakımdan Mosley'i bir diyalog ustası kabul ediyor Orhan Kemal ile aynı kategoriye dahil ediyorum.
Afro-amerikalı olmak ayrı bir dert. Hayatta çok sevdiği iki kişi büyük dedesi Coydog ile bakımını üstlenmiş olan Reggie'nin beyaz adam tarafından vurulduğunu düşünüyor Ptolemy Grey. Neyse ki Reggie'den sonra on yedi yaşındaki genç kız Robyn, Ptolemy'nin hayatına girmiştir. Romanın şimdisi ise bu birbirinden uzak bu iki kuşağın dostluğu şeklinde devam eder. Yaşlı adamın genç kızın bacaklarına bakmamak için verdiği çaba bizi gülümsetirken, kırk yıl daha genç olsaydı Robyn ile evleneceğine kanaat getirir Ptolemy dede. Son olarak da spoiler olmak istemiyorum ama romanın sonunda bizi bekleyen bir sürpriz olduğunu söylemek istiyorum..
April 18, 2018
Walter Mosley (b. 1952) is best known as a writer of African American noir featuring his lead character, Easy Rawlins. After reading the Rawlins novel "Devil in a Blue Dress", I found this recent Mosley novel, "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey". Unlike the Rawlins series, "Ptolemy Grey" is not genre literature. Rather the book is a study of its 91 year old title character who suffers from dementia and who is able to come to a sense of purpose and a feeling of love and responsibility late in life. Learning to be a man, in this novel, is not the same thing as growing old.
The novel is set in contemporary Los Angeles, but it shifts repeatedly in Grey's mind between this setting and Grey's life as a boy in rural Mississippi eighty years earlier. As a boy of 5, Grey watched in horror as a young girl playmate died in a fire at her home. Grey has difficulty forgiving himself for not entering the burning home and rescuing her. As a child, Grey had an older friend, Coy, who took the boy hunting and fishing, to brothels, and imparted his view of life to the child as a mentor. Grey witnessed the cruel lynching of Coy after Coy had stolen an enormous sum of money from a vicious white plantation owner. Coy gave the money to Grey before his lynching with instructions to use it wisely and Grey has kept the stolen treasure buried in his apartment for all the many years. Grey had a mixed relationship with his wife, Sensia which has also haunted him over the years. He loved her dearly while being tormented by her infidelities. With these and other matters from the past, Grey receives the opportunity to understand himself late in life.
The plot develops slowly with substantial indirection and foreshadowing. Mosley cunningly offers the reader an opaque summary of the end of the story before he proceeds with the beginning. Grey suffers from dementia, loss of memory, and difficulty of speech. At the beginning of the story, he lives alone in a small, foul apartment which has not been cleaned for years. Grey's wife, Sensia died of a stroke in the apartment more than 20 years before the story begins, and Grey has let it run down ever since. Grey is alone, tormented by a neighborhood woman who mugs him, and tended only by a nephew named Reggie. When Reggie becomes absent for several days, another young man and distant relative, Hilly, comes for Ptolemy and, after cheating him, takes him to his relative's home where Grey learns that Reggie has been killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving his niece without a husband and her two young children fatherless.
At the home, Grey meets and befriends a 17-year old girl, Robyn who lives with Grey's kin but is not related to them or to him. There is an immediate attraction between the 91 year old man and the 17 year old which hints of veering into the sexual but develops into a close friendship and ultimately into a father-daughter type of relationship. Robyn cleans Grey's filthy apartment and brings him a reason for living. At the same time, Grey befriends woman closer to his own age, Shirley Wring.
Much of the story turns on the deepening relationship and trust that develops between Grey and Robyn. As the story proceeds, Grey receives an opportunity to take an untested drug which will restore his memory temporarily at the cost of radically shortening his life. Grey uses the opportunity presented to him, to strengthen his human ties to Robyn and to Shirley, to provide for his family, and to come to terms with his life. As did Coy many years earlier, Grey takes matters into his own hands and is willing to engage in wrongdoing for what he
perceives as a larger sense of justice.
The primary characters, Grey, Robyn, and Coy, are well-developed. As with Mosley's noir novels, the book offers an excellent sense of place and scene, both of Los Angeles and of the Mississippi of Grey's childhood. Some of the individual scenes are highly moving and thoughtful, such as Grey's enigmatic encounter at the age of 7 with a southern minister who learns a difficult lesson from the young African American child. Coy's rather obscure teachings, which Grey keeps in the recesses of his mind, also are intriguing in themselves and play a pivotal role in Grey's late awakening. A moving, well-told story about the power of love and redemption, "Ptolemy Grey" shows that Mosley is far more than a writer of noir.
Robin Friedman
The novel is set in contemporary Los Angeles, but it shifts repeatedly in Grey's mind between this setting and Grey's life as a boy in rural Mississippi eighty years earlier. As a boy of 5, Grey watched in horror as a young girl playmate died in a fire at her home. Grey has difficulty forgiving himself for not entering the burning home and rescuing her. As a child, Grey had an older friend, Coy, who took the boy hunting and fishing, to brothels, and imparted his view of life to the child as a mentor. Grey witnessed the cruel lynching of Coy after Coy had stolen an enormous sum of money from a vicious white plantation owner. Coy gave the money to Grey before his lynching with instructions to use it wisely and Grey has kept the stolen treasure buried in his apartment for all the many years. Grey had a mixed relationship with his wife, Sensia which has also haunted him over the years. He loved her dearly while being tormented by her infidelities. With these and other matters from the past, Grey receives the opportunity to understand himself late in life.
The plot develops slowly with substantial indirection and foreshadowing. Mosley cunningly offers the reader an opaque summary of the end of the story before he proceeds with the beginning. Grey suffers from dementia, loss of memory, and difficulty of speech. At the beginning of the story, he lives alone in a small, foul apartment which has not been cleaned for years. Grey's wife, Sensia died of a stroke in the apartment more than 20 years before the story begins, and Grey has let it run down ever since. Grey is alone, tormented by a neighborhood woman who mugs him, and tended only by a nephew named Reggie. When Reggie becomes absent for several days, another young man and distant relative, Hilly, comes for Ptolemy and, after cheating him, takes him to his relative's home where Grey learns that Reggie has been killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving his niece without a husband and her two young children fatherless.
At the home, Grey meets and befriends a 17-year old girl, Robyn who lives with Grey's kin but is not related to them or to him. There is an immediate attraction between the 91 year old man and the 17 year old which hints of veering into the sexual but develops into a close friendship and ultimately into a father-daughter type of relationship. Robyn cleans Grey's filthy apartment and brings him a reason for living. At the same time, Grey befriends woman closer to his own age, Shirley Wring.
Much of the story turns on the deepening relationship and trust that develops between Grey and Robyn. As the story proceeds, Grey receives an opportunity to take an untested drug which will restore his memory temporarily at the cost of radically shortening his life. Grey uses the opportunity presented to him, to strengthen his human ties to Robyn and to Shirley, to provide for his family, and to come to terms with his life. As did Coy many years earlier, Grey takes matters into his own hands and is willing to engage in wrongdoing for what he
perceives as a larger sense of justice.
The primary characters, Grey, Robyn, and Coy, are well-developed. As with Mosley's noir novels, the book offers an excellent sense of place and scene, both of Los Angeles and of the Mississippi of Grey's childhood. Some of the individual scenes are highly moving and thoughtful, such as Grey's enigmatic encounter at the age of 7 with a southern minister who learns a difficult lesson from the young African American child. Coy's rather obscure teachings, which Grey keeps in the recesses of his mind, also are intriguing in themselves and play a pivotal role in Grey's late awakening. A moving, well-told story about the power of love and redemption, "Ptolemy Grey" shows that Mosley is far more than a writer of noir.
Robin Friedman
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