Old Fogies, Unite!

One of the things that will happen to all of us, if we are lucky, is that we will grow old. In Old Fogies, Unite!, author, Sam Almond, takes a humorous and witty look at what happens if you are lucky enough to reach the age of 90 and beyond. In the introduction, and having reached the grand age of 90 himself, the author tells us what he believes constitutes an old fogey and in so doing, has devised an amusing system for categorising different levels of old fogey, or, as they are referred to in the book, ‘OF’s’. For example, if you are over 90, you are a bona fide OF, if you reach the grand age of 100 or over, you are a super OF! If you manage to reach 120, then you are an unbelievable OF! This sets the theme for the book which looks at each day as a stepping stone to gaining more knowledge and experience whatever your age. The author takes a tongue-in-cheek look at where old fogies reside and gives the reader several tips, including a suggestion to count the number of rooms in the house (including the WC) and then make sure you have that number of pairs of spectacles so that you can put one in every room. There are quips, quotes and insights which introduce a new comedy genre: elder humour. Generational vocabulary gaps, miscommunications, preoccupation with health and comforts, foibles, disguises (for ageing), even physical limitations – all can have their funny sides when we’re laughing at ourselves and this is exactly what this book sets out to achieve.