“I’m A Grumpy Old Man” By Billieu De Leon

“I’m a Grumpy Old Man” by Billieu de Leon is a slow paced story about the loneliness and isolation of an aging pensione who finds himself in a small, decaying, and run down French nursing home. The premise of the story is that, as he nears retirement, he wants to hang on to every last bit of his mental ability, especially since he feels like he’s getting worse. One of the characters, a young and apparently bright doctor, attempts to help him while other characters tease, taunt, and make fun of him. Eventually, his mental decline takes him to a mental institution where he meets with several other old men who share his problems. Eventually, he learns that all he has to do is to start believing in himself again.

I liked that the author chose to begin with a character who seems unbreakable and indestructible. He manages to make people forget that he once seemed like a superman and not like the man with the huge, scrawny physique. Instead, he seems like just another old man who is experiencing the end of his life. It is amazing that this man, who seems so uncoordinated and weak, is actually stronger than he looks. In this way, the writer makes you see him as a real person.

I also liked the little details in the book. I especially enjoyed seeing how much effort he put into keeping the interior design of his own home very appealing. This book wasn’t really a “mainstream” book, but it definitely didn’t feel like it was written by a mainstream writer either. It was more interesting than most biographies, and it kept me interested throughout. I will definitely read more about him, and hope that his story inspires others to be just as persistent and driven as he was.