What is it like to be old?

Diana Athill made her reputation as a writer with the candour of her memoirs - her commitment, in her words, ‘to understand, to be aware, to touch the truth’. Written in her nineties, when she was free from any inhibitions she may have once had, she reflects frankly on the losses and occasionally the gains that old age can bring, and on the wisdom and fortitude required to face death.

A lively narrative filled with events, lovers and friendships, Somewhere Towards the End encapsulates the vibrant final decades of Athill’s life; the people and experiences that taught her to regret very little, to resist despondency and always question the beliefs and customs of your own generation.