Pops and the Nearly Dead

When Randolph St John Goodenough's neglectful parents relocate to Bangkok, he is unceremoniously dumped with his grandfather, Pops, at Nelson Mandela Gardens Retirement Village in Port Elizabeth. However, what looks certain to be three months of interminable boredom with a bunch of nearly dead people turns out to be far more interesting than Randolph could ever have imagined. The novel explores the lonely and often frightening business of growing old, seen through the compassionate eyes of a teenager. It also celebrates the agonies of a young boy negotiating his way through being in love for the first time.