Ben Aitken is the author of four books, including The Gran Tour: Travels with my Elders, wherein Ben goes on six coach holidays across the UK and Europe with people twice and thrice his age – to see if he can learn a thing or two.
Good value aside, what Ben was really after was the company of his elders – those with more chapters under their belt, with the wisdom granted by experience, the candour gifted by time, and the hard-earned ability to live each day like it’s nearly their last.
A series of coach holidays ensued – from Scarborough to St Ives, Killarney to Lake Como – during which Ben attempts to shake off his thirty-something blues by getting old as soon as possible.
The Gran Tour was a Daily Mail ‘Book of the Week’, and, more importantly, was described by the author’s nan as ‘better than the last one’.
This event will be live at 2pm on Friday 22nd October.
About this event
Ben joins us to talk about motivation, intergenerational relations, the writing process, storytelling, what he learned from his elders, and his forthcoming book, The Marmalade Diaries, which is about living with an 85-year-old widow during lockdown.
Please send us your questions to put to Ben during this event, by emailing them to [email protected]
The Gran Tour is available to buy now.
Both moving and hilarious’ Spectator, Books of the Year
‘A tale of gloriously eccentric British pensioners. Aitken rivals Alan Bennett in the ear he has for an eavesdropped remark … boy, can he write.’ Daily Mail, Book of the Week
The Gran Tour is available to buy now