The unforgettable cross country journey of a runaway couple in their twilight years determined to meet the end of all roads on their own terms—a major motion picture from Sony Pictures Classics starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.The Robinas have shared a wonderful life for more than sixty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and John has Alzheimer’s. Yearning for one … for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed “down-on-their-luck geezers” kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives and steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery.
With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their ‘78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they’re having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, you can go back for seconds—even when everyone says you can’t.
“The Leisure Seeker is pretty much like life itself: joyous, painful, moving, tragic, mysterious, and not to be missed.”—Booklist, starred review
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This story is about an elderly couple Ella and John Robinas. John has Alzheimer’s and Ella has cancer. So far Ella has been able to manage John herself, but now that she has cancer, she is scared that if she does before John, it will only make his mental state even worse and their adult children will be forced to put him in a nursing home.
Ella …
Entertaining narrative of a mostly happily married couple facing the challenges of aging. This narrative covering their final vacation trip is both entertaining and heartbreaking. The characters are endearing as they reminisce and their spats and conversation ring true to real life.
Loved the story of how it might for so many older couples in this day and time. Handled each issue usually with humor, although it also broke your heart. The ending was a surprise and very sad to me. But her note to her children was beautiful.
At times frustrating and at other times quite funny. He has dementia, she has cancer. They both know their time is limited; their final chapter in this life. They take a trip in their rickety old motor home, nicknamed “the leisure seeker.” They aren’t done with life quite yet.
Very realistic , ending was expected, choice should be rspected.
Excellent book about elderly people with serious health problems who decide to go out their way rather than spend there last days in pain in a hospital with wires and tubes attached to them. Should be read by everyone over 65 and all doctors.
I couldn’t read this book fast enough. Loved it.
Fantastic journey through the pain and loss of aging – and a reminder that even those who are elderly and ill need to be permitted to chart their own course. The book was funny and profound and I could not put it down.
This was a very heart warming story about two married people who are facing personal tragic end. They embark on one last adventure together.
This is a book that’s haunting my mind. Amazing that a rather young man could write so realistically in first person as a middle class 90 year old woman from Detroit. Both funny and heartbreaking but the end felt peace for both parties.
I’m sorry to see that the film had placed them in the northeast on a quest to the Keys rather than Route 66. …
I really liked this book. Being a senior citizen, I loved this couple taking charge of their own lives and acting on the decisions they make. I had compassion for their children but cheered their folks on to a perfect conclusion.
A realistic end of life story.
I liked this book. As an older person myself it hits a little too close to home.
Having a spouse with cognitive issues, I found this book insightful & entertaining.
I thought this was a heart warming book about two people who love each other n decide their fate