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  • The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

  • By: Walter Mosley
  • Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
  • Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)
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The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey cover art

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

By: Walter Mosley
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
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Summary

A masterful, moving novel about age, memory, and family from one of the literary icons of our time.

Coming in March 2022 from Apple Plus, a six-part series starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Ptolemy Grey is 91 years old and has been all but forgotten - by his family, his friends, even himself - as he sinks into a lonely dementia. His grand-nephew, Ptolemy's only connection to the outside world, was recently killed in a drive-by shooting, and Ptolemy is too suspicious of anyone else to allow them into his life. Until he meets Robyn, his niece's 17-year-old lodger and the only one willing to take care of an old man at his grandnephew's funeral.

But Robyn will not tolerate Ptolemy's hermitlike existence. She challenges him to interact more with the world around him, and he grasps more firmly onto his disappearing consciousness. However, this new activity pushes Ptolemy into the fold of a doctor touting an experimental drug that guarantees Ptolemy won't live to see age 92 but that he'll spend his last days in feverish vigor and clarity. With his mind clear, what Ptolemy finds-in his own past, in his own apartment, and in the circumstances surrounding his grand-nephew's death-is shocking enough to spur an old man to action, and to ensure a legacy that no one will forget.

In The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Mosley captures the compromised state of his protagonist's mind with profound sensitivity and insight, and creates an unforgettable pair of characters at the center of a novel that is sure to become a true contemporary classic.

©2010 Penguin Audio; 2010 Walter Mosley

Critic reviews

"Mosley's depiction of the indignities of old age is heartbreaking, and Ptolemy's grace and decency make for a wonderful character and a moving novel." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

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out by itself

I've been keen on Mr Mosley 's books since the early days of Easy and Mouse and ever since. His people are real with human motivations. Somehow I missed this one but the TV show pointed it out. Maybe the best yet. The plot hums along but Ptolemy and Robyn and the whole lot work and at times it's beautiful. Thank you.

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Listened after watching series

I watched Last Days Of Ptolemy Grey on Apple TV enjoyed it so much that I researched it and found out it was from a book and audio book so I brought this audio book as I can listen on the move to see how good it compared to series and can confidently say in my humble opinion they are both classics in their own right this book filled in many blanks and watching the series was also great as I saw how it was adapted for tv. I will listen to and watch both again I really enjoyed them and got emotional as I know people who are suffering with dementia and in a way understand what they say a lot more, good read and series to watch

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Moving, evocative and wonderfully narrated.

I enjoyed this so much I will listen to it again. I felt real sadness as it drew to a close because I felt as though I had come to know this man and he was beautiful. The narration is A*.

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Wonderful read

Beautiful, skillful narration of a brilliant book, can't recommend it highly enough, very moving and insightful about love. race, racism, age and all things human

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