From Amazon:
Barnaby Gaitlin is one of Anne Tyler's most promising unpromising characters. At 30, he has yet to graduate from college, is already divorced and is used to defeat. His mother thrives on reminding him of his adolescent delinquency and debt to his family, and even his daughter is fed up with his fecklessness. Still, attuned as he is to "the normal quota for misfortune," Barney is one of the star employees of Baltimore's Rent-a-Back, Inc., which pays him an hourly wage to help old people (and one young agoraphobe) run errands and sort out their basements and attics. Anne Tyler makes you admire most of these mothball eccentrics (though they're far from idealised) and hope that they can stave off nursing homes and death.

Written from a male point of view, withe the excellent characterisation to be expected of Anne Tyler. I found this enjoyable and different.

Caught at the Edinburgh meetup. I heard something about Anne Tyler on the radio this week so I'll look forward to trying tjis. Thank you Heatherbells - good to meet you

A really splendid book! I loved the development and the wry analytical thoughts of the anti-hero Barnaby, who grew on me throughout the story. His observations on his ghastly family, and the delicate observations of the various elderly and mildly eccentric characters made this a really delightful read. I'll release it in Princes Street Gardens tomorrow, where I plan to sit and wait with refreshments for the walkers for the Medical Foundation on the Great Scottish Walk.

RELEASE NOTES:

On a bench near the stage