Old People and the Things That Pass

"Old People and the Things That Pass" by Louis Couperus is a story that peeks into the hearts of an aging family as they face love, sadness, and the march of time. The story revolves around Ottilie, wrestling with growing old, her son Lot, who is about to marry Elly, and Ottilie’s husband, Steyn, showing us feelings of jealousy, being alone, and the hard work of staying close to those we care about. The book starts with Ottilie and Lot drinking coffee, talking about his upcoming marriage, and Ottilie struggling to hide her jealousy and sadness as she feels like she's losing her son. Their talk shows how worried Ottilie is about getting older and how things are changing in her family, especially her tricky relationship with Steyn; Lot, though loving, wonders why he even asked Elly to marry him, setting the stage for a closer look at family ties and the way time changes us all.