College Life of a Retired Senior: A Memoir of Perseverance, Faith, and Finding the Way

Yvonne Blackwood. LifeRich, $16 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-4897-4637-5

Blackwood (Into Africa) recounts her experiences attending Toronto’s York University at age 64 in this enchanting memoir. After retiring from a 37-year career with Canada’s Royal Bank, Blackwood—having already self-published a few memoirs and children’s books—joined the Writers’ Union of Canada. At a group meeting one afternoon, a woman encouraged Blackwood to study English to “add texture” to her writing. Blackwood took the suggestion to heart, resolving to complete an English degree at York University over the course of six years. Her penchant for preparedness is immediately clear, and immediately charming: before classes began, she shopped for her first-ever backpack, took pains to establish her best bus route to campus, and reread syllabi to ensure nothing slipped through the sieve of her aging memory. Classes on “The Bible in Modern Context” and the relationship between famous writers and their favorite drugs, which she initially took simply to amass credits, wound up expanding her horizons in unexpected directions. Despite the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic and a run-in with sarcoma (which was treated with successful surgery), Blackwood graduated magna cum laude in 2021. This inspiring account will resonate with learners of all ages.