About the Book

A cross between Archie Bunker and Ralph Kramden, Ellie is an old-school New Yorker who has outlived his wife, his money, and his body. Angered and frustrated by his situation, he rejects all outside help (other than that of his youngest son) and sets out to prove he can still do it all by himself.

Author and Narrative

In Feet First, author Jamie Legon, Ellie's son, narrates the humorous but cautionary tale through the minefield that is Ellie's attempt at living alone at over ninety years of age. Incorporating facts and information about caregiving and elder issues, Jamie recalls the profound, disturbing, and enlightening experiences of caring for his father during Ellie's last years of life. He also shares the lessons he learned along the way about loving, giving, and forgiving— even if those truths only became clear after the fact.

Themes and Insights

This memoir takes a humorous and realistic look at some of the challenges of the human condition, exploring a journey that produced feelings of guilt, fear, angst, and anger, but that, in the end, provided Jamie with a new perspective on the challenges and rewards of caring for aging parents.