There’s something irresistible about friendships between older people and younger people. We all want a grandparent-type figure in our life to help guide us and mentor us. Sonny Kleinfield found such a pairing in “His Oldest Friend: The Story of an Unlikely Bond“.Elvis, a kid from the Dominican Republic who’s struggling to survive in New York City, meets Ms. Oliver, a wheelchair bound 93-year-old in the Jewish Home where she’s living. Somehow they form a friendship that is both timeless and precious. Elvis desperately needs someone who cares about him. Ms. Oliver needs companionship and someone to worry over. They both get what they need.

What you don’t get in this non-fiction read, is much plot or movement. Let’s face it, life in the nursing home is slow. And life in the hood, while faster paced, quickly becomes tedious to read about (how many times can you feel anxious for Elvis “almost” being hurt/shot/stabbed?).

Still, the story is touching, it’s just not a “can’t put it down” book.

For “can’t put it down” non-fiction, check out this list.