Reaching 80 and with five books and numerous articles published, I thought that maybe I should put my feet up and my pen down. But it didn't happen. Squeeze out one more book, implored by brain. About real people, real stories.I went back over essays I started writing 20 years ago, added some new ones and in 2014 published my sixth book, "Life Up Close, a Memoir" from Dog Ear Publishing. It has 23 essays on subjects familiar to most everyone: family, travel, friends, food, religion, study, even cats and barbers. Memorable people in each story. The book is illustrated with 14 old and new photos.My previous books include: "In Jewish Texas, a Family Memoir," "Perfect Mondays," "In the Steps of Mister Proust," Living Alone Creatively: How Twelve People Do It", and in 2010 "Ten Ways to Your Cat's Happiness: A Novel," designated Editor's Choice by the publisher iUniverse, Inc. An author video was made to promote the last book; see it on YouTube.I was born and raised in Texas, went away to Northwestern University and then Hunter College in New York City, where I've lived for many years.Starting in 2014 I've published blog posts in Huffington Post.I hope you'll follow me on Huffington, Facebook, Twitter, and at my website:www.stanleyely.com