'Elroy Nights' brings us into the world of Elroy, a contemplative artist and professor in his fifties, as he navigates the complexities of middle age. Amidst a midlife crisis, Elroy and his wife Clare decide to live separately, an arrangement that sees Elroy plunge into new experiences alongside his much younger students. As he finds renewed passion and reenchantment, an unexpected tragedy forces Elroy to reassess his life and the lives of those around him. Set against the backdrop of the American South, this novel by Frederick Barthelme delves into personal transformation and the human condition with warmth, wit, and profound insight.