Looking For Some Characters With Life Experience

I love the podcast Books on the Nightstand and listen to it faithfully every week. Usually I have my blogs posts planned ahead of time so that I can't write about a topic they have recently covered.  But this week I had a free day on my calendar, and was intrigued enough by the conversation that Mike and Anne talked about to explore it a little myself.

As I am getting older I have noticed the lack of older female characters in books.  And I have often read a book with a character who is fifty plus years old and thought of giving this book to my mom to read as she is looking for herself represented in literature.

I also want to note that simply because a character is below or above my current age, does not mean I won't, or shouldn't, read a certain book.  I read widely and enjoy characters who are as different from me as characters in whom I can see myself.  

The above eight books are ones I've enjoyed in the past.  They are guaranteed winners, even if you aren't looking for an older protagonist.  However, it took me a while to come up with this list, so now I'm on the lookout. What have I forgotten?  Other great books out there with older/more experienced characters?