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spaghettireads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Dementia
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
Minor: Infertility
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I can see why so many of my friends have read and liked this one. I was not familiar with Mike Gayle before; now I see he has written about 20 books in the UK. I listened to a little of the audiobook and it is fantastic. The full narration wasn’t available for a while from my library, so I mostly read a paperback copy. It was also a Target bookclub pick, so they have a version with some extra notes, but I found my copy from The Gloss bookclub had them also.
Like the title implies, this book is about a lonely, old man named Hubert Bird, an immigrant from Jamaica to London. I didn’t realize that in the 1950s, the British government encouraged West Indian people to move there because of a labor shortage. But, at the same time, people didn’t welcome them into their communities.
Such is the case with Hubert, who after he arrives is treated unfairly at his job and meeting someone is difficult until he meets Joyce. We get to know Hubert from being this young man until older age, with alternating chapters in the current Now of his life. We know his wife is not there, and his daughter Rose calls every week to check on him. For the last five years, he hasn’t kept up with any friends, but he has a journal with made up activities he does with friends, so she doesn’t think he is alone. When she tells him she is coming to visit in a few months, he considers what it would be like to have friends again and if he could make himself available in those ways again, especially after a friendly neighbor with a young daughter move in next door and need a friend.
I loved this book until the very end. I stayed up until 12:30 last night reading and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. I just felt like the last chapters rushed the ending and there were a couple parts I wondered more about . But it is such a lovely story of friendship and loneliness.
This one reminded me of: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and Meredith, Alone.
“And in that moment, as he attempted to stem his tears, Hubert realized something he hadn’t quite understood before now: he was lonely, really lonely, and most likely had been for a very long time.” P84
“After all, it was always easier to meet new people if there were two of you. It gave you confidence and made you feel at ease. Look, it said to the world, I already have one friend so I can’t be all that bad.” P51
“I know sometimes the world’s a horrible place, but not always. Sometimes it’s a lovely place where nice things happen for no reason and I’d much rather… live in that world than the other one.” P54
P98 making new friends “become more Ashleigh.”
“Rose watched the dilemma play out across her father’s features. The desire to protect her from the truth matched with the relief of no longer having to hide it.” P243
“And that’s the funny thing about life. Extraordinary things can happen to ordinary people like you and me, but only if we open ourselves up enough to let them be.” P359
“…one of the central questions of the book is, do you resign yourself to the fact that one day your life might be empty or try to fill it up with new friends and “family?” Q&A with author
“I wanted to examine a character’s story from beginning to end as a way of thinking about how people become lonely.”
Understanding history to write a modern day novel
Recommends watching BBC documentary Windrush
Like the title implies, this book is about a lonely, old man named Hubert Bird, an immigrant from Jamaica to London. I didn’t realize that in the 1950s, the British government encouraged West Indian people to move there because of a labor shortage. But, at the same time, people didn’t welcome them into their communities.
Such is the case with Hubert, who after he arrives is treated unfairly at his job and meeting someone is difficult until he meets Joyce. We get to know Hubert from being this young man until older age, with alternating chapters in the current Now of his life. We know his wife is not there, and his daughter Rose calls every week to check on him. For the last five years, he hasn’t kept up with any friends, but he has a journal with made up activities he does with friends, so she doesn’t think he is alone. When she tells him she is coming to visit in a few months, he considers what it would be like to have friends again and if he could make himself available in those ways again, especially after a friendly neighbor with a young daughter move in next door and need a friend.
I loved this book until the very end. I stayed up until 12:30 last night reading and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. I just felt like the last chapters rushed the ending and there were a couple parts I wondered more about . But it is such a lovely story of friendship and loneliness.
This one reminded me of: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and Meredith, Alone.
“And in that moment, as he attempted to stem his tears, Hubert realized something he hadn’t quite understood before now: he was lonely, really lonely, and most likely had been for a very long time.” P84
“After all, it was always easier to meet new people if there were two of you. It gave you confidence and made you feel at ease. Look, it said to the world, I already have one friend so I can’t be all that bad.” P51
“I know sometimes the world’s a horrible place, but not always. Sometimes it’s a lovely place where nice things happen for no reason and I’d much rather… live in that world than the other one.” P54
P98 making new friends “become more Ashleigh.”
“Rose watched the dilemma play out across her father’s features. The desire to protect her from the truth matched with the relief of no longer having to hide it.” P243
“And that’s the funny thing about life. Extraordinary things can happen to ordinary people like you and me, but only if we open ourselves up enough to let them be.” P359
“…one of the central questions of the book is, do you resign yourself to the fact that one day your life might be empty or try to fill it up with new friends and “family?” Q&A with author
“I wanted to examine a character’s story from beginning to end as a way of thinking about how people become lonely.”
Understanding history to write a modern day novel
Recommends watching BBC documentary Windrush
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Addiction, Grief, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Pregnancy
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Hubert Bird is a dapper, elderly widower who was born and raised in Jamaica before immigrating to the U.K. as a young adult in 1958. When we meet him, he has shut himself off from the world, spinning stories of a vibrant life of retirement to satisfy his daughter Rose's expectations during their weekly phone calls. Cracks start to form in his isolation when he gets a friendly, chatty, persistent new neighbor and when he discovers that Rose will soon be visiting from Australia. As Hubert attempts to create the life he has been pretending to live, we see moments from his past that have led to the life he's living now — and that may empower the life he wants and needs.
An unexpectedly touching, well-crafted story of isolation, connection, love, and friendship. Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, The Reading List, and other stories of curmudgeonly elders opening their hearts and finding their communities.
An unexpectedly touching, well-crafted story of isolation, connection, love, and friendship. Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, The Reading List, and other stories of curmudgeonly elders opening their hearts and finding their communities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Vomit, Addiction, Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Dementia, Medical content, Mental illness, Excrement, and Torture
Minor: Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Infidelity
atamano's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Addiction
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, and Dementia
Minor: Car accident
spinesinaline's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was wonderful and also there was no need for it to be so sad
This book is beautiful and heartbreaking, and a lovely portrait of a senior man finding new love for life. It packs a punch but it’s such a beautiful story with so many characters I’d love to know in real life.
Thanks to Grand Central Pub for a review copy
This book is beautiful and heartbreaking, and a lovely portrait of a senior man finding new love for life. It packs a punch but it’s such a beautiful story with so many characters I’d love to know in real life.
Thanks to Grand Central Pub for a review copy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Racism, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Dementia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Child death, and Physical abuse
aimzthereader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book is pure magic. I need to come back and write more of a review but I want to capture my in the moment feelings which is happiness at the wonderfulness of thos book and the characters and the sadness that it’s over. I cried multiple times while reading this as well as had a myriad of other emotions. This is the type of book you want to hug and make everyone read it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Hate crime, and Dementia
Minor: Chronic illness, Medical content, Infertility, and Abandonment
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