This is the third novel that British author Clare Pooley has published in the past five years, following the success of her debut novel, The Authenticity Project, and 2022’s offering, The People on Platform 5.
How to Age Disgracefully is a light-hearted read with a message about ageing and intergenerational connection, sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant; it’s a heart-warming tale to add some joy to this Valentine’s month.
Clare Pooley has gathered a colourful and quirky cast of characters, some with lives that haven’t turned out quite as they’d hoped. There’s midlife Lydia, who is dealing with an empty nest and a pompous straying spouse, trying to find herself again after years of being the perfect wife and stay-at-home mom. Teenage dad Ziggy is grappling with early onset responsibilities and an environment threatening to derail his attempts to make a better life. At their local community centre, their lives intersect with a group of senior citizens – Daphne, whose years of self-imposed isolation hide a secret, a failed actor with a bad habit estranged from his family and, of course, a prolific knitter. A scruffy canine is thrown into the mix when its elderly owner meets with a freak accident.
They band together for a cause dear to them all – saving their community centre from demolition after the council deems it structurally unsound and a commercial developer looks set to buy the site. Their combined efforts to raise funds for repairs engage everyone from the preschoolers to the seniors who have come to rely on the centre’s facilities. From a nativity play to a pet talent contest, they try every avenue to bring in money to get the building back to standard. Clare Pooley writes with wit and sensitivity, and she clearly believes that age shouldn’t limit your capacity for fun, creativity, challenge and adventure.
A copy of How to Age Disgracefully is available for short-term loan from the Chartered Client Library.
