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How to Age Disgracefully

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How to Age Disgracefully

By: Clare Pooley
Narrated by: Clare Corbett
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

When age makes you invisible, secrets are easier to hide

Lydia imagines her new job running a Senior Citizen's Social Club three afternoons a week will involve drinking tea while playing gentle games of cards, listening to The Beatles and reminiscing about food rationing and The Blitz.

She does not expect to find a failed actor addicted to shoplifting, a woman who's been hiding from a mysterious and very chequered past, and a prolific yarn-bomber. It turns out that their ideas about how to spend their afternoons are very different.

After a tragic accident means the council threatens to sell the community centre, the Social Club, aided by their friends in the nursery next door and a geriatric orphaned dog, set out to save it.

They might not be able to save the hall, but they might just save each other - if their pasts don't catch up with them first...

©2024 Clare Pooley (P)2024 Penguin Audio

 City Life Family Life Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Urban

Critic Reviews

Uplifting, heartwarming and joyful. Restored my faith in humankind, it’s the perfect book to escape to in these troubled times. So funny, so moving, and so glad I read it.
A feelgood comedy about the perils of underestimating OAPs. Clare Pooley's third novel is an affectionate swipe at ageism - her witty turn of phrase and gloriously British sense of humour makes this a breezily entertaining read, and Daphne is a scurrilous delight
How to Age Disgracefully is a celebration of life at every age and stage. I laughed, cried and cheered at this wonderful novel
A warm and uplifting story about making friends, smashing stereotypes and the importance of community - I loved it
Clare Pooley weaves together the most cleverly flawed and lovable characters and then sets them free to prove that we are limitless at any age. How to Age Disgracefully is a love letter to the human spirit
Warm, witty perfection
Clare Pooley writes the kind of characters that I want to be when I grow up! I laughed such a lot reading this book, even as my heart was breaking. It is another triumph; truthful, insightful and full of joy. I am in love with this book
Joyful, life-affirming and full of heart, How to Age Disgracefully is an absolute riot of a read, full of perfectly flawed characters who made me laugh, cry and cheer. . .you'll never look at a septuagenarian the same way again!
A roof-raising triumph! Bursting with heart . . . this is peak Pooley and I loved, loved, LOVED it!
Utterly hysterical and full of heart, with hugely loveable characters, a dialogue that had me in stitches and many profound moments. A totally wonderful, spirit-lifting read!
All stars
Most relevant
A great read regardless of your age but if you’re menopausal do not miss this one.
The prologue made me wonder what I was getting into with this book but I was laughing out loud as it all unfolded.
And it’s worth staying on for the author’s note at the end. Captures how so many of us feel at “this age”. LOL. Thank you, Clare!

Great characters and a fun read

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I loved this beautiful story so reflective of live. So many times I spoken to people older than me and their stories are always fascinating and so special that even as old as they are they are still the unsure kids they were so many years before. They are real.

The character of the ‘oldies’

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This was a lovely ready. Good narration and a great mix of characters and ages. Would definitely recommend.

The wonderful characters and humour.

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Surprising mix of interesting and likeable characters that I enjoyed all the way through to the finish.

Engaging Good Listen

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A light and joyful story, with humour and depth. Lovely narration as well. Thank you!

Great story and characters

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