Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a digital copy of this wonderful book by Mike Gayle - 5 stars!
Hubert Bird is lonely. But when is daughter, Rose, calls him from Australia once a week, he knows she worries that he's alone. So he tells her about all the friends he has and all the activities he does. But it's all a lie. So when Rose tells him that she's coming for a visit, he panics and needs to find friends he can show to her. But how is he going to do that when it's hard for him to even leave the house?
What a wonderful, heartwarming, heart wrenching story! The story is told in two timelines - starting from the 1950s in the past and "now" chapters. It's a great way to be introduced to Hubert's story and how it relates to his present life. There's a lot to digest in here as well - racism, grief - but mostly the personal bits. How we are all so "busy" that no one knows their neighbors, how small acts of kindness can mean so much, and how everyone has a story. Covid showed the world how much we need each other and spotlighted how hard loneliness can be. Highly recommended read!
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