All The Lonely People (Paperback)
  • All The Lonely People (Paperback)
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All The Lonely People (Paperback)

(author)
£8.99
Paperback 368 Pages
Published: 04/02/2021
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Waterstones Says

Tender hearted and compassionate, Gayle’s good-natured comedy sees lonely widower Hubert Bird forced to face up to the fabricated life he has created to pacify his daughter. 

Shortlisted for the British Book Awards Pageturner Book of the Year 2021

Hubert Bird is not alone in being alone.
He just needs to realise it.

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship and fulfilment.

But Hubert Bird is lying.

The truth is day after day drags by without him seeing a single soul.

Until, that is, he receives some good news - good news that in one way turns out to be the worst news ever, news that will force him out again, into a world he has long since turned his back on.

Now Hubert faces a seemingly impossible task: to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out.

Along the way Hubert stumbles across a second chance at love, renews a cherished friendship and finds himself roped into an audacious community scheme that seeks to end loneliness once and for all . . .

Life is certainly beginning to happen to Hubert Bird. But with the origin of his earlier isolation always lurking in the shadows will he ever get to live the life he's pretended to have for so long?

From bestselling author Mike Gayle, All the Lonely People is by turns a funny and moving meditation on love, race, old age and friendship that will not only charm and uplift, but also remind you of the power of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference.

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 9781473687417
Number of pages: 368
Weight: 258 g
Dimensions: 196 x 130 x 28 mm


MEDIA REVIEWS

A heartwarming story about the power of community and human connection. Hubert Bird stole my heart. - Beth O’Leary, author of The Flat-Share and The Split

A lovely, emotional, uplifting book about loneliness and community - Libby Page, author of The Lido

Mike takes ordinary people and makes them extraordinary. Hubert Bird is a gentle hero and I loved him. All The Lonely People is a book that is perfect for the times we live in, but also one to treasure for many years to come - Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

A tremendous read, as always. A funny, warm, heartbreaking, wonderful story about family and friendship and the power of caring in an imperfect world. Hubert, Ash & the gang are unforgettable characters - Tracy Rees

I'm such a fan of Mike's, and think this is absolutely his best yet. The characters are so warm and so real, and the issues of loneliness and displacement are so very topical and important - Clare Mackintosh

Mike Gayle is on World Beating Form with All the Lonely People. It's the right book at the right time and you're going to love it - Jenny Colgan

A moving and uplifting story about unknown, possibly unsung heroes. I loved it - Katie Fforde

An uplifting read of family, love and overcoming isolation - Prima

This author's books just get better and better - this thoughtful novel is warm, funny and gives you all the feels - Good Housekeeping

Mike Gayle is on a winning streak . . . a keen reminder that the smallest gestures are the most powerful. Heart-warming - Magic Radio Book Club

A lovely uplifting and heartening read that feels incredibly relevant to our current times - Culturefly

Mike Gayle strikes a chord with this novel . . . it feels relevant to our times - On Magazine

A moving, thought-provoking story about the power of friendship and community, with characters you'll fall in love with. A timely exploration of family, loss and loneliness that's full of humour and heart - Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You

Timely and poignant . . . Mike Gayle's writing is beautiful and engaging and All the Lonely People is both heartbreaking and uplifting, devastating and thought-provoking. It is the kind of book you will want to press into the hands of everyone you know and tell them to read immediately - Press Association

Tender, funny and uplifting, it's the ideal isolation antidote - Fabulous

Heartbreaking, yet also uplifting and thought-provoking - The i

Tender, humorous and uplifting - reading this is the uplift we all need - Women's Weekly

The loveliest story - we want to be friends with Hubert! - Bella

A charming story packed with endearing characters and plenty of humour and insight - Candis

As always, Mike Gayle's characters wrap around you like a cosy cardigan, while threads of love, race, friendship, community and old age weave through the pages and into your heart . . . thought provoking - My Weekly

Outstanding... Despite heartbreak and pain, this is a heartwarming story of community and connection - Daily Mirror

Mike Gayle is on fine form in this moving novel . . . A great summer read - Independent

I defy you not to cry . . . funny and sincere, sweet and emotional, this is the sort of thing to read in one sitting, and it'll make you more appreciative of the people around you - Woman's Way

Make sure, like Hubert, you have a nice clean hanky; you'll need it - Saga

Charming . . . it'll warm your cockles - That's Life

The author tackles racism, addiction and dementia, weaving a heart-warming, hopeful story of community and connection. Outstanding - Mirror

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“Oh my heart!”

I don't think I read this book so much as I lived it, absorbing it and feeling it with every fibre of my being. Calling it 'heart-warming' or 'uplifting' feels too much of an understatement,... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 20

“Heartwarming”

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this. Poignant and timely for numerous reasons. It covers love and lost, racism, friendship along with the... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 19

“Simply wonderful”

Well, Mike Gayle has done it to me again! I’m mush after reading this book - I loved it! Hubert Bird comes to Britain from Jamaica in 1958 and makes a life for himself despite initial difficulties. He meets Joyce,... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 18

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