I loved Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting, so I was very excited for Clare Pooley’s latest! While I didn’t find the characters quite as likable and charming as those in Iona Iverson, How to Age Disgracefully was still a very enjoyable read about a group of seniors fighting to save their community center. My biggest disappointment was that I wish the preschoolers had played a larger role. This was a fun read that I definitely recommend, especially when you’re in the mood for something lighter. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

Take a group of senior citizens, a teenager with problems of his own, some cute children, and a menopausal woman running the show, and you have the hilarious, heartwarming story of How To Age Disgracefully. Clare Pooley understands the issues that we all face as people who seem different but have more in common than we think. I loved it.

Clare pooley will always be an author I want to pick up. I love her wit and laugh out loud humor and this book did not disappoint!

Rating: 3.5 stars

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley was an entertaining read, though it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story is packed with humor and a quirky cast of characters, and Daphne definitely stands out as a vibrant and engaging lead. The book's exploration of aging without falling into stereotypical traps is a nice touch.

That said, I struggled a bit with the large number of characters and the frequent shifts in perspective, which made it hard to keep track of everyone. The story felt a bit over-the-top at times, and while the humor was a highlight, it sometimes overshadowed the deeper emotional moments.

Overall, it’s a fun and light-hearted read, but it didn’t fully resonate with me. It’s worth picking up if you enjoy stories about unlikely friendships and community spirit, but don’t expect a deeply moving experience.

What a delightful summer read. I adored this ensemble crew and their shenanigans. While it took me a bit to get into the first half of the book, I sped through the second half. I particularly was fond of Daphne and Ziggy’s relationship and Ziggy’s character arc as a teenage dad. I wish we would’ve gotten a longer epilogue for his story. Ultimately, while I enjoyed this book I don’t think it’s one that will stick with me as there wasn’t much about it that stood out as unique. 3.5/5 stars.

This is a book about found family and told in multiple points of view, which is a plus for me. Pooley's writing is always a bit slow for me. Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the book and found the characters likeable. But I had a bit of trouble connecting with the characters in this one.

Utterly delightful! This book made me laugh out loud, and the characters were all so endearing. I loved that it focused on older people, and gave them the spotlight rather than serving as side characters. This book reinforced the idea that the elderly have lived full lives, and often have wisdom to impart upon the younger generation. It cast a spotlight on common stereotypes about old people, and how they can be wildly wrong. Daphne was my favorite character, and I would love to have a friend like her - endlessly entertaining and a force to be reckoned with! Having recently visited London, I loved being taken back via this novel. I recognized many neighborhoods and landmarks, and it made me miss it! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for a funny, heartwarming and quirky read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! I love Clare Pooley’s writing and how she weaves in all these different characters and their experiences into these beautiful stories about humanity and community! This one might even have been my favorite of hers that I’ve read, I especially loved the interactions between the senior’s club and the preschool kids.

I absolutely adored this story. It was both hilariously fun and heartwarming, following a group of a group of misfits trying to work together to save their community center. I finished the book wishing I could be a part of this chaotic group of characters and feeling optimistic about aging. I will continue to think about this book and the characters regularly!

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

Light hearted, easy read following a club of senior citizens and their flailing community center. The mix of characters was nice and unexpected and the relationships across generations kept it interesting. I don’t usually gravitate towards this genre so it wasn’t my favorite book but it was a nice, easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
- Dylan Thomas

"Where's the fun in aging gracefully? Personally, I intend to age as disgracefully as possible."
- Clare Pooley, How To Age Disgracefully

Clare Pooley has absolutely done it again!! This slice-of-life, multi-perspective story gave me lots of Love Actually vibes, and I adored how we got stories of so many people from so many walks of life, ages, and experiences. The found family dynamic between them all touched my heart, and I adored the friendships that developed, between Daphne, Lydia, Ziggy, Kylie, and Art. I loved how Daphne inspired both Lydia and Art to live their best lives and see themselves in a new light, and mostly, I appreciated how Clare approached advanced age with dignity, respect, love, and plenty of humor!

The Mandela Social Club will forever have my heart, and so will Clare! Her stories are warm hugs that make my heart smile, and I cannot wait to read more! If you're looking for a heartwarming, laugh-out-loud story, look no further than How To Age Disgracefully!

"How to Age Disgracefully" by Clare Pooley is a funny and touching story about a senior citizens' center that gets combined with a daycare. The book has a bunch of interesting characters, each dealing with their own stuff while trying to enjoy their older years. Pooley writes with a lot of humor and warmth, making the story both amusing and moving. It's a feel-good read that shows it's never too late to have fun and embrace life. I would give it a 3.75 so I will rate it a 4 here.

I loved this book and am buying copies for friends. 5 stars. I received a digital arc from NetGalley and the publisher. This review is my own truth.

Clare Pooley knocked it out of the park with this one. Magnificent storytelling, laugh out loud humor, and loveable and memorable characters, not to mention an inspiring and remarkably written found family trope.

First we meet Daphne, our 70 year old FMC, who hardly leaves her house, doesn't have any friends or family, talks to her plants, and stalks her neighbors. On her 70th birthday she decides to re-engage with the world and for that she needs a plan.
💡MAKE SOME FRIENDS
💡BE MORE TRUSTING
💡NO SHOUTING OR GLARING
💡TAKE UP A HOBBY
💡JOIN A CLUB
💡USE THE INTERNET
💡FIND A PARTNER
In an attempt to accomplish her new plan, she joins the Senior Citizens social club where she meets Lydia-a 50 year old woman going through menopause and marital problems who runs the club, and Art-a 75 year old "actor" and petty thief, and Ziggy-a teenage father who keeps finding himself in bad situations. When the community center is threatened to be closed and tore down this unlikely bunch of characters band together to try and save it. This story is both entertaining and inspiring following the wacky situations this group of characters gets into. I had so much fun with it!

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Viking, and Clare Pooley for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.

My first Clare Pooley book and definitely not the last. So many believable and memorable characters. So much charm and wit as teh Senior Citizens Social Club (!!!) gathers together to save the club. All of these characters have a past of some kind, some that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Great summer read!

Lydia is in her 70's and decides she needs to get out of her apartment and make some friends her age. She starts a Senior Citizens Social Club that ends up with a wide variety of people. When the city council decides to sell the building where they meet, they decide to meet in the evneings in a daycare next door. Nothing like some adventure for a group of these older people who still have some life and fun to enjoy.

My thanks to Net Galley and Pamela Dorman Books for an advnced copy of this e-book.

Just adored this book and will read more by this author. As a quick summary a group of seniors (all with colorful pasts) and a teen and children work together to save their local communtiy center. Oh! And I can't forget the dog.

Positives:
A delightful cast of comedic characters
heart-warming
laugh out loud funny
strong well-developed themes of ageism and feminism
Chaotic in the best way!
I read a lot of books and this one was unique!!!

Read it in 2 days and didn't want it to end. Delightful!

How to Age Disgracefully follows a whole host of characters as they work together to try and save their local community center. This was a fun and charming story that really celebrates found family.

At first meeting, these characters could not have less in common, but it doesn’t take long for them to form friendships. What I liked most was that even though these characters are all so different, they’re all going through complicated things in their lives and still manage to find connection with one another. While this book wasn’t one that I loved, I did enjoy the writing style quite a bit and look forward to checking out this author’s backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for a review copy.

I loved the cast of characters in this book. A group of mostly underdogs that you root for the entire time. It will make you laugh and cry and I loved the multiple generations in this book.

This was such a wonderfully charming, funny and all-around feel-good book. Highly recommend to fans of ensemble casts, British humor and older characters who go beyond tropes. I loved it.