Dramas & Plays
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Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting: A Novel
Nobody ever talks to strangers on the train. It's a rule. But what would happen if they did?
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project comes an escapist read that will transport you, cheer you, and make you smile-and make you, too, wish you had Iona's gift for bringing out the best in everyone.
"A not-to-be-missed read in the mode of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." -Booklist, starred review
Every day Iona, a larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, travels the ten stops from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station by train, accompanied by her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do.
Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He'd have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver.
This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people with almost nothing in common except their commute discover that a chance encounter can blossom into much more. It turns out that talking to strangers can teach you about the world around you--and even more about yourself.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project comes an escapist read that will transport you, cheer you, and make you smile-and make you, too, wish you had Iona's gift for bringing out the best in everyone.
"A not-to-be-missed read in the mode of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." -Booklist, starred review
Every day Iona, a larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, travels the ten stops from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station by train, accompanied by her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do.
Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He'd have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver.
This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people with almost nothing in common except their commute discover that a chance encounter can blossom into much more. It turns out that talking to strangers can teach you about the world around you--and even more about yourself.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting:
"A really lovely story that just hit the spot."
-Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Home
"Clare Pooley is the master of writing an ensemble cast. This book tackles so many interesting themes, all with Clare's trademark humour, wonderful writing, and vibrant, loveable characters - Feel good fiction at its best. It almost made me miss the commute."
-Sophie Cousens, New York Timesbestselling author of Just Haven't Met You Yet
"Sunny, funny and full of heart."
-Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid
"[A] joyous tale about serendipitous friendship and seizing each day with vigor. The epitome of a feel-good book that is also laugh-out-loud hilarious…In a time when our differences so often divide us, Pooley's novel is like a reassuring hug, assuring readers that our differences can strengthen relationships and should be embraced and celebrated. A not-to-be-missed read in the mode of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine."
-Booklist, starred review
"A soothing story where bad things happen yet are overcome, and friendship leads the way to personal acceptance and rebirth."
-Kirkus
"Pooley delivers not only acerbic, enchanting Iona but a compelling, tangled cast of quirky, complicated characters so engaging, it's enough to make you miss crowded commuter trains."
-Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of One Two Three
"A really lovely story that just hit the spot."
-Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Home
"Clare Pooley is the master of writing an ensemble cast. This book tackles so many interesting themes, all with Clare's trademark humour, wonderful writing, and vibrant, loveable characters - Feel good fiction at its best. It almost made me miss the commute."
-Sophie Cousens, New York Timesbestselling author of Just Haven't Met You Yet
"Sunny, funny and full of heart."
-Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid
"[A] joyous tale about serendipitous friendship and seizing each day with vigor. The epitome of a feel-good book that is also laugh-out-loud hilarious…In a time when our differences so often divide us, Pooley's novel is like a reassuring hug, assuring readers that our differences can strengthen relationships and should be embraced and celebrated. A not-to-be-missed read in the mode of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine."
-Booklist, starred review
"A soothing story where bad things happen yet are overcome, and friendship leads the way to personal acceptance and rebirth."
-Kirkus
"Pooley delivers not only acerbic, enchanting Iona but a compelling, tangled cast of quirky, complicated characters so engaging, it's enough to make you miss crowded commuter trains."
-Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of One Two Three
