The Lido

Author: Libby Page

Stock information

General Fields

  • : $29.99 AUD
  • : 9781409175216
  • : Orion Publishing Company
  • : Gollancz
  • :
  • : 0.502
  • : November 2017
  • : 234mm X 153mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : April 2018
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  • :
  • : books

Special Fields

  • :
  • :
  • : Libby Page
  • :
  • : Paperback
  • : 1
  • :
  • : en
  • : 823/.92
  • :
  • :
  • : 384
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Barcode 9781409175216
9781409175216

Description

A tender, joyous debut novel about a cub reporter and her eighty-six-year-old subject-and the unlikely and life-changing friendship that develops between them


Kate is a twenty-six-year-old riddled with anxiety and panic attacks who works for a local paper in Brixton, London, covering forgettably small stories. When she's assigned to write about the closing of the local lido (an outdoor pool and recreation center), she meets Rosemary, an eighty-six-year-old widow who has swum at the lido daily since it opened its doors when she was a child. It was here that Rosemary fell in love with her husband, George; here that she found communion during her marriage and since George's death. The lido has been a cornerstone in nearly every part of Rosemary's life.


But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido for a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary's fond memories and sense of community are under threat.


As Kate dives deeper into the lido's history-with the help of a charming photographer-she pieces together a portrait of the pool, and a portrait of a singular woman, Rosemary. What begins as a simple local interest story for Kate soon blossoms into a beautiful friendship that provides sustenance to both women as they galvanize the community to fight the lido's closure. Meanwhile, Rosemary slowly, finally, begins to open up to Kate, transforming them both in ways they never knew possible.


In the tradition of Fredrik Backman, The Lido is a charming, feel-good novel that captures the heart and spirit of a community across generations-an irresistible tale of love, loss, aging, and friendship.

Reviews

A lavish depiction of an unlikely friendship, a London community and life-long love, all charmingly told in rich, yet gentle prose * CATHERINE ISAAC, author of You, Me, Everything * Brimming with charm and compassion * DAILY EXPRESS * A bright, uplifting tale of friendship and community resilience * IRISH INDEPENDENT * This debut is set to be one of the biggest of the year * GRAZIA * The next Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine * THE INDEPENDENT * Feelgood and uplifting, this charming novel is full of heart * Lucy Diamond * A joyous and uplifting debut - a testament to kindness and friendship * SARAH WINMAN, author of When God Was a Rabbit and Tin Man *