Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting
A Novel
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4.5 • 261 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
You don’t hear the phrase “comedy of manners” much anymore, but it’s the best possible description for Clare Pooley’s feel-good novel. London-based magazine columnist Iona Iverson sees the same handful of people on her train into work every morning. She’s even given them all nicknames, since obviously none of them speak to one another. But then one morning, Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape, and Suspiciously Nice, who turns out to be a nurse named Sanjay, gives him the Heimlich. One by one, Iona’s fellow commuters start to have real names and real lives—and her anonymous daily grind becomes something special. A clever, heartfelt story about regular folks just trying to get by, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting is as sweet-natured as it is hilarious.
Customer Reviews
Absolute delight!
I loved all of the characters and am so sad that the book is finished. A great glimpse into a happier and more connected world that we could only hope for.
Uplifting
Quirky, kind and fun characters. I will miss them. A great, feel good book with positive lessons for us all!
Endearing & relatable characters
I enjoyed how the various character subplots intertwined into a beautiful story. Each is relatable in their own ways.