Jamaican immigrant Hubert rediscovers the world he had turned his back on, in this “warm, funny” novel (Good Housekeeping).
In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Birdpaints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship, and fulfillment. But it’s a lie. In reality, Hubert’s days are all the same, dragging on without him seeing a single soul.
Then 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. The news that his daughter is coming for a visit.
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 that he pretended to have for so long?
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“Narrator Ben Onwukwe brings out the humor and pathos in this story…With his deep, gravelly voice, Onwukwe communicates the whole of Hubert’s complicated self—unexpectedly tender and painfully grief-stricken, but with a rascally sense of humor and a gentlemanly spirit.”
— AudioFile
“A winning tale…Readers will be touched.”
— Publishers Weekly“With a winning main character, this absolutely heartwarming story unfolds with just enough surprises and heft to keep readers engaged."
— Booklist“This thoughtful novel is warm, funny, and gives you all the feels."
— Good Housekeeping“A heartwarming story about the power of community and human connection. Hubert Bird stole my heart.”
— Beth O’Leary, author of The Flat-ShareBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Mike Gayle is the author of thirteen novels, which have been translated into more than thirty languages. He was born and raised in Birmingham, England, earned a degree in sociology, moved to London to become a journalist, and ended up as an advice columnist for a teenage girls' magazine before becoming features editor for another teen magazine. He has written for a variety of publications including the London Sunday Times, the Guardian, and Cosmo.
Ben Onwukwe is a British film, radio, television, theater, and voice actor.