One Old, One New - The Mike Gayle Edition

One Old, One New features two books – one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today I am featuring two books by Mike Gayle.

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The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Published by Grand Central Publishing on May 30, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can’t part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have.

In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum's unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.

Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.

Have you ever had a hard time parting with a thing because it held memories for you? Jess was struggling with this very thing following the death of her mother. When she was eleven, her mother gifted her with an outdated set of encyclopedias. Jess did not have the room to store them, nor could she find anyone to take them. It pained her to throw them away, but then she learned about The Museum of Ordinary People. It was a place for things that needed looking after when the items had been abandoned or loved ones were forced to get rid of them. This museum may have been a refuge for lost items, but it was where Jess would find herself.

There were so many things to love about this book. Jess was wonderful, and she had a merry band of mates to support her and her vision for the museum. There was a bit of family drama, a touch of romance, and a healing journey, too. One thing that helped Jess begin to heal was her involvement with the museum. She had been adrift for several years, and her mother's sudden death just made her feel more lost. Putting her energy into the museum and reawakening her lost dreams was a balm for her wounded soul.

I loved all these aspects of the story, but it was the heart of the tale, the idea of the museum which really captured my heart. This was a place that celebrated ordinary people and the things that held memories of them. I really enjoyed the way Gayle featured the items plus there stories throughout the book. Most of these bits were super heartwarming, and I adore that sort of thing.

Overall, this was a lovely and feel-good story which made me laugh and warmed my heart.

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All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
Published by Grand Central Publishing on August 2, 2022
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints 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.

Until 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 he's pretended to have for so long?

Hubert had been living alone since his wife's death. In the past five years, he had grown apart from his friends and just wanted to be left alone. In order to keep his daughter from worrying, Hubert invented a group of friends. But with his daughter coming to visit, he needs to find some real friends and quick.

This was such a heartwarming story, but let me warn you, my laughter quickly turned to tears when all the details were revealed. While I was enjoying Hubert's attempts to make new friends, I also learned about pivotal events in his life via flashbacks. 

When one lives for over 80 years, they experience many things, and those chapters set in the past highlighted the highs and lows of Hubert's life. At first, I didn't understand why these peeks at Hubert's history were included. They were interesting and enhanced my understanding of who he was, but I wasn't sure why I needed to know all this information. It eventually made sense, and the reveal left me rather heartbroken.

Hubert met the love of his life, raised a family, and now he was alone. It meant a lot to me when he found other lonely people to connect with and also made an effort to reconnect with an important person from his past. The thing about the other lonely people was that they all alone for different reasons. It was wonderful to see this organization bring them together as the community at large embraced their mission to end loneliness. Isn't that an amazing goal?

I laughed and smiled, shed some tears, and knew this was a solid read for me. Then Gayle did something towards the end that made my heart explode. It seems to be a signature move of his, as he also did this to me with another of his books. Let's just say, I loved it! 

Overall, this was such a lovely read which thoughtfully explored the topic of loneliness. Filled with quirky characters, friendship, and love, this book touched my heart.

What's an item that holds memories for you?
Let us know in the comments!