The Lido

By: Libby Page

Narrated by: Clare Corbett

A tender, joyous debut novel about a cub reporter and her 86-year-old subject - and the unlikely and life-changing friendship that develops between them.

Kate is a 26-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 86-year-old widow who has swum at the lido daily since it opened its doors when she was a child. It was here Rosemary fell in love with her husband, George; here that she's 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.

©2018 Libby Page (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

Cute story

Predictable but cute story. I’ve recently taken up swimming for exercise and could feel the water when Rosemarie or Kate jumped in.

Sweet story

For anyone who has lived with depression and / or anxiety, they can easily relate to Kate. The relationship she develops with Rosemarie was the catalyst to a sweet sweet story!

sweet story

This book is all about the characters ... not an action book, no wild plot twists. Just regular people, young and old. It was a charming story, with a smart ending. Recommended!

Low-key

I liked this very Bristish, low-key story. The characters are distinctive without being cloying or bizarre, and there are several nice "messages" in the narrative that are done subtlety, without being preachy. The ending was just right ( so many books end on an off note, this one gets it right). The narration was excellent, too. It's a good book, probably not one for a "best of the year" list, but worth the time to listen, especially as a break from dark, dysfunctional narratives ( of which there seem to be an awful lot)

Wonderful story

I loved this story! I loved the narration and the characters. I highly recommend this book for a fun and uplifting read.

Simply Delightful

A true treasure for someone who happened upon a book that spoke to this reader in so many ways. A lifelong swimmer, enjoying a special relationship with an loved elder and a part of a community fighting gentrification I have been just delighted by this book. The character developments were so rich. The narration perfect. Highly recommend.

This one will make you feel good!

This is a book for all the fans of Frederik Backman. Libby Page had done a terrific job of telling a really nice story about the residents of a very lovely English village. A cast of characters that you get to know in flashbacks to learn their back stories.
In the words of a friend who recommended it to me, "I want to live there!" And, I'm with her - I'd love to live in a place like this.

give it a listen

I laughed and cried and fell in love with every character and it made me nostalgic for swimming in a public pool. Unique and timely characters that resonate for both young and old of heart.

Memories

Listening to this book reminds me of the London I used to know.I loved every word,a beautiful book.

Wonderful!

Such a sweet story of love and friendship and how they can change the course of a life. This was a read that was good for my soul.