How to Read Clare Pooley's Books
If you are looking for the best way to read Clare Pooley's books, there is excellent news: they are all standalone works. Since none of her books share a continuity, characters, or overlapping storylines, you can dive into her catalog in any order that catches your interest. However, many readers prefer to follow her publication history to see how her writing transitioned from candid real-life memoir to globally celebrated contemporary fiction.
Clare Pooley Books in Publication Order
Here is the complete chronological list of Clare Pooley's work by their original publication years:
- The Sober Diaries: How one woman stopped drinking and started living (2017) – Non-Fiction Memoir
- The Authenticity Project (2020) – Fiction Novel
- The People on Platform 5 / Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting (2022) – Fiction Novel
- How to Age Disgracefully (2024) – Fiction Novel
- Friends You Haven't Met Yet (Expected March 2027) – Fiction Novel
A Critical Title Note: UK vs. US Editions
When searching for Clare Pooley's books, it is easy to get confused by different titles. Her second novel was released under two completely different names depending on the market:
- In the United Kingdom and various international markets, it was published as The People on Platform 5.
- In the United States and North American markets, the exact same book was published under the title Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting.
Make sure you do not accidentally purchase both editions thinking they are different stories! They feature the same characters, train line, and heartwarming plot.
Detailed Guide to Clare Pooley's Catalog
The Sober Diaries (2017)
Before writing fiction, Clare Pooley was a successful advertising executive who shared her personal struggle with alcohol dependency through an anonymous blog called 'Mummy Was a Secret Drinker.' That blog evolved into her debut memoir, The Sober Diaries. Spanning a single year, the memoir details her journey to quitting alcohol while simultaneously navigating a unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. Written with directness, self-deprecating humor, and practical advice, it has sold over 125,000 copies and helped readers around the world evaluate their own relationship with drinking.
The Authenticity Project (2020)
Clare Pooley's fiction debut was inspired by her belief that people rarely share their true selves, especially in the era of curated social media profiles. The novel revolves around Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely septuagenarian artist who writes his raw truths in a plain green notebook and leaves it in a local London café. The notebook is found by Monica, the café owner, who adds her own confession and passes it on. Ultimately, the notebook connects a diverse group of six strangers, leading to genuine real-life friendships, romances, and personal growth. The book was a New York Times bestseller, won the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Debut Novel Award, and has been translated into over 30 languages.
The People on Platform 5 / Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting (2022)
Pooley's second novel tackles the unspoken social rules of commuting. The protagonist, Iona Iverson, is a colorful 57-year-old advice columnist who travels daily on the train between Hampton Court and London Waterloo. Although she has mental nicknames for her fellow passengers, she maintains the traditional commuter silence. That silence is shattered when a businessman named Piers chokes on a grape and Sanjay, an oncology nurse, saves his life. This event draws a disparate group of commuters—including a stressed digital marketer and an isolated teenager—into each other's lives. The book highlights the value of unexpected connections and breaking down social barriers.
How to Age Disgracefully (2024)
Set in a London community center, this novel is a witty, rebellious story about reclaiming agency in later life. When the local council decides to sell off the building hosting the local Senior Citizens' Social Club, the elderly members refuse to go quietly. The narrative follows Daphne, a seventy-year-old hiding a secretive past, alongside Art, a kleptomaniac former actor, and Ruby, a craft-avenging knitter. Together with the neighboring daycare center's toddlers, a teenage single father, and a geriatric dog, they launch a mischievous campaign to save their community. The story champions intergenerational friendships and challenges societal ageism with warmth and humor.
Friends You Haven't Met Yet (Expected March 2027)
Scheduled for publication in early 2027, Pooley's upcoming novel shifts focus to a local independent bookstore called 'The First Chapter Bookshop.' The plot follows Jude, the shop's owner, as she struggles to keep her business afloat. Believing that a person's book choice reveals their true self, she introduces a display of 'Books of Possibility' to pair together customers who buy the same titles. While her matches successfully create friendships and romance, Jude must eventually confront her own secrets to find her place in the community she has built.
Practical Reader Advice
If you are wondering where to begin your journey, The Authenticity Project is widely recommended as the best starting point. It perfectly captures Pooley's signature style: an ensemble cast, alternating perspectives, and a story centered on the beauty of community and human vulnerability. If you prefer real-life inspiration and are interested in stories of personal growth and sobriety, start with her memoir, The Sober Diaries.