Friendship, whether between humans or pets and their owners, informs the five books selected by Marianne Cronin, whose novel One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot was voted the most uplifting book of 2021 by The Independent.
How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
A heartwarming story of how the lives of several strangers are transformed by the opening of a senior social club. Glamorous Daphne, petty thief Art, teenage father Ziggy and a gang of lovable rebels set out to save the centre from demolition.
She and Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa
Many of us are lucky to count our pets among our friends. This explores the relationships between several strangers and the cats who love them in a neighbourhood on the outskirts
of Tokyo.
Wahala by Nikki May
If you prefer your stories about friendship with a glittering undertone of something sinister, this is unforgettable. This explores how the friendships of three British-Nigerian women are turned upside down when the glamorous Isobel arrives in their lives.
The Lido by Libby Page
When the future of their local Lido is threatened, it brings together 26-year-old Kate and 86-year-old Rosemary to try to prevent its closure.
The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird
An exploration of the burn of new friendship as seen through the eyes of Lois, who is staying at a ‘divorce ranch’ in Nevada in 1951 for the requisite six weeks in order to end her loveless marriage. When the inscrutable Greer arrives, Lois is transfixed.
