Likely Stories - Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

By Diane Kemper

Published March 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM CDT

Have you ever been in a daily commute, or in a class, and sat next to the same people day in and day out, and not known one thing about them? Not their names, not their jobs, and certainly not their lives. You give them nicknames in your head attributed to what they wear and what they drink, but you have no idea who they are. Of course, you never speak. The first rule is “don’t talk to strangers.” What would it take to get to know these people, and in turn to let them into your life?

Welcome to Likely Stories. I’m Diane Kemper.

“Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting,” by Clare Pooley, is about Iona who is a larger than life magazine advice columnist. Back in the day, she was somebody, making London society headlines and partying until dawn. Now, all the commuters see her only as a quirky older woman who dresses outside her age, with a grumpy dog by her side. Every day she rides the Tube in London, ignoring the people around her, and they all ignore each other. It’s a cast of characters at all ages and stages on that train. A nurse with major anxiety, a down on his luck former star stock broker, a man stuck in a rut in his marriage, a frustrated advertising professional, and a high school girl being bullied in person and on her phone. It takes a life-threatening emergency on the commute to first bring them all together. From that moment forward, with Iona in charge, no one is the same, including her. The story that follows is how these strangers then become deeply connected and forever a part of each other’s lives.

The book alternates chapters told by each character. Iona threads her way through all their lives, sometimes upending them, but the reader gets the varying viewpoints from each player. The observations are very funny and truthful, and the character development is rich. Iona has troubles, too. She is seen as outdated and in peril of losing her job, only to find these new younger friends of hers from the train can help. It’s not just Iona giving substantial advice.

“Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” is a light and quick read while also reminding us what matters. Clare Pooley may be my new favorite author as she writes about intelligent, capable, and witty women over 50. The book made me laugh, cheer, and raise my fist in victory for the modern older woman who triumphs in a world that is determined to overlook her.

Don’t pass on this story just because you are under 50. You will miss a gem.

The book with the long title, “Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting,” by Clare Pooley. As Iona says, “Love is the greatest risk of all, but a life without it is meaningless.”

THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN FORMATS FOR THOSE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT'S - YOU CAN FIND IT HERE VIA THE 'NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED.’

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