Love in Old Age: My Year in the Wight House

by Hunter Davies

A wryly humorous memoir from Hunter Davies, as he falls in love again in his eighties and chronicles the first year of living with his new girlfriend in their cottage on the Isle of Wight. King Charles I was imprisoned here; Queen Victoria so liked its mild climate and coastal scenery that she built an Italianate house here (and later expired in it); hundreds of thousands of people got stoned here at music festivals in the 1960s summers of love. And, in the very un-hippyish summer of 2020, Hunter and Claire escaped locked-down North London for a week's holiday on the Isle of Wight, fell in love with its sleepy charm – and ended up buying a Grade 2-listed love nest in the elegant Victorian seaside resort of Ryde.Love in Old Age tells the story of their first twelve months on the island. It is a journey of discovery to a forgotten corner of England; an exploration of the attraction of meeting new people and new places in old age, and a celebration of flat sandy beaches. It brings together the themes of love in old age; Covid lockdown; rural escape; the anxieties of house-buying; and the history and curiosities of England's largest and second most populous island – all bound together by Hunter Davies's insatiable curiosity about people and places, and his irrepressible and ironic sense of humour.

Genres: Audiobook

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Edward Hunter Davies OBE is an author, journalist and broadcaster, and a former editor for the Sunday Times of London. He is the author of numerous books, including The Glory Game and the only authorised biography of the Beatles. He was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, to Scottish parents. For four years his family lived in Dumfries until Davies was aged 11.

His family moved to Carlisle in northern England when Davies was 11 and he attended the Creighton School in the city. Davies lived in Carlisle until he moved to study at university. During this time his father, who was a former Royal Air Force pay clerk, developed multiple sclerosis and had to retire on medical grounds from a civil service career.

Davies joined the sixth form at Carlisle Grammar School and was awarded a place at University College, Durham to read for an honours degree in History, but after his first year he switched to a general arts course. He gained his first writing experience as a student, contributing to the university newspaper, Palatinate, where one of his fellow student journalists was the future fashion writer Colin McDowell. After completing his degree course he stayed on at Durham for another year to gain a teaching diploma and avoid National Service.

He lives in London.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly entertaining book. Hunter Davies ( a well known British author and journalist ) is in his 80s -He was married for 55 years to the author Margaret Forster until she passed away in 2016. In search of companionship and love he finds Claire who is around 10-12 years younger ( I’m guessing here) After 3 years of seeing each other and having their own houses they were feeling the need to get out of London as a lock down during the novel virus of 2020. Full of adventure and wanting a change of scenery they headed to the Isle of Wight... fell in love with a cottage and ended up buying it. Hunter calls it their ‘love nest’

This memoir is about the first year of life together in the Isle ... it is also a kind of travelogue of places to visit and interesting tales of people and landmarks.

Hunter meets well known people that have homes on the island. He interacts with locals and takes a real interest in the island he is happy to make his home. This book is about his encounters with locals , setting up home, his relationship with Claire and starting up a new life in old age.


The pace is wonderful and the words flow so well. There are many laugh out moments - especially about the ups and downs of relationships. There are some poignant moments too as he reflects on certain times that tested them both.

He is aware of his faults , but are they faults or just intolerances of his partner? Or are they both stuck in their old ways?

I’ve only been to the IoW once - a holiday with my uncle and his family in the late 70s. I recall spending time exploring a few beaches, the castle and Osbourne house and other lovely places. So reading this made me revisit those memories. I would love to visit the island again one day. Maybe on my next trip back to the U.K.

I couldn’t put this book down until I had to ( as I had a long car drive home and then had guests pop in and out) - I took me 4 days to finish the last 100 pages due to lack of time. It a book that can be easily read in over the course of a day.

This has made me want to read more of Hunter’s books now.

4/5

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will admit that I have followed the lives of Hunter and his late wife Margaret Forster. I’m not sure why this is, in part perhaps because I enjoy his columns in the Sunday Times and more likely because I have enjoyed his wife’s books, especially her family memoirs. I refer particularly to ‘Hidden Lives’ where she talks about her mother feeling left out as Margaret moved away from her in terms of location and life experiences. This so reminded me of my own mother too.
Anyway, as I am visiting the island myself in 2 months time, this book should have been a good read and it was, until it turned into a travelogue for the IOW with interviews from people who live on it. I was bored reading about Alan Titchmarsh’s house and life on it, and Michael Grant’s, the MP’s, the cafe owner’s etc. etc. I was also disappointed to find out how bossy and demanding Hunter turns out to be, something I had never noticed before. Perhaps his wife had spoilt him, even though she herself had tried to break out of the housewife mould her mother had been in.
A disappointment.

[Paul White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year in the life of Hunter Davies and his partner, Clare. The covers their move into a house on the Isle of Wight and all that goes with a move, including the repairs that are needed, getting to know your neighbours and local environment. However, in Hunter's typical fashion it is brought to life with his humour and foibles. He also meets many of the more famous inhabitants and gives a fairly light history of the island and its noteworthy associations. He does mention that he was able to get approval of those he named dropped, but I wonder whether Clare got the same the same offer. Either way, his description of their interactions over the twelve months added to the enjoyment of the read as I found it so relatable.

Being a Spurs fan I have read, and have had several copies of, his book "The Glory Game". I will now check out some of his others as I did enjoy this.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a little jealous of the way that Hunter Davies has carved out a very successful career from what appears to be largely writing about himself and his journey through life, but I like him so I have enjoyed his books when I have read them. I read this one before taking a trip to the Isle of Wight, something I do fairly regularly, and it added to my enjoyment of that visit as I walked to Ryde and then ticked off some of the landmarks he mentions. You probably have to have a pre existing interest in either Hunter himself or the island to really enjoy this book. but as I have both I did.

[Peter Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

I crawled through this I struggle to really get to grips with what this book was really about. It’s half travel guide half buying a house guide and half sales pitch for the Isle of Wight. Did I enjoy it ? Not really it ended up being one of those books you finish out of duty to the book not the author. I couldn’t recommend this and can’t see why it got into print to be honest. There is a lot better stuff to read than this.

[Ruth Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by one half of a couple who moved to the Isle of Wight when the author was 84! I really enjoyed it. The first half I'd about buying their house, doing it up and getting to know each other and the local area. The second half is full of interesting chapters about the history of the Isle of Wight and it's links with royalty and celebrities.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davies has started a 3 year relationship with Claire at the age of 83, two years after his wife died after 55 years of marriage, when he buys a house in Ryde on the Isle of Wight for them to live together for the first time. This book recounts their relationship and also acts as a travelogue of the island.
A little sad to hear the relationship failed after the period described in this book.

[Maria Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a few years younger but have had the good fortune to experience the Island as you have. You have it to a T. It lovely to read about our happy places like the Dell and Ryde beach.

[Maria Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, very well written and wonderful to hear all the stories of the people that Hunter interviewed, so interesting. What a fabulous idea for a book.

[Rebecca Emin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book during our holiday on the Isle of Wight.

[Julie Gs · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, so lovely to read about the Isle of Wight in such detail. Most enjoyable.

[Alison Durning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Describing areas on the isle of Whyte. Where our youngest has now visited. Had the garlic and loved the light read.

[CHRIS HAZELGROVE · Rating 1 out of 5]

A 'lazy' book, throughout which Davies over-uses and repeates certain phrases; there are too many dull adverbs and descriptions are brief and trivial.

[Ann Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming