The Authenticity Project

On the surface, The Authenticity Project is a wholesome, feel good story about friendship and connection. Dig a little deeper however, and you find yourself seeing your neighbours in a new light. This quick, easy read is based around a notebook called ‘The Authenticity Project’, where an elderly (eccentrically dressed) gentleman named Julian has written his truth. He leaves it in his local cafe in North London, with an enticing invitation for the next person who picks it up to share their truth with the world too. Needless to say, there are unintended consequences - both delightful and difficult, as the notebook makes its way around a newly forming community.

I love an easy read that’s set in London, it makes me feel like I’m getting to know my city in a thousand different ways. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth Pooley affords each character, lending to an overarching theme of not judging a book by it’s cover. In the novel, the Authenticity Project is an antidote to social media and the attention economy, loneliness, addiction and lack of connection. It’s a reminder that if we looked up and out more, we’d remember that we’re capable of helping (and being helped) by just about anyone. It’s funny, relatable and grounded, and I’d really recommend it as an easy Sunday read.