An absolute gem, this novella is Alan Bennett’s take on the Queen becoming a bibliophile and it is absolutely delightful. At one point the Queen laments not having read books of authors she had met in the past, her private secretary says “But ma’am must have been briefed surely?” to which the Queen responds “Briefing closes down a subject, reading opens it up”. A very funny and thoroughly enjoyable book about the joy of reading. A must for all book lovers…..and for those that aren’t and should be!
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
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Oh Norman,’ said the Queen, ‘the prime minister doesn’t seem to have read any Hardy. Perhaps you could find him one of our old paperbacks on his way out.’ Had the dogs not taken exception to the strange van parked in the royal grounds, the Queen might never have learnt of the Westminster travelling library’s weekly visits to the palace.
But finding herself at its steps, she goes up to apologise for all the yapping and ends up taking out a novel by Ivy Compton-Burnett, last borrowed in 1989. Duff read though it proves to be, upbringing demands she finish it and, so as not to appear rude, she withdraws another. This second, more fortunate choice of book awakens in Her Majesty a passion for reading so great that her public duties begin to suffer.
And so, as she devours work by everyone from Hardy to Brookner to Proust to Samuel Beckett, her equerries conspire to bring the Queen’s literary odyssey to a close.
Subversive and highly enjoyable, The Uncommon Reader offers the perfect argument for reading, written by one of its great champions, Alan Bennett.
The Uncommon Reader features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, eBooks of the Month, General Fiction, Fiction, Recommendations
The Uncommon Reader is available in Paperback, CD-Audio
The Uncommon Reader was written by Alan Bennett and published by Profile Books Ltd
