The Uncommon Reader: A Novella
by Alan Bennett
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Book Reviews of The Uncommon Reader: A Novella
Book Review: Uncommonly Good Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Alan Bennett's charming, clever, witty The Uncommon Reader is a novella which begs for the accessibilty of a nearby pencil and pad of paper; there are such astute observations on the transformative power of reading that most avid readers will want to ponder and share all the author has woven into the plot of this very funny book.
The story is straight and to the point: the Queen of England has developed a love of reading. So what? Well, if you've ever succumbed to the Harry Potter virus - meaning, you've let every last shred of housework, relationships, and personal hygiene fall to the wayside while you plow through another year at Hogwart's with Harry - then you know how reading can both enrich your world and simultaneously pull you out of the reality of it. But what if you weren't the housewife or the co-worker or the school librarian, but the QUEEN OF ENGLAND? What do you suppose would happen while you're holed up in the den, sequestered in your newest adventure? Yes, the stakes are a little higher for a Royal Reader.
It's not just the international ripple which results from Her Royal Highness' reading that makes the book so funny - it's also the amazing voice that Bennett has given to the Queen. She is touching and thoughtful; the feeling you get while reading is so microscopic and almost intimate. I couldn't help but imagine Helen Mirren while I read this book, mostly because she did such a fabulous job humaninzing HRH in The Queen. Whomever I was meant to imagine while I read, by the time I finished I could certainly picture this fellow reader as a friend.
Book Review: "The Queen ... embarked on a new conversational gambit, namely, 'What are you reading at the moment?'"
Summary: 5 Stars
I received this book as a surprise gift from a good friend who loves reading as much as I do. I had never heard of this novella and only peripherally knew of Alan Bennett from enjoying the filmed version of his play _The Madness of King George III_. I didn't know what to expect, as this book is quite different from the others I've been reading lately, though my friend spoke highly of it. Now I understand why and agree entirely. This novella, though only 120 pages long, sweeps you into a fascinating and humorous journey through the halls of Buckingham Palace and beyond as you follow the Queen of England in her discovery of the pleasures and perils of reading.
In the course of the novella, the Queen follows her dogs, of all creatures, into a nearby library and down the rabbit-hole into a pursuit that remakes her life with unusual and unexpected consequences. The more the Queen reads, the more her perspective on the world around her changes, and the more her staff tries to undermine these changes they believe reading has wrought upon their monarch. Alan Bennett perfectly captures the aristocratic voice of the Queen and her coterie while maintaining a wickedly amusing tone throughout, as well as delivering a surprise ending that is both completely unexpected and perfect. The characters are neatly portrayed; you'll find the heroes sympathetic and the villains scandalous, in a very upper-class British way. A wonderful diversion for a quiet afternoon, best accompanied with a steaming pot of tea.
Book Review: A welcome surprise
Summary: 5 Stars
I broke down and bought this after a couple of my friends gave it really good reviews. When it arrived, however, I was pretty mad to see how short the book was. Granted when I went back and looked at the product page, I could see it is called a novella, so it's not like they were falsely advertising it. It was really my own fault for not noticing how short the book was.
Once I started reading it though, I was hooked. The premise is quite interesting: the Queen starts reading- first out of politeness, then because she enjoys it. I found I could identify with her several times, especially since many of my family and friends also do not understand my obsession with reading and with books, like those who surrounded the Queen in Alan Bennett's novella.
Not only did I find the Queen's journey in the story interesting and entertaining, it also inspired me to seek out some of the books mentioned that she reads. Many of course were/are classics which I have read or heard of, while others were new to me and not titles I recognized. Overall it's given me many books to add to a TBR list.
Back to the story- I really would recommend it. It's short enough for those who do not enjoy a long book, but long enough to hook the audience and make them compelled to finish it. I also really enjoyed the ending, and was not expecting it at all, which made it even better. Kudos to Alan Bennett, and I'll be searching out more of his work.
Book Review: The Queen becomes a commoner
Summary: 5 Stars
Five stars are just too paltry for this book. Awesome, bright, clever, droll, only begin the list of adjectives that could be assigned to it. The plot is a blatant, if delightful, vehicle for Alan Bennett's philosophy of reading. The Queen, her very self, meets one of her pages in the traveling library. Norman takes her on a jolly trek to becoming "a reader". She discovers that "Literature is a Commonwealth". A book doesn't care what class you are, as long as you read it!
Inevitably, her secretary Kevin, the Prime Minister, the household in general and even the Corgis find that the Queen's reading is causing disruption. She perfects reading in her coach, keeping the book below the window level so as to maintain the royal wave as she travels. She's tardy for luncheons and openings. She prefers discussing books with her tea party conversants rather than their method of travel. Foreign dignitaries are unprepared as she discusses their nation's authors. Walkies no longer include ball-throwing.
Perhaps as Bennett shows the Queen becoming enamored with reading, the rest of the world will catch on. So, turn off the TV, put away the iphone, unplug the Wii and pick up a book--or a kindle. Be encouraged, the thumbwriters of the world may yet discover adjectives and adverbs. Meanwhile, buy this book, save it, savour it, quote it, and realize for yourself what an extraordinary gift it is to be able to read.
Book Review: Hilarious and scandalous
Summary: 4 Stars
From the back cover:
When her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her new found obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.
Review:
Not since Roald Dahl's The BFG have I so loved a depiction of the Queen of England. This book is so funny and packed full of literary jokes. I am nowhere near as well read as I would like to be, so I could tell that I missed quite a few of the references, but the one's I did get were very clever. There are some parts of the story that are written so well and are utterly hilarious - I couldn't help it and laughed aloud, thank goodness I was reading on the couch and not on the bus or train!
Hilarious though it is, there is a delicious, subversive undercurrent that is scandalous to the conservative sensibilities of monarchists. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and think book lovers will relate to the Queen's journey through reading and love the literary references.