[.ca] Growing Pains Of Adrian Mole (ISBN 0141804602)

Dead funny!:
The diaries of Adrian Mole are extremely comical and entertaining. I cried of laughter through all of them - once you start reading them you can't stop and time flies by so fast. So if you're looking for something funny, easy and fast to read, and a book that will stay in your mind and heart forever, read Adrian Mole Secret Diaries - you won't regret it.

A Book for Everyone:
The secrete diary of Adrian mole is a great book for people of all ages. Capturing some reoccurring experiences that run through all young males adolescence, Sue Townsend's book relates to all people. Although the book is writing about a young, teenage boy, it can be appreciated by almost anyone. It is truly amazing that Townsend, a female author, was able to convincingly capture a teenage boy's life, troubles, and concerns. The secret Diary of Adrian Mole portrays the life of a young boy growing up in England having to deal with all sorts of troubles including tension with his parents, friends, and relationships. Everyone will enjoy this book because everyone, in some way, can relate their life to the lives of the characters. I highly recommend this book.

In the Days Before Blogging...:
It's 1982 : Margaret Thatcher is Prime-Minister and Britain is at war with Argentina over a couple of sheep-infested islands in the South Atlantic. Meanwhile, the second instalment of the Mole Diaries is being written by a spotty, fifteen year old intellectual from Leicester. Adrian proves to be a slightly different character in this book - I suppose he's actually grown up a little. He still has a pretentious streak, he continues to be a touch insensitive at times, he doesn't always see the blindingly obvious and he still (mistakenly) sees himself as an intellectual. However, sometimes, he gets the point all too well and delivers a well-penned (not to mention a well-deserved) kick in the arse. "The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole" covers a traumatic period for Adrian : his O-Levels and CSEs are looming while the significant fallout from his parents affairs have to be dealt with. He's still in love with Pandora, though the path of true love has a few tumbles in store for our spotty Lothario. (He's very keen to see a bit more loving, though he'd happily settle for a glimpse of nipple. Pandora, on the other hand, isn't in quite such a rush). The young couple still help Bert Baxter (a war veteran in his eighties) and Queenie (Bert's recently acquired second wife). Despite Bert's hobbies - drinking, smoking and communism - Bert appears to be one of the closest friends Adrian has. Adrian still has the problem of Barry Kent, the school bully : however, some very surprising progress is made over the course of the year. Starting in April 1982 and finishing in May 1983, some of the big news stories at the time are touched on - the arrival of breakfast television in the UK, the kidnapping of Shergar and the Falklands War, Overall, it does prove to be a very funny book - though there are a couple of sad moments and a few serious points made. Depressingly, some of the points Adrian makes are just as relevant today as they were over twenty years ago. Listening to Radio Four at one point, Adrian notes that the government has decided to spend a billion pounds on war equipment. He then mentions that one of his school's science laboratories is being closed down because it can't afford to employ a new teacher. (Blair is throwing money at the Iraq War having conveniently forgotten all about "education, education, education"). Then Adrian's Irish neighbour, Mr O'Leary, returns to Ireland to vote in the Irish General Election. On his way back to Leicester, however, Mr O'Leary is detained at the East Midlands Airport on being suspicion of being a terrorist. (Admittedly, today the focus has shifted a different group). Later, when a General Election is called in the UK, one of the candidates mentioned is Duncan McIntosh. A member of the "Send 'Em Back Where They Came From Party", Mr McIntosh advocates compulsory repatriation of people with black, brown and yellow skin, the Irish, the Welsh, the Scottish and all those with Norman blood. (With all the recent hysteria about immigrants, Mr McIntosh's party would probably have a good shout at government). Well worth reading, and highly recommended.

I laughed till I cried.:
People who find out I read a lot sometimes ask, "What's the best book you ever read?" That is a question that's impossible to answer. I might be able to name the best baseball book I ever read or the best Jane Austen novel or the best biography of a political figure or the best historical fiction set in the middle ages or the best teen-age romance. But if anyone ever asks me, "What's the funniest book you ever read?" this one will be my answer. This is the only book I've ever read that made me laugh out loud so hard I cried at the same time. This happened during the scene in which Adrian is contemplating running away and/or committing suicide and feeling exceedingly sorry for himself. I felt at the time it was cruel of me to be laughing over this poor adolescent's pain, but that just made it funnier. I was sitting at the kitchen table at the time, and the other members of the family who passed by thought I was nuts and said so. Everyone's sense of humor is different. I like my humor dry and understated. I can't stand slapstick. I was about forty when I read this. Maybe you have to be old enough to look back on the agonies of adolescence and not give a rat's tail to enjoy this book.

Gotta Love Mole:
A terrific series focusing on the hardships of an intelligent male way beyond his years. His misfortunes are expected but still humourous throughout each book. The diary approach is easy to read and a clever way to organize the stories. I've read each one and I am looking forward to the video series coming out soon.