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Adrian Mole #8
Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years
Adrian Mole is 39 and a quarter. Unable to afford the mortgage on his riverside apartment, he has been forced to move into a semi-detached converted pigsty next door to his parents, George and Pauline. His ravishing wife Daisy loathes the countryside, longs for Dean Street and has yet to buy a pair of Wellingtons; they are both aware the passion has gone out of their marriage, but neither knows how to reignite the flame. To cap it all off, Adrian is leaving his bed numerous times a night to go to the lavatory and has other alarming symptoms, leading him to suspect prostate trouble.
Meanwhile, his mother thinks that an appearance on the Jeremy Kyle show might solve the mystery of her daughter's paternity once and for all. And when George is asked to provide a DNA sample, will the shock kill him? He is already disabled, though still chain smoking and has had an ashtray welded onto the arm of his wheelchair.
As Adrian's worries multiply, a phone call to his old flame Dr Pandora Braithwaite, BA, MA, PhD, MP and Junior Minister in the Foreign Office, ignites memories of a shared passion and makes him wonder - is she the only one who can save him now?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
166 people are currently reading
2193 people want to read
About the author
Sue Townsend
114 books950 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend was a British novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole series of books. Her writing tended to combine comedy with social commentary, though she has written purely dramatic works as well. She suffered from diabetes for many years, as a result of which she was registered blind in 2001, and had woven this theme into her work.
Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend was a British novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole series of books. Her writing tended to combine comedy with social commentary, though she has written purely dramatic works as well. She suffered from diabetes for many years, as a result of which she was registered blind in 2001, and had woven this theme into her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
April 21, 2021
This book was like a soapopera without the video, a 'gritty' ie depressing look at 'ordinary people'. I listened to it, there was no way I could have got through it in print. The book wasn't funny, maybe back in the day when fat-shaming and saying 'I'm telling you, you should marry an ugly woman, no one will want her' to Adrian when his pretty wife has run off with another man, was acceptable. There were a lot of political jibes and other non-woke stuff. I don't have a problem with any of that, only with humiliating people.
The book is so depressing. No one ever does anything for unselfish motives or loses a chance to put someone down. People cheat on their partners. Bosses are dishonest. Children are badly-behaved and spoiled by indulgent parents. There is sickness, car accidents, death, bankruptcy and redundancy, I don't know what was supposed to be funny about it, but if it had been in print I'd have dnf'd it long ago. As it was, listening to this aural wallpaper didn't really require much concentration and no thought at all, so I finished it.
Years ago I read the original Adrian Mole's and enjoyed them. Although Adrian is one of life's losers and occasionally glimpses it's not just other people doing it to him, those books were amusing reads. Maybe it is just they were of their time? And that the angst of a middle-aged man is not as that of a pimply adolescent. Or perhaps it's me and I can't get into fiction of any kind these days.
The book is so depressing. No one ever does anything for unselfish motives or loses a chance to put someone down. People cheat on their partners. Bosses are dishonest. Children are badly-behaved and spoiled by indulgent parents. There is sickness, car accidents, death, bankruptcy and redundancy, I don't know what was supposed to be funny about it, but if it had been in print I'd have dnf'd it long ago. As it was, listening to this aural wallpaper didn't really require much concentration and no thought at all, so I finished it.
Years ago I read the original Adrian Mole's and enjoyed them. Although Adrian is one of life's losers and occasionally glimpses it's not just other people doing it to him, those books were amusing reads. Maybe it is just they were of their time? And that the angst of a middle-aged man is not as that of a pimply adolescent. Or perhaps it's me and I can't get into fiction of any kind these days.
May 14, 2011
As I started reading The Prostate Years in the midst of an outpouring of Christmas presents, many of which included novels, annuals and book tokens, I was spoiled for literary choice over the holidays, and almost didn't know where to start. However, Adrian has remained my first love ever since the day I picked up my dad's battered old copy of 'The Secret Diary'. He would have to be read first, no questions asked. I hurried through the book feverently, but was hit with bitter disappointment as I sped-read through the last few entries. I dearly hope that Sue Townsend hasn't decided to call it a day as far as her greatest character is concerned.
Despite his ever-changing and often ridiculous circumstances, Adrian as a character has never changed. Even at 40 years of age, he is still naive to his wayward wife's adultery with the local landlord, tactless (but only on occasion) and weak when it comes to handling his eccentric little girl, Gracie, and jealous of his half-siblings, Rosie and Brett and the attention they receive from his parents, Pauline and George. And then of course, there is his benign love for Pandora, a desire for her which transcends throughout the series from his 1980's hormone-ridden schooldays. However, each and every one of Adrian's vast problems is put into perspective when he receives some gut-wrenching news from his GP....
Townsend's treatment of Adrian from the beginning is unabashed and harsh, as she continuously sends him on wild escapades and gives him so much self-absorption and naivety that he is set up for some sort of downfall; in this novel, however, the main battle he faces is dealt with delicately and empathically. The great thing is that Adrian's character remains constant throughout each and every difficulty; pitying his life and longing for an existence of respect, literary success and, of course, Ms. Braithwaite. The humour synonymous with Townsend's style, and this series in particular, is still there, but different in the sense that instead of laughing bitterly at Adrian and his pathetic situations, instead we feel his pain and journey through the book alongside him, tittering at what we observe along the way. I sincerely hope that this is not the last in a brilliant line of diaries, as for once Sue treats Adrian with a bit of - well, if not happiness then inner peace at last - and I would love to see this chapter in his life developed. If it is the end, hoever, then at least Adrian has not been conquered by his problems, and we see him finally acheive some sort of hope, and leave behind a chapter of his life to walk into the sunset horizon...
All in all a humourous but touching read about life and how it can seem pointless at times, but how there is a reason for all the pointlessness. A must for any fans of the series; just because Adrian is getting old doesn't mean his comic value is too!
Despite his ever-changing and often ridiculous circumstances, Adrian as a character has never changed. Even at 40 years of age, he is still naive to his wayward wife's adultery with the local landlord, tactless (but only on occasion) and weak when it comes to handling his eccentric little girl, Gracie, and jealous of his half-siblings, Rosie and Brett and the attention they receive from his parents, Pauline and George. And then of course, there is his benign love for Pandora, a desire for her which transcends throughout the series from his 1980's hormone-ridden schooldays. However, each and every one of Adrian's vast problems is put into perspective when he receives some gut-wrenching news from his GP....
Townsend's treatment of Adrian from the beginning is unabashed and harsh, as she continuously sends him on wild escapades and gives him so much self-absorption and naivety that he is set up for some sort of downfall; in this novel, however, the main battle he faces is dealt with delicately and empathically. The great thing is that Adrian's character remains constant throughout each and every difficulty; pitying his life and longing for an existence of respect, literary success and, of course, Ms. Braithwaite. The humour synonymous with Townsend's style, and this series in particular, is still there, but different in the sense that instead of laughing bitterly at Adrian and his pathetic situations, instead we feel his pain and journey through the book alongside him, tittering at what we observe along the way. I sincerely hope that this is not the last in a brilliant line of diaries, as for once Sue treats Adrian with a bit of - well, if not happiness then inner peace at last - and I would love to see this chapter in his life developed. If it is the end, hoever, then at least Adrian has not been conquered by his problems, and we see him finally acheive some sort of hope, and leave behind a chapter of his life to walk into the sunset horizon...
All in all a humourous but touching read about life and how it can seem pointless at times, but how there is a reason for all the pointlessness. A must for any fans of the series; just because Adrian is getting old doesn't mean his comic value is too!
August 29, 2013
"...when a woman sighs and you ask her what is wrong and she says, 'Nothing,' do not believe her - there is always something wrong and you must stick at it until you find out what it is."
The wisdom of Adrian Mole, aged 39 3/4
Not much is going right for the Mole man in this go-round.
He's living one wall away from his parents, and they are NOT SHY about sharing their problems.
He's still the favorite confidant of old-age pensioners.
His son is fighting in Afghanistan.
His daughter's obsession with Disney Princesses may get her booted out of school.
And his wife is dressing up to meet with another man...including matching lingerie, and we all know what that means!
Adding to the woes are a looming redundancy, a professor who keeps hitting on him, Gordon Brown's refusal to answer his letters, and lingering fantasies of old flame, Pandora.
Even the Christmas lights are problematic. They wait until AFTER the tree is decorated to stop working.
Oh, and Adrian's also been having some prostate trouble, the "old man's disease," as everyone insists on calling it.
This book may seem particularly laden with horrors, but it's really all just another chapter in the angst ridden life of Adrian Mole, and of all the Adrian Moles in the world, he is definitely the Adrian Moleiest. There are plenty of laughs, and more than a few touching moments, mostly between Mole and his employer, the bookstore owner, Mr. Carlton-Hayes.
I don't know if this will be the last book in the series, but if it is, the ending is surprisingly upbeat, and leaves a tiny bit of hope, however infinitesimal, that Adrian's future could contain possibly the smallest ray of sunshine. Or, not...
The wisdom of Adrian Mole, aged 39 3/4
Not much is going right for the Mole man in this go-round.
He's living one wall away from his parents, and they are NOT SHY about sharing their problems.
He's still the favorite confidant of old-age pensioners.
His son is fighting in Afghanistan.
His daughter's obsession with Disney Princesses may get her booted out of school.
And his wife is dressing up to meet with another man...including matching lingerie, and we all know what that means!
Adding to the woes are a looming redundancy, a professor who keeps hitting on him, Gordon Brown's refusal to answer his letters, and lingering fantasies of old flame, Pandora.
Even the Christmas lights are problematic. They wait until AFTER the tree is decorated to stop working.
Oh, and Adrian's also been having some prostate trouble, the "old man's disease," as everyone insists on calling it.
This book may seem particularly laden with horrors, but it's really all just another chapter in the angst ridden life of Adrian Mole, and of all the Adrian Moles in the world, he is definitely the Adrian Moleiest. There are plenty of laughs, and more than a few touching moments, mostly between Mole and his employer, the bookstore owner, Mr. Carlton-Hayes.
I don't know if this will be the last book in the series, but if it is, the ending is surprisingly upbeat, and leaves a tiny bit of hope, however infinitesimal, that Adrian's future could contain possibly the smallest ray of sunshine. Or, not...
August 3, 2011
My favourite of the Adrian Mole series. The book where I connected to him most. Unlike other reviewers I've always liked Adrian Mole as a character despite his many flaws but in this book because of the fact he had cancer and because he had matured e.g. he had started to realise he was not the next Tolstoy, I felt more attached to him and really wanted him to pull through and things in his life to go right. I also enjoyed reading about Bernard, the alcoholic booklover, who plays a greater part in this book.
April 24, 2014
I can't deny I've been putting off finishing this one for a while now. Despite its excruciating romantic plots, "...Mass Destruction" once again left Adrian happy and loved. A few years on and reality has come crashing back in with a strained marriage, stroppy daughter, mooching half-brother, son still fighting the Taliban and a failing bookshop pushing Mole back to the safety of his diaries. Things still manage to get worse when Adrian becomes ill. Funny but painful, like it was happening to a close friend, which in many ways, he has become. The ending will probably not satisfy traditionalists, not least of all now it has become the default ending by Townsend's tragic death but then nothing was ever simple in the world of Adrian Mole. You will both be missed hugely.
January 14, 2012
Very disappointed to note that Adrian Mole, who was always a year older than me, has somehow lost a year making us the same age. Who will I look up to now?
(In the book his fortieth birthday occurs in 2008, whilst his date of birth was apparently 02/04/1967).
I blame the publishers, simply because Sue Townsend can do no wrong. I will be writing to my MP on the matter in the strongest of terms.
Does anyone have Dr Braithwaite's address?
(In the book his fortieth birthday occurs in 2008, whilst his date of birth was apparently 02/04/1967).
I blame the publishers, simply because Sue Townsend can do no wrong. I will be writing to my MP on the matter in the strongest of terms.
Does anyone have Dr Braithwaite's address?
November 12, 2023
3,5 stelute si pentru volum, dar si pentru serie 😊
Desi Adrian Mole nu este omul perfect, de cele mai multe ori intentiile sale sunt bune, in ciuda egocentrismului; multe dintre situatiile mai putin fericite in care ajunge sunt cauzate de naivitate si ignoranta, nu din rautate.
Toate personajele sunt bine conturate si deosebite, fiecare avand un rol important in desfasurarea actiunii. Insemnarile lui Adrian pot parea plictisitoare la prima vedere, insa stilul amuzant si cinic de narare aduce dinamism si face ca povestea sa curga foarte usor.
Nu mi-a fost foarte clar de ce au fost doua volume in care se mentioneaza numele autoarei, in aparenta fiind destul de importanta o astfel de situatie, insa apoi lucrurile se desfasoara ca si cum acel eveniment nu ar fi existat.
Desi Adrian Mole nu este omul perfect, de cele mai multe ori intentiile sale sunt bune, in ciuda egocentrismului; multe dintre situatiile mai putin fericite in care ajunge sunt cauzate de naivitate si ignoranta, nu din rautate.
Toate personajele sunt bine conturate si deosebite, fiecare avand un rol important in desfasurarea actiunii. Insemnarile lui Adrian pot parea plictisitoare la prima vedere, insa stilul amuzant si cinic de narare aduce dinamism si face ca povestea sa curga foarte usor.
Nu mi-a fost foarte clar de ce au fost doua volume in care se mentioneaza numele autoarei, in aparenta fiind destul de importanta o astfel de situatie, insa apoi lucrurile se desfasoara ca si cum acel eveniment nu ar fi existat.
April 3, 2011
Adrian goes through the book moaning that people can't spell the name of his troublesome gland correctly and as a result I mis-type the name of the book when searching for it. Adrian 1 - CaterinaAnna 0
I first met Adrian in the pages of Woman's Realm in 1982, when I was just enough older than him to feel superior, and each new installment of his diaries is like getting a news-filled letter from a friend one hears from infrequently enough for it to contain plenty of news, but frequently enough for one not to wonder why they've bothered. In his forties, Adrian still has all the faults that make us cringe and wonder why we love him, but he has had some of the rough edges rubbed off and greets yet another lost job, lost wife and disappointing child with his usual bewildered acceptance. Pandora is still his ideal, in spite of continuing to use him for her own ends, but she even she is not enough to make up for the reality Adrian has to bear in this book.
As ever, simultaneously hilarious and sad.
I first met Adrian in the pages of Woman's Realm in 1982, when I was just enough older than him to feel superior, and each new installment of his diaries is like getting a news-filled letter from a friend one hears from infrequently enough for it to contain plenty of news, but frequently enough for one not to wonder why they've bothered. In his forties, Adrian still has all the faults that make us cringe and wonder why we love him, but he has had some of the rough edges rubbed off and greets yet another lost job, lost wife and disappointing child with his usual bewildered acceptance. Pandora is still his ideal, in spite of continuing to use him for her own ends, but she even she is not enough to make up for the reality Adrian has to bear in this book.
As ever, simultaneously hilarious and sad.
November 17, 2015
So, farewell then, Adrian Mole, the 80s parody of parochial adolescence which mutated into the author's most well-received series of satirical soapboxes on modern-day Britain. 'The Prostrate Years' is, by default, the final installment in the series, Sue Townsend's death bringing the series to a halt with all the abruptness of a mid-season cancellation. Plotlines which were presumably destined for resolution in later books turn into cul-de-sacs. We'll never know how, or if, the stories were going to end. (Although that's assuming they were going to end at all: one of the prominent characters in 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' is absent without explanation. Five years have passed, sure, but not even a passing mention?)
Townsend's arc with Mole in the later books is always to begin with the happiness Mole concludes the previous book with and gradually strip it away, but even by these standards, the coal-black abyss that Adrian is sentenced to here is like something out of a Russian play. Adulterous wife, job in difficulties, cancer - and that's just for starters. Radiotherapy + the economic meltdown are not the foundations on which comedy is built, least of all when it's happening to a character you've been following since you were 13 3/4.
But then maybe that's the point. Life at the bottom of the social ladder isn't easy. When you're seriously considering your appearance on 'Jeremy Kyle' and your best suit has been ruined because you left Starburst in it, there's nothing more than gallows humour getting you through it. Plus, this is after all an Adrian Mole book, and there's even something resembling fan service towards the end. We'll have to hope that Mole found the happiness that eluded him throughout the series, as it sure as heck deserted him here.
Townsend's arc with Mole in the later books is always to begin with the happiness Mole concludes the previous book with and gradually strip it away, but even by these standards, the coal-black abyss that Adrian is sentenced to here is like something out of a Russian play. Adulterous wife, job in difficulties, cancer - and that's just for starters. Radiotherapy + the economic meltdown are not the foundations on which comedy is built, least of all when it's happening to a character you've been following since you were 13 3/4.
But then maybe that's the point. Life at the bottom of the social ladder isn't easy. When you're seriously considering your appearance on 'Jeremy Kyle' and your best suit has been ruined because you left Starburst in it, there's nothing more than gallows humour getting you through it. Plus, this is after all an Adrian Mole book, and there's even something resembling fan service towards the end. We'll have to hope that Mole found the happiness that eluded him throughout the series, as it sure as heck deserted him here.
July 9, 2023
Adrian Mole #8 continues in style and yet not. The very British (story/humour) that I love is there, but this time set against a very serious backdrop. Adrian has in many respects always been worthy of our pity, but this time his situation is both dark and depressing. It’s still very enjoyable to follow all the recurring characters’ continuing stories though.
A minor note; the author and her editor seems to follow a different kind of 12-hour clock than the rest of us - all times are given as “a.m.” consistently through the text. Even when neighbours gather for a night protest against a (very) loosely planned zoo - meeting time is “8 a.m” - or, as the most exited wanna-be commando group member says: “That’s twenty hundred hours, check your watches”. This time it was quite obvious, at other times it threw me; Daisy working late and not being home until 9.30 a.m., Adrian not getting up until 1.30 a.m….
A minor note; the author and her editor seems to follow a different kind of 12-hour clock than the rest of us - all times are given as “a.m.” consistently through the text. Even when neighbours gather for a night protest against a (very) loosely planned zoo - meeting time is “8 a.m” - or, as the most exited wanna-be commando group member says: “That’s twenty hundred hours, check your watches”. This time it was quite obvious, at other times it threw me; Daisy working late and not being home until 9.30 a.m., Adrian not getting up until 1.30 a.m….
June 12, 2014
In short, I cried.
April 9, 2017
Adrian Mole has been making me laugh since I was 13, and he's still doing it now that I'm 29(It's my birthday today!). He's now at the grand old age of 39 and is on his third marriage. And still not been published by the BBC!
I think the reason I, and so many others like these books, is that you can find situations in here that you recognise in your own family and sometimes in yourself. Adrian's mum telling the story of his birth on his birthday for example. Every year! I know someone like this ;) (hi mum!).
The commentary on politics is hilarious and I laughed out loud so many times. I'm really sad that this is the last book. I would have loved to read Adrian's thoughts on Brexit and Trump!
If you haven't read any of the Mole books yet, why not? Surely these books are a teenage rite of passage. Head to the nearest bookstore immediately.
I think the reason I, and so many others like these books, is that you can find situations in here that you recognise in your own family and sometimes in yourself. Adrian's mum telling the story of his birth on his birthday for example. Every year! I know someone like this ;) (hi mum!).
The commentary on politics is hilarious and I laughed out loud so many times. I'm really sad that this is the last book. I would have loved to read Adrian's thoughts on Brexit and Trump!
If you haven't read any of the Mole books yet, why not? Surely these books are a teenage rite of passage. Head to the nearest bookstore immediately.
July 8, 2019
Adrian is now approaching 40, his son Glenn is in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, Adrian is having problems with his prostate and his marriage to Daisy is falling apart.
Adrian is living in a converted pigsty and working at a bookshop.
Mr Carlton-Hughes who owns the bookshop is ill. He lives with his friend Leslie but Adrian doesn’t know whether Leslie is a man or a woman.
Adrian’s little daughter Gracie is quite the dictator and wins every argument against him.
He is still an incessant letter-writer. He writes to a man who has attained the advanced age of 109 pestering him about how he has kept his hair. (Apparently Adrian has not.)
He has written a play, Plague!, set in the medieval countryside and has given lines to over 60 people.
He informs us that he is 20 per cent agnostic and 80 per cent atheist, but still feels guilty about not going to church.
Tony Blair has finally resigned as leader of the Labour party and will be standing down as P.M. (So apropos these present days when Theresa May has done the same vis-á-vis the Conservative party.)
Gordon Brown is the new PM and Adrian immediately commences to write to him and ask him to look into his tax affairs.
Daisy now weighs thirteen stone twelve ounces, which would be great if she were a light-heavyweight boxer.
It is raining incessantly. On Sunday 1st July smoking in a public place or place of work is forbidden. “Though if you are a lunatic, a prisoner, an MP or a member of the Royal Family you are exempt.”
Re MPs being exempt, ha, ha! – no surprise there – they exempt themselves from everything!
Adrian’s parents are smoking fanatics.
One of the boys at Gracie’s nursery school has a packed lunch of “two bags of crisps, a bottle of Coke, a bag of Haribo sweets, and a cheese string”. This is no doubt taken from real life.
Daisy meets Hugo Fairfax-Lycett, soon to be her lover.
Adrian’s blind friend falls in love with another blind man much to Adrian’s perturbation.
There are many storylines in the book but the main one is Adrian’s bladder/prostate problem. The title of the book “The prostrate years” is a pun referring to the fact that most of Adrian’s uninformed family and friends refer to his sickly gland as his “prostrate” when in fact the correct word is “prostate”, and Adrian on account of his problem is “completely overcome with distress and exhaustion” (definition of “prostrate” in the Oxford English Dictionary).
It turns out that Adrian has cancer so his life revolves around his visits to the hospital for chemo treatments.
I understand from the dedications at the beginning of the book that Sue Townsend herself had health problems while writing the book (and in general I know had severe health problems).
One thing is certain in my view – one of Sue Townsend’s main achievements was transforming the negative into the positive, and despite her poor health and suffering became one of the funniest writers in Britain, brightening up the lives of her readers by her humorous books, not least the Adrian Mole diaries.
Adrian is living in a converted pigsty and working at a bookshop.
Mr Carlton-Hughes who owns the bookshop is ill. He lives with his friend Leslie but Adrian doesn’t know whether Leslie is a man or a woman.
Adrian’s little daughter Gracie is quite the dictator and wins every argument against him.
He is still an incessant letter-writer. He writes to a man who has attained the advanced age of 109 pestering him about how he has kept his hair. (Apparently Adrian has not.)
He has written a play, Plague!, set in the medieval countryside and has given lines to over 60 people.
He informs us that he is 20 per cent agnostic and 80 per cent atheist, but still feels guilty about not going to church.
Tony Blair has finally resigned as leader of the Labour party and will be standing down as P.M. (So apropos these present days when Theresa May has done the same vis-á-vis the Conservative party.)
Gordon Brown is the new PM and Adrian immediately commences to write to him and ask him to look into his tax affairs.
Daisy now weighs thirteen stone twelve ounces, which would be great if she were a light-heavyweight boxer.
It is raining incessantly. On Sunday 1st July smoking in a public place or place of work is forbidden. “Though if you are a lunatic, a prisoner, an MP or a member of the Royal Family you are exempt.”
Re MPs being exempt, ha, ha! – no surprise there – they exempt themselves from everything!
Adrian’s parents are smoking fanatics.
One of the boys at Gracie’s nursery school has a packed lunch of “two bags of crisps, a bottle of Coke, a bag of Haribo sweets, and a cheese string”. This is no doubt taken from real life.
Daisy meets Hugo Fairfax-Lycett, soon to be her lover.
Adrian’s blind friend falls in love with another blind man much to Adrian’s perturbation.
There are many storylines in the book but the main one is Adrian’s bladder/prostate problem. The title of the book “The prostrate years” is a pun referring to the fact that most of Adrian’s uninformed family and friends refer to his sickly gland as his “prostrate” when in fact the correct word is “prostate”, and Adrian on account of his problem is “completely overcome with distress and exhaustion” (definition of “prostrate” in the Oxford English Dictionary).
It turns out that Adrian has cancer so his life revolves around his visits to the hospital for chemo treatments.
I understand from the dedications at the beginning of the book that Sue Townsend herself had health problems while writing the book (and in general I know had severe health problems).
One thing is certain in my view – one of Sue Townsend’s main achievements was transforming the negative into the positive, and despite her poor health and suffering became one of the funniest writers in Britain, brightening up the lives of her readers by her humorous books, not least the Adrian Mole diaries.
August 11, 2019
(4.5 stars) I didn't have this book lined up to (re)read and picked it up as light reading when I saw it on the shelf at my family home a few weeks ago. I was supposed to be starting A Little Life whilst I was away but couldn't get further than about 100 pages. Anyway, I first read this when it came out about 10 years ago (as I've been a massive Sue Townsend fan for about 20 years now) but couldn't remember much about it. In it Adrian Mole has a failing marriage, a young daughter,an adult son in the army (and another son from whom he is estranged) and lives close to his parents in a Leicestershire village. He also gets diagnosed with, and treated for, cancer during this book. I loved the minor characters especially Bernard, Mr C-H and Leslie; and it's good that Nigel and Pandora are still there in the books and there for Adrian. I remembered this as having a sad ending, but it wasn't really - Adrian discovers a love of nature and the story closes in a way that feels non-abrupt and open-ended, shortly after his 40th birthday. It feels like a fitting end to the series though I'm sorry Sue Townsend isn't still with us, writing great books like this
August 30, 2010
I am a massive fan of the Adrian Mole books, I have lost count how many times I have re~read the books. Adrian Mole ~ The Prostate Years finds Adrian now almost 40, married with a daughter (as well as two sons, Glenn serving with the army in Afghanistan and William, who lives with his mother in Nigeria) and lives next door to his parents in the piggery. As always with Adrian his unusual family are causing endless problems, his marriage is not working, his daughter rules their home and her school, the bookstore where Adrian works is about to close and Adrian has some health concerns.
What I love most about the Adrian Mole books is their humour and how they show all aspects of family life, my favourite character is George Mole, Adrian's Dad, whose one liners are memorable throughout all the books, in 'The Prostate Years', you see a softer side to him.
A funny, poignant read, enjoy!
What I love most about the Adrian Mole books is their humour and how they show all aspects of family life, my favourite character is George Mole, Adrian's Dad, whose one liners are memorable throughout all the books, in 'The Prostate Years', you see a softer side to him.
A funny, poignant read, enjoy!
September 1, 2023
I enjoyed this so much more than the previous installment.This is definitely the most melancholy volume in the series, but also the one where Adrian showed the most depth as a character.
It's sad to have completed a series I first started reading when I was about 10 years old,especially after reading that Sue Townsend was working on another installment that remained unfinished.
It's sad to have completed a series I first started reading when I was about 10 years old,especially after reading that Sue Townsend was working on another installment that remained unfinished.
July 18, 2022
Another amusing instalment in this series
June 5, 2020
Adrian Mole, twice-married, father of 3, writer, intellectual, bookshop worker, frequent urinator. He lives next door to his parents in a renovated pigsty. Although he doesn’t always agree with their choices, he does love them and helps take care of his father, who has been in a wheelchair since he had his stroke. He lives in Leicestershire, in the middle of England. It’s where he was born and grew up, and after spending several years in London as a younger man, he is back home where he seems to belong.
He is married to Daisy, a beautiful Mexican-English woman with strong opinions, and their daughter Gracie is a free-thinker who keeps getting in trouble at preschool for not wearing her uniform. Adrian works in the town’s bookshop, and is currently writing a play for the locals to put on, a 60-role work of historical fiction, Plague. And he’s having some health concerns, so he tries in vain to make an appointment with his doctor. After he goes to an after-hours clinic and finally makes it to his doctor’s office for a follow-up, he is faced with the bad news: prostate cancer.
As he considers his options, family and friends gather near to help. He gets in more help at the bookshop, his mother offers to take his to his radiation treatments, and Daisy gets a job to help with the expenses. He has to set aside his work on Plague for the time being, but everyone in town is quick to ask him about his prostrate cancer (after a few times, he stops correcting them) and to offer words of kindness.
And all of it is captured in his diary.
The last in the series of the beloved Adrian Mole diaries, Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years finishes the journey that we started with Adrian back when he was only 13 3/4. Author Sue Townsend brings the tale full circle, with Adrian learning how to love his life, love his parents, and love his future.
I have read all of the Adrian Mole books, most of them several times, and I never tire of spending time with Adrian and his friends and family. For Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years, I listened to the audio book, and narrator Mark Hadfield brought the story to life for me in the most enjoyable way.
If you’re not familiar with Adrian Mole, I’d suggest you start at the beginning, but you don’t have to. Each of these 8 books is a masterpiece of dry English understatement, of family and all its complications, and of one man’s secret thoughts. Each book is moving, charming, funny, frustrating, and perfectly lovely, and now that I’ve reached the end (again), I’ll just have to go back to the beginning and start all over again.
He is married to Daisy, a beautiful Mexican-English woman with strong opinions, and their daughter Gracie is a free-thinker who keeps getting in trouble at preschool for not wearing her uniform. Adrian works in the town’s bookshop, and is currently writing a play for the locals to put on, a 60-role work of historical fiction, Plague. And he’s having some health concerns, so he tries in vain to make an appointment with his doctor. After he goes to an after-hours clinic and finally makes it to his doctor’s office for a follow-up, he is faced with the bad news: prostate cancer.
As he considers his options, family and friends gather near to help. He gets in more help at the bookshop, his mother offers to take his to his radiation treatments, and Daisy gets a job to help with the expenses. He has to set aside his work on Plague for the time being, but everyone in town is quick to ask him about his prostrate cancer (after a few times, he stops correcting them) and to offer words of kindness.
And all of it is captured in his diary.
The last in the series of the beloved Adrian Mole diaries, Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years finishes the journey that we started with Adrian back when he was only 13 3/4. Author Sue Townsend brings the tale full circle, with Adrian learning how to love his life, love his parents, and love his future.
I have read all of the Adrian Mole books, most of them several times, and I never tire of spending time with Adrian and his friends and family. For Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years, I listened to the audio book, and narrator Mark Hadfield brought the story to life for me in the most enjoyable way.
If you’re not familiar with Adrian Mole, I’d suggest you start at the beginning, but you don’t have to. Each of these 8 books is a masterpiece of dry English understatement, of family and all its complications, and of one man’s secret thoughts. Each book is moving, charming, funny, frustrating, and perfectly lovely, and now that I’ve reached the end (again), I’ll just have to go back to the beginning and start all over again.
May 19, 2014
I have read all the Adrian Mole books - indeed, I was delighted when the library catalogue told me there were two I didn't realize had been published! And while I plowed through and loved The Weapons of Mass Destruction, I would have to say that I find the Prostrate Years the weakest entry in Adrian Mole's extensive output. (Or, you know, Sue Townsend's.)
It felt less topical - the last two were both extremely topical and sharp-tongued about current events and celebrity, and this one, set geographically further afield, was more about just Adrian himself, and less about the world around him.
But here's my real issue - so many of the things in this book happened to him, because he was unlucky or in the wrong place at the wrong time, or just 'cause. Adrian Mole has always been a bit of a hapless character, true, but he's always gotten himself into trouble, in true gormless fashion, and then helplessly looked for a way out. This time, he seemed much more acted upon than an actor (which is not to clear him of all culpability in his marriage breaking down), and it wasn't as fun or funny.
And maybe it's just that I liked the ending of the Weapons of Mass Destruction. I liked the idea of Adrian Mole, with all his faults, known for himself, finally getting a happy ending and not needing his diary anymore. I felt like that was a good way to end the series.
And so this entry to the series seems tacked on to me. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy reading it, but it just wasn't as fun.
It felt less topical - the last two were both extremely topical and sharp-tongued about current events and celebrity, and this one, set geographically further afield, was more about just Adrian himself, and less about the world around him.
But here's my real issue - so many of the things in this book happened to him, because he was unlucky or in the wrong place at the wrong time, or just 'cause. Adrian Mole has always been a bit of a hapless character, true, but he's always gotten himself into trouble, in true gormless fashion, and then helplessly looked for a way out. This time, he seemed much more acted upon than an actor (which is not to clear him of all culpability in his marriage breaking down), and it wasn't as fun or funny.
And maybe it's just that I liked the ending of the Weapons of Mass Destruction. I liked the idea of Adrian Mole, with all his faults, known for himself, finally getting a happy ending and not needing his diary anymore. I felt like that was a good way to end the series.
And so this entry to the series seems tacked on to me. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy reading it, but it just wasn't as fun.
August 29, 2013
Tko bi rekao da je nekad prištavi 13-3/4-godišnjak Adrian Mole danas na pragu četrdesete? Moram priznati da sam se iznenadio da Townsendica i dalje piše svoju nekadašnju hit-franšizu kad sam je ugledao na kiosku!? Ovo možda nisam očekivao, da Adrian nije ostvario nijednu svoju mladenačku (spisateljsku ni egzistencijalističku) želju koju je sanjao s 13 i 3/4. I dalje radi iste greške, s ljudima, ženama i sobom; vjerno i dalje zapisuje detaljno sva svoja zapažanja i misli u dnevnik. Mislim da ga je ovaj put Townsendica namjeravala dokrajčiti, to zbunjeno i naivno stvorenje zvano Adrian Mole; on ostaje bez posla, žene, zdravlja, budućnosti?! I boluje od rak-rane srednjih godina - raka prostate! Iako humorističan, ton je dosta pesimističam, tako da mi oprostite ako ne pišem potpuno u vedrom duhu. Sam kraj, pomalo negativan, možda nudi Adrianu da započne iznova svoj život, friški start, uz suživot s prirodom. Možda je ova opaka bolest i nešto najbolje što mu se dogodilo u zadnje vrijeme, nešto što će ga konačno prodrmati i usmjeriti ga prema svjetlijoj budućnosti... btw., odlična je knjiga za opuštanje uz humorističe momente u običnim dnevnim situacijama, skoro da i nema dosadnih dijelova.
July 11, 2016
Having grown up with Adrian Mole, I was desperately hoping that this one would not disappoint. It didn't.
Great fun start to finish. The opening couple of weeks in particular - getting you back into the picture, reminding you of characters whilst introducing new ones etc. - were just a joy. They had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
Despite the deep, dark, potentially miserable core of the subject matter, Townsend keeps it light and refreshing, as we never stop rooting for the pathetic Mole, even as we mock his scruppleless existence.
There were some sections that were not as polished - in that they felt that they had been put in as big gags but never truly followed through (such as the credit card payments for his wife's and mother's Christmas presents), but they could not detract from a great novel overall.
Well done Mole and Townsend: you've done it again and long may you continue.
Great fun start to finish. The opening couple of weeks in particular - getting you back into the picture, reminding you of characters whilst introducing new ones etc. - were just a joy. They had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
Despite the deep, dark, potentially miserable core of the subject matter, Townsend keeps it light and refreshing, as we never stop rooting for the pathetic Mole, even as we mock his scruppleless existence.
There were some sections that were not as polished - in that they felt that they had been put in as big gags but never truly followed through (such as the credit card payments for his wife's and mother's Christmas presents), but they could not detract from a great novel overall.
Well done Mole and Townsend: you've done it again and long may you continue.
July 21, 2025
About what you'd expect from an Adrian Mole book named for the disease that plagues his final diary. It's heartbreaking and cynical, with a real understanding of illness that can only come from someone suffering from it themselves. Townsend started and never finished the next Adrian Mole book. Which gives me hope he's out there somewhere. Recovered a long time ago. Old but still out of step with his peers. Maybe he and Pandora finally made it work. Maybe he's a better Grandfather than he was a father (or indeed, a son). Maybe he's published, or comfortable with not being so. I'm kind of glad we don't know. But I hope he's happy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2011
Adrian and I had lost contact since adolesence but, by sheer coincidence and not without some irony, bumped into each other again both aged 39.
A. A. Mole continues to be self centred whilst also being adrift on the ebbs and tides of life: 1 part tosser, 1 part underdog, a dash of adversity mixed with a cast of misfits. The genius of Townsend's character is that the reader (well, this one at least) can see so much of themselves in this protagonist whilst simultaneously hoping these observations are not what others see in them.
For all Adrian's foibles he remains an endearing character and reading this installment was like rekindling an old friendship - simultaneously awkward yet comfortable.
A. A. Mole continues to be self centred whilst also being adrift on the ebbs and tides of life: 1 part tosser, 1 part underdog, a dash of adversity mixed with a cast of misfits. The genius of Townsend's character is that the reader (well, this one at least) can see so much of themselves in this protagonist whilst simultaneously hoping these observations are not what others see in them.
For all Adrian's foibles he remains an endearing character and reading this installment was like rekindling an old friendship - simultaneously awkward yet comfortable.
January 19, 2022
An uplifting end to the series. Adrian spent his life adrift on the open ocean and he's finally found a friendly harbour.
Very sad that Sue Townsend died before she could finish the next Mole book, but in a way it is a perfect ending as it is. The Adrian Mole series is (amongst other things) a perfect illustration of the transience of life's experiences but the enduring importance of human relations in all their forms, showing that nothing is perfect, no path through life *could* be perfect, but you can live a happy life by taking charge of your own attitudes towards the situations you find yourself in, and the people you are with. Everyone is adrift on their own ocean, and everyone deserves their own friendly harbour.
Very sad that Sue Townsend died before she could finish the next Mole book, but in a way it is a perfect ending as it is. The Adrian Mole series is (amongst other things) a perfect illustration of the transience of life's experiences but the enduring importance of human relations in all their forms, showing that nothing is perfect, no path through life *could* be perfect, but you can live a happy life by taking charge of your own attitudes towards the situations you find yourself in, and the people you are with. Everyone is adrift on their own ocean, and everyone deserves their own friendly harbour.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2024
Whenever I feel low, I turn to Adrian Mole and somehow always feel as though I've met up with an old friend, and found solace. I love the diaries of Adrian Mole, but this one I find especially touching, perhaps because Adrian has grown up and faces many of the challenges we unfortunate adults often do in life. I recommend this book wholeheartedly, especially for fans of the earlier diaries, but also for those facing cancer in their own lives, or lives of loved ones. It helps sometimes to watch through another's eyes, and be both touched and tickled by similar experience
July 5, 2019
Just finished this great book. Ive been reading about Adrian Mole since the first book many years ago. This book is quite sad in many ways as things continue to go wrong for him. I did find it gripping wanting to read on and see if things improved. As always there is a lovely sense of humour in all Sue Townsends books. Im quite sure she was going to write a further book, but sadly due to her death we will never know.If you have read all the other books in the series then this is a must. Still fun, still thoughtful, still interesting things to think about.
March 22, 2021
My favourite Adrian Mole's diary. I grew up with the first two and now it's all over. it is such a shame that there won't be anymore. I know many will disagree with me and say that adrian's diaries are silly... I don't care... books don't have to be always serious, adventurous or mysterious or whatever "ious" you can think of.
Mole's kind heart and humanity is attractive to me and I feel sad that I'll never know if it worked out well between him and........
Mole's kind heart and humanity is attractive to me and I feel sad that I'll never know if it worked out well between him and........
February 4, 2021
The last book in the Adrian Mole series, was sadder than I would have wished for. Adrian, now 38, is diagnosed with prostate cancer. With ups and downs in his work, personal life, with extended family and friends it is all too much like real life.
Still, I am glad that I read it! The Adrian series of books are top notch.
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Just did a re-read. Felt so sad again to be done with this series...it is humorous and extremely clever.
Still, I am glad that I read it! The Adrian series of books are top notch.
__
Just did a re-read. Felt so sad again to be done with this series...it is humorous and extremely clever.
January 26, 2014
Tried to stretch it out as long as possible, but had to finish today. Actually cried imagining Adrian's birthday party. Ms. Townsend is a genius at keeping you smiling when things are desperately grim. Love that English pluck! Where was Barry Kent? The Brett sequences are hilarious, and Doreen's funeral was a typical Mole affair. Loved the end and can't wait for the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2014
Fabulous but with the only cliffhanger of the series and Sue Townsend's sad recent death, I really hope that somebody is able to finish Pandora's Box and get it published, as I'm very keen to read on.
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