The Secret Diary & Growing Pains of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾

Adrian Mole #1-2

by Sue Townsend

Celebrate Adrian Mole's 50th Birthday with this new double edition, featuring the first two books in the hilarious collection and s ee life through the spectacles of a misunderstood boy growing up in the early 1980s.

Friday January 2nd
I felt rotten today. It's my mother's fault for singing 'My Way' at two o'clock in the morning at the top of the stairs. Just my luck to have a mother like her. There is a chance my parents could be alcoholics. Next year I could be in a children's home.

Meet Adrian Mole, a hapless teenager providing an unabashed, pimples-and-all glimpse into adolescent life. Telling us candidly about his parents' marital troubles, The Dog, his life as a tortured poet and 'misunderstood intellectual', his love for the divine Pandora and his horror at learning of his mother's pregnancy, Adrian's painfully honest diary is a hilarious and heartfelt chronicle of misspent adolescence.

Features the complete texts of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole.

'I've never experienced a greater sense of recognition than when reading The Secret Diary' David Nicholls

'I not only wept, I howled and hooted and had to get up and walk around the room and wipe my eyes so that I could go on reading' Tom Sharpe

'Every sentence is witty and well thought out, and the whole has reverberations beyond itself' The Times

'Townsend has held a mirror up to the nation and made us happy to laugh at what we see in it' Sunday Telegraph

'One of the great comic creations' Daily Mirror

'The funniest person in the world' Caitlin Moran

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Young Adult, British Literature, Comedy, Coming Of Age, Childrens

534 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Librarian 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.

Reviews

[Margitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb for this book says it all, I can hardly think of something more to say about a teenage boy wrestling with life as it unfolds, from his changing body, to his social surroundings, his family set-up, to his dreams and aspirations.

I don't know a single sane adult. They are all barmy. If they are not fighting in the Middle East, they are dressing poodles in plastic macs or having their bodies deep frozen. Or reading 'The Sun', because they think it is a newspaper.

I haven't read much coming-of-age books. It possibly reminds me too much of my own sturm-und-drang teenage years, which I would rather want to forget than record for posterity. But Adrian Mole, or rather, Sue Townsend, did have me laughing out loud several times. Come to think of it: 1) Of everything I ever owned or did during my teenage revolt, I still have ONLY my diary left, wrapped somewhere in a sealed box filled with other memorabilia! 2) Perhaps if there were more honest books like these around in those hormonal maddening years, I would have felt more normal!

I never thought of demanding maternity leave as a sibling! Adrian Mole, the intellectual, was different though. Tuesday November 16th: Phoned the school secretary Mrs Claricoates and enquired about maternity leave. Scruton came on line. He barked, 'If I don't see you in school tomorrow, Mole, I shall be severely displeased!
The baby woke up five times in the night. I know, because I sat by her cot, checking her breathing every ten minutes.
My mother has stopped crying and started wearing mascara again.

This was one of those books that I wanted to read for ages. It was recommended to me by friends, associates, acquaintances, strangers whom I briefly met and discussed books with. Although it doesn't have many reviews on Goodreads, it certainly left the impression with me that it was a widely appreciated book elsewhere.

It feels so good to finally tick it off! But there is also a sadness in writing this review. The book ended in the middle of nowhere and I will forever wonder what happened to this young boy. I felt the same after reading Angela's Ashes of Frank McCourt, and then again, after reading the Spud-trilogy by John van de Ruit. There was a fourth book published, which I haven't read. The trilogy became international best sellers.

If you have enjoyed reading The Adrian Mole Diaries: Incorporated The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4; And, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, you will enjoy the Spud books as well. Another treat in this genre is Ostrich by Matt Greene. Here is my review of this book, if you are interested.

They are all satirical and sad, yet happy and humorous. All of these books are meant for easy, relaxed reading for someone who enjoys, as well as can understand, the in-your-face, sharp, wit - disguising sadness and tough lives, in this genre.

What I enjoyed the most in the book was the detail of Adrian Mole's life and the ingenuity with which the diary was written. I can imagine how relevant it was in the 1980s, given the international time frame it was set in, and the break-away trend it established itself in, for readers. No wonder it created quite a stir. Now of course, it is all just memories, but good ones, for those of us who were there! Endearing, touching, smart, intelligent. That's my final impression of a special boy and his diary.

I simply LOVED the experience!

[Kirkirvarpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puiki gyvenimiško humoro knyga paaugliams ir suaugusiems. Pirmą kartą ją skaičiau turbūt prieš du dešimtmečius. Nebuvome tada išlepinti gerų knygų, o ši buvo netikėtas atradimas.
Knyga pasakojama jaunuolio Adriano Moulo akimis. Tiksliau, jo dienoraščio įrašais. Adrianas save pozicionuoja kaip be proto intelektualų, rimtą, nesuprastą pasaulio jaunuolį. Beveik taip, kaip ir kiekvienas paauglys. Todėl skaityti knygą paauglystėje ypač smagu. Daugybė atpažįstamų situacijų, komiškų momentų, ypač kai jauti, kaip Adrianas naiviai traktuoja gyvenimiškas situacijas. Rašytoja nesikuklina ir pateikia ne tik nejaukių, bet ir pikantiškų situacijų. Ir netgi nemalonios situacijos, kaip tėvų nesutarimai ar skyrybos, pateiktos su gera humoro doze.
Praėjus tiek metų knyga skaitosi puikiai, o nesudėtingas tekstas įtraukia nuo pat pirmų puslapių. Vis tik dabartiniams paaugliams knygos jau nerekomenduočiau. Knygoje nemažai politinių ir socialinių intarpų. O tai yra Margaret Tečer laikai. Visiškai tolimi ir svetimi šių dienų paaugliams. Šio laiko patikrinimo knyga neįveikė. Vis tik tiems, kas knygą kadaise skaitė ir nori vėl prisiminti, galiu pasakyti, kad atsiversti ją tikrai labai labai verta.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sue Townsend owes me a new pair of underwear. Because I laughed so hard reading this book, I wet my pants a little. This diary series starts out with Adrian at almost 14 years-old and chronicles his account of his family and "friends" as he grows up in a lower-middle class household.

A large part of the humor is driven by Adrian's neurotic tendencies, outrageous declarations and obsessive mannerisms. Combined with his scathing contempt for his parents and most of his classmates, his bizarre superiority complex is constantly tested by everyone he encounters, especially the object of his desire-the cruel Pandora!

In short, laughing at Adrian's pain made me temporarily forget about my own crippling self-consciousness! Ha! Just kidding.

[Anete Naruška · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things that cracked me up the most:
Friday, March 6th:
"..... Used my father's library tickets to get War and Peace out....''

Saturday, March 7th
''...... Finished War and Peace. It was quite good.''

There might be no rational reason for me to burst out laughing over this, as I have not read the 1392 page long literary genius myself, but how on earth does the 13 year old Adrian read it in one day with his school and other duties, as described, in between? I had to wonder if this tiny together 2 sentence long event was include to show how Adrian lies even to himself to keep up his ''intellectual'' self-image. And tbh I'd LOVE it if it was the case :D

I didn't keep on laughing to the same level til the end of the book however. It was also truly sad at moments and ther's a mild tragedy sneaking in between the laughter inducing lines. But nevertheless, I enjoyed it a lot. I'm even gonna say - I miss Adrian Moles thoughts!

[The Library Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long before Georgia Nicholson, there was Adrian Mole. And Adrian Mole is far, far, funnier.

Yes, he's a self absorbed teen who doesn't get anything going on around him. But his innocence is what makes him so real and sweet--we the outside readers see what is going on in his world, and we hurt for him.

More importantly, Adrian grows as a person. He never quite gets things, but he tries and he learns to care.

Best of all, Adrian gets to grow up. There are books up till the recent "Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction"!

[Elsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

very funny/witty, loved the writing style, but boring at times as it’s literally just a description of this lads life
“went to see rob roy’s grave. saw it. came back.”

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought from a book fair at my junior school when I was 10, I've since re-read my battered copy of this countless times, and at every age I've uncovered new layers of humour, satire and pathos in Adrian's diaries. I don't care for the more recent additions to the series, but the teenage editions are classics - painfully funny and, sometimes, painfully sad.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember this so well really, and have even forgotten which part made me laugh so hard that I peed in my pants. It could be that the peeing was pretty much continuous. I know the laughter was.

[Giedrė Lekavičienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Kristina Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puiki, į 9-o dešimtmečio pradžią D. Britanijoje nukelianti satyra su įdomiu ir simpatišku pagrindiniu veikėju Adrianu Moulu - narcizišku paaugliu, kuris save laiko nesuprastu intelektualu ("kai būsiu garsus ir mano dienoraštis bus atrastas, žmonės supras, kokia kančia būti trylikos metų ir devynių mėnesių nesuprastam intelektualui") ir su paauglišku rimtumu dienoraštyje fiksuoja kasdienius įvykius, savo rūpesčius, mintis apie šeimą ir draugus bei daugybę kitų dalykų. Būtent iš to Adriano naivaus rimtumo bei įsitikinimo savo teisumu, taip pat santūraus dienoraščio stiliaus ir gimsta daugiausia knygos komizmo ("Jaučiausi blogai. Kalta mama, antrą valandą ant laiptų dainavo "Mano kelias". Na ir sekasi, turiu tokią motiną! Mano tėvai galbūt alkoholikai. Tada kitais metais tikrai atsidursiu vaikų namuose").

Knygą sudaro dvi pirmosios Sue Townsend Adriano Moulo serijos, D. Britanijoje jau tapusios literatūros klasika, dalys: "Slaptas Adriano Moulo dienoraštis" ir "Adriano Moulo brendimo kančios" (iš viso yra septynios). Kaip ir kiekvienas paauglys, Adrianas turi ne vieną rūpestį, dėl kurio nerimauja - spuogus, pirmą meilę ir pirmus erotinius potyrius, tėvų nesutarimus ir problemas bei daug kitų. Iš tiesų knygoje gana gerai sukoreliavo paaugliškas Adriano brendimas ir jo keturiasdešimtmečių tėvų savęs paieškos, kai, pavyzdžiui, jo motina nebenori tenkintis namų šeimininkės vaidmeniu, pradeda ieškotis darbo, meta jo tėvą ir išvažiuoja su kaimynu, tėvas irgi susiranda kitą, atsiranda pora nesantuokinių vaikų, po to tėvai vėl susieina... Taigi, Adrianui tenka dorotis ne tik su savo problemomis, bet ir pačiam susiprasti suaugusiųjų pasaulyje (turiu pripažinti, kad nepaisant situacijų komiškumo, skaitant iš suaugusiojo bei šių dienų perspektyvos, kartas nuo karto būdavo truputį gaila Adriano, kad tėvai jam neskiria daug dėmesio ir jis pats savo rimtumu bei atsakingumu tarsi turi kompensuoti nestabilumą ir chaosą namuose).
Taip pat prie Adriano rūpesčių prisideda nestabili šalies ekonominė ir politinė padėtis, apie kurią Adrianas kaip intelektualas, žinoma, turi savo nuomonę. Autorė knygoje per kasdienius Moulo pastebėjimus arba šeimynines situacijas paliečia ne vieną, kaip suprantu, tuo metu D. Britanijoje aktualią temą (aprašomas 1981 - 1983 m. laikotarpis): darbininkų klasės problemas (tėvai ne visada turi darbą ir gyvena iš pašalpų), moterų teises (motinos savo seksualumo paieškos ir šeimos vyrams iškeltos sąlygos dalintis pareigomis), politinę situaciją (nusivylimas M. Tetčer, kurią Adrianas, beje, laiko savo asmenine prieše, Folklando karas), kitas aktualijas (Čarlzo ir Dianos vestuvės, princo Viljamo gimimas), ką buvo įdomu skaityti.

Taigi, knyga man patiko, kaip ir pats Adriano Moulo personažas - čia netrūko britiško humoro bei satyros, o taip pat ir pabrėžimo, kas yra svarbu (rūpestis vienas kitu, pagalba, tarpusavio ryšiai). Knyga susiskaitė lengvai ir smagiai, buvo labai paprasta įsijausti į istoriją bei Adriano problemas ir "problemas":) Plius, manau, knyga visai gerai ir įdomiai nušviečia tokį mini 9-o dešimtmečio D. Britanijos (ir ne tik jos) visuomenės pjūvį bei problemas.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend
11 out of 10


This magnum opus is Glorious, absolutely phenomenal, hilarious, fantastic, mirthful and we can go on – it has been a long time since this reader has been laughing for so long and intensely, while engaged with a book that could have been read maybe twenty or more years ago, considering that a version of it was in the hand and if memory does not play tricks, was there, in the bags, during a trip to Sofia, in Bulgaria, but given the outré title, it seemed at the time that this is not a serious work and it probably has a target made of children.

Fortunately, you can find this transcendental comedy on The Guardian’s 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list - https://www.theguardian.com/books/200... - and it is also part of the BBC compilation of 100 Most Influential Novels, with maybe more than 2,000,000 copies sold to this day, a narrative that is both engaging, simple, modern, knowledgeable of the time and the characters, extremely amusing and at times explosively funny, although there are so many sad, indeed disastrous aspects in the life of the hero, Adrian Mole, who has to go through the separation quarrels of the parents, who drink a lot – no, better said too much – and then do not appear to care much, if at all during periods, about the wellbeing of their child, who has very little to eat for days and for much longer periods, he is fed more than inadequately.
From the first New Year’s resolutions, through to consequent ones, the protagonist tries to ‘help the needy’ (the blind across the street), be kind to the dog – the poor animal is drunk on cherry brandy, is taken frequently to the vet, for various operations, during which coal, cotton and all kinds of other things are extracted from his stomach, ears- in fact, Adrian would help an old man who becomes his friend – in spite of the fact that the hero who is also the narrator admits there is nothing that they have in common, the old man smells, the main character does not and so on – Bert Baxter would be frequently helped by the younger Samaritan, who also saves his dog on occasion.

The teenager laments that he may end up in a children’s home, when in the first chapters, his parents drink so much, then they start quarreling, the mother gets very close to the neighbor – albeit it would take quite a long time for the innocent, ingénue to think of anything suspicious – the one who would be called the creep Lucas – in intimacy he would be Bimbo – the one who would be abandoned by his wife for…another woman, in a very agitated dynamic, the Mole parents seem to keep close even when this becomes a strange three way, up to the point where Pauline Mole would separate and go to live with creep Lucas in Sheffield, to be visited by her son, who would take a trip with the couple to the north…

Adrian would be unhappy with his single parent – who looks like a ‘poofter’ in his apron – when he (the father, not the boy) becomes unemployed – he used to laugh out loud at the ads for electric heaters, which he had tried to sell, whenever they came on television – and the pupil calls the school to say that his parent is mentally ill, trying to hide the shame of having a father without a job, and when they ask, he answers that he would call, if the parent becomes aggressive – the postman, who appears to read the cards, expresses a bizarre, inappropriate sympathy when he says that ‘he would give the mother a thrashing, if she were his wife, to which the hero thinks that he does not know his mother, for if anyone laid a finger on her, it could be the last thing they did’
If not every single sentence, then maybe every other is fantastically amusing, like for instance the description of Glasgow at 11 a.m. when he has counted 27 drunks over a distance of one mile, or dismissed creep Lucas and mother, as they prepared to walk up a mountain, or when the father takes the bottles from Bert, in his car, only to find he is left without petrol and therefore calls AA, only to have the man retort that he needs alcoholic anonymous, not the automobile club, then the fact that ‘mother went to a women’s workshop on self-defense, so that if my father moans at her for burning the toast, she will be able to karate chop his windpipe’…later, the rather medieval, sexist father says that ‘women ought to be at home, cooking, but he said that in a whisper, so that he would not be karate chopped to death.

After a long period of unemployment, George Mole is finally in a job as supervisor, only the crew he has is made up of a group of bizarre skinheads and punks, called Kev, Daz, Mav and other peculiar names, and when the father brings them home to celebrate some progress in their cleaning endeavors, Pauline mole and the Indian neighbor, Mrs. Singh are shocked to see these fellows walking one by one into the kitchen…another hilarious moment takes place with the start of the Falkland’s War, which is announced on the radio and when Adrian runs to announce his father, who is asleep in bed – when out of work, he does that often, if not always – and jumps out at the news that Argentina has invaded the islands, which he thought are just off the coast of Scotland, only to go back to sleep, when he learns that they are actually many thousands of miles away…
To add one more outstanding episode in this chef d’oeuvre that is full to the brim with them, one could mention the scene where the hero has some glue to use on the model airplane and when he is tempted to sniff it, to see what happens, instead of the expected ecstasy, he has his nose attached to the plane and George Mole has to take the son to the casualty room, where the doctor puts ‘glue sniffer’ in the records…

The interaction with Pandora, the girl that has first a penchant for Nigel, a friend of the main character and only in the later chapters becomes infatuated with our hero is also one of the highlights of this magnificent, overwhelming book that is such an Absolute Pleasure to read, the essential splendid comedy, Ultimate Joy and fabulous entertainment…

[Olivia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I find Adrian naïve, thick headed, and entirely oblivious to the real happenings of his own life. As a person of his same age, this books was almost insulting and clearly written by an older person as to what they think about the thought process of teenagers. The plotline was frustrating because Adrian took so long to catch onto everything even when he was hinting about the same events much earlier! I found this to be an annoying, simple-minded read that was not particularly a standout in any way.

[Starasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Adrian, you self-proclaimed intellectual, revolutionary poet! Mostly you are naive, hormonal, and self-absorbed! Sue Townsend writes his diary with brilliance, panache, and much wit. I laughed out loud on almost every page. Here's a prime example: After one of Adrian's poem is maligned because it doesn't rhyme and is deemed in poor taste, he writes, "Must I live amongst uneducated peasants for the rest of my life? I long for the day when I buy my first studio flat in Hampstead. I will have a notice on my door: NO HAWKERS TRADERS OR PHILISTINES."

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read a book in a dairy format. "The Adrian Mole Diaries" was extremely hysteric at times, regardless of how tragic it was. In many ways I could really relate to Adrian and that made me feel like maybe life isn't so hopeless. Because the hopeful undertone in this book and Adrian's character made it easy to believe that this boy will get through everything owing to his ability to always have faith. And although everyone breaks down occasionally, Adrian will always get up again. And if he can do it, so can I.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Adrian Mole when I was in jr. high. I comepletely fell in love with the tone of these books. It's a diary style journal of his teen years. Great fun. I only just discovered that Sue Townsend has more books in this series- following Adrian from school to college to adulthood. I can't wait to read more!

[Linda Vismane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly as reviews told it would be - filled with sadness and lots of family problems and yet funny and hilarious. Liked it. Might read the other books as well at some point.

Also, adults tend to be very dumb. Sometimes even dumber than their kids. C'est la vie.

[Gijs Grob · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾' is a humoristic young adult novel in diary form. The titular hero is a rather naive, whining hypochondriac who believes himself an intellectual. He clearly grows up in a poor family, with heavily smoking and drinking parents. Adrian Mole experiences a lot during the year he keeps his diary: his parents get separated, his father gets unemployed, he experiences the dawn of sexuality, and he gets into a relationship with Pandora, the girl of his dreams. The novel ends a day after Adrian's birthday on the first day of the Falkland War. Most of the humor comes from Adrian not comprehending and misinterpreting what he sees (making him strangely akin to le petit Nicolas), but I hardly laughed. It doesn't help that the character is a rather dumb and irresponsible drama queen, who has few interests besides sex and the great literature he reads.

The sequel, 'The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole', immediately starts the day after the. first novel stopped. Townsend's writing style has matured in this book, and both the events and the humor is more varied than in the first volume. Nevertheless, I rarely laughed, as Mole's account is mostly a tale of poverty and unhappiness, and pretty depressing at that. If anything the book shows that living in the lowest classes of British society is/was no fun at all. The book ends as abruptly and inconclusively as the first book, which is as realistic as it is frustrating.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, I can't with this book. Everyone sucks, I didn't find anything funny, and I feel so badly for that POOR DOG! Just run away and save yourself!

Pearl ruled, page 45.

[To Read List · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Imagine talking to a thirteen-year-old for the equivalent of 300 pages. After a while, you might need a bit of a break." - Episode 46, THE TALES OF MOLE
https://thetoreadlistpodcast.libsyn.c...

[Esha Sangada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very funny and enjoyable book. It gives a great insight into the life and mind of a teenager. Adrian writes honestly about his daily life, problems with school, family issues, friendships, and his crushes. His thoughts are sometimes silly, sometimes deep, but always entertaining. The book shows the ups and downs of growing up in a fun and relatable way. I really loved reading it and laughed a lot. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to understand teenage life and enjoy a good story.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monday March 2nd
Finished Animal Farm. It is dead symbolic. I cried when Boxer was taken to the vet's. From now on I shall treat pigs with the contempt they deserve. I am boycotting pork of all kinds.

Monday March 16th
Bert showed me a photograph of his dead wife, it was taken in the days before they had plastic surgery. Bert told me that he was a hostler when he got married (a hostler is somebody doing things with horses) and didn't really notice that his wife looked like a horse until he left to work on the railways.

Saturday July 25th
PANDORA! PANDORA! PANDORA!
Oh! my love,
My heart is yearning,
My mouth is dry,
My soul is burning.
You're in Tunisia,
I am here.
Remember me and shed a tear.
Come back tanned and brown and healthy.
You're lucky that your dad is wealthy.

Monday September 14th
School dinners are complete crap now. Gravy seems to have been phased out along with custard and hot puddings. A typical menu is: hamburger, baked beans, chips, carton of yoghurt or a doughnut. It's not enough to build healthy bone and sinew. I am considering making a protest to Mrs Thatcher. It won't be our fault if we grow up apathetic and lacking in moral fibre. Perhaps Mrs Thatcher want us to be too weak to demonstrate in years to come.

Tuesday October 6th
Bert has been kidnapped by Social Services! They are keeping him at the Alderman Cooper Sunshine Home.....
Pandora and I went to visit Bert, but it was a waste of time really.
His room had a strange effect on us, it made us not want to talk about anything.

Sunday October 11th
I knew that I'd made a mess of the coq au vin. All the vinegar had boiled away and left burnt chicken. I was most disappointed because I was thinking of making my debut as a cook today. I wanted to impress Pandora with my multi talents, I think she is getting bored with my conversation about great literature and the Norwegian leather industry.

Sunday January 17th
I am reading The Black Prince, by Iris Murdoch. I can only understand on word in ten. It is now my ambition to actually enjoy one of her books. Then I will know I am above the common herd.

Sunday May 9th
I have just realized that I have never seen a dead body or a real female nipple. This is what comes of living in a cul-de-sac.

Thursday December 9th
My tribute to Queenie has caused a stir. People have said it's in bad taste, and have complained that it doesn't rhyme. Must I live amongst uneducated peasants - for the rest of my life? I long for the day when I buy my first studio flat in Hampstead. I will have a notice on my door: 'NO HAWKERS TRADERS OR PHILISTINES.'

Saturday January 15th
There is a new joke craze sweeping the school. In my opinion these so-called jokes are puerile. I watch in amazement as my fellow pupils roll helplessly in the corridors with tears of laughter coursing down their cheeks after relating them to each other.

1. Q. What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?
A. Cliff
2. Q. What do you call a man with a shovel in his head?
A. Doug
3. Q.What do you call a man without a shovel in his head?
A. Douglas
4. Q.What do you call an Irishman, who's been buried for fifty years?
A. Pete
5. Q. What do you call a man with fifty rabbits up his bum?
A. Warren

Come back, Oscar Wilde. Your country needs you.

[morowa · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUMMARY:

Adrian Mole faces the same agonies that life sets before most adolescents: troubles with girls, school, parents, and an uncaring world. The difference, though, between young Master Mole and his peers is that this British lad keeps a diary - an earnest chronicle of longing and disaster that has charmed more than five million readers since its two-volume initial publication. From teen-aged Adrian's anguished adoration of a lovely, mercurial schoolmate to his view of his parents' constantly creaking relationship to his heartfelt but hilarious attempts at cathartic verse, here is an outrageous triumph of deadpan - and deadly accurate - satire. ABBA, Princess Di's wedding, street punks, Monty Python, the Falklands campaign . . . all the cultural pageantry of a keenly observed era marches past the unique perspective of Sue Townsend's brilliant comic creation: A . Mole, the unforgettable lad whose self-absorption only gets funnier as his life becomes more desperate.

[lawyergobblesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of "Growing Pains":

This volume of his diary sees Adrian facing more serious problems than the first. His parents, reunited, must face the aftereffects of their respective affairs during their separation in the first book. The results leave Adrian forlorn enough to avoid reading the tabloids, saying he is dealing with enough sex scandals in his own life (and, to his chagrin, not his own sex scandals). The title's meaning reaches beyond the normal changes and epiphanies of adolescence. Adrian is growing through the acquisition of knowledge; that adults, to paraphrase, set out all kinds of rules and don't follow them. This I'm starting to remember as well. In the aftermath of the event that blew my memory to pieces, I realized that adults don't have a special stoicism or a kit of coping mechanisms one is handed upon turning 18 or 21.

Adrian, also realizing this, has turned (in some matters) away from complaining about the adults in his life in a derisive and flippant manner and instead joins in the suffering of his parents' financial situation. Even if he isn't fully able to identify with their respective romantic disasters, he does understand financial misfortune. He feels the pinch of the family's reliance on social services by asking for free dinners at school and lacking pocket money to spend on Mars Bars. He sees his mother desperate to receive a Social Security check that the friendly postman apologetically fails to deliver, day after day. His father's job woes, and both parents' entreaties to the beleaguered bank loan officer, continue to evoke a family on the brink.

Besides his parents, Adrian continues to develop endearing elective personal relationships. His relationship with Pandora continues, and accumulating lessons about money (and class) and romance and sex give the ups and downs with her new depth and meaning. As Bert Baxter marries and ages, Adrian faces the idea of mortality too, although not head-on; he only acknowledges the apparent discomfort of being as old as Bert and his wife. His best friend at school, Nigel, remains as a minor character, and an appearance by rebellious American penpal Hamish Mancini provides bittersweet comic relief.

The humor isn't all gone - far from it. Adrian's angst over Pandora and his simple view of adult relationships give Adrian an opportunity for plenty of hilarious observations through his still-naive worldview. It is, however, imbued more with sorrow than poignancy; when Adrian's mother can't afford a new school uniform and he must start his new academic year with one that's too small, I can't help but feel sorry for him. But he spins it around; in the next second I'm impressed that despite such a setback, he discovers the pleasure of watching younger children use the inferior back entrance as he lines up to go in the front door of the school for the first time. I'm going to continue to gobble up Adrian's diaries in the coming weeks; the charming yet authentic way he faces life's milestones makes these diaries immensely readable and hard to put down.

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[Salathiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing that can carry a book, even if plot and writing is poor, is a remarkable character. While Adrian Mole falls just a little short of remarkable for me, he still was incredibly memorable.

It took me longer than I anticipated to get into this book. I could chalk that up to extrinsic life stresses or reading fatigue, but I sincerely think that it had to do with the plot. While the diary entries were short and comical, backed by a larger than life almost fourteen year old, what made them a little insufferable was that there were few points of climax. I like to feel like I am working toward some great goal alongside the protagonist, but that was sadly absent here. There were small achievable goals throughout the book, but there was no big source of tension that propelled the plot forward. True, the prosaic nature of Adrian Mole's life might have been the crux of the novel's charm and appeal, for seeing how this borderline wacko Mole approached such simple teenage dilemmas as acne and puberty was good for a few laughs, but I don't know if they were quite enough for me.

That being said, this book warrants four stars because of the comedy and characterization. I have read better comedic journal like books (i.e. Youth in Revolt ), but Adrian was very endearing given his somewhat complete detachment from reality's nuances. He made me wonder if I and all my peers were so stubbornly aloof at his age (which I seriously doubt), or was that just another distinctive trait attached to Mr. Mole. While the other characters were colorful, none held the same genuine feel and likability as Adrian... which could also explain my minor struggle in getting into this book; for, with the exception of Adrian, every other character had a bit of jack-ass in them.

If you want an easy read, than this is probably it. I struggled in the beginning, but once it got going, it did have a way of pulling you in. After finishing, I discovered that Adrian Mole is a diary series by Townsend. While I don't think I am in rush to reenter his world, I can honestly see myself in the future delving just a little deeper Adrian's mind and his further adventures.

[Ingrid van Beek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I rated it 4 but it felt more like a 3.5. I guess I really did enjoy it though. I've read better but the thing is, I have never really preferred diaries: Things like "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" or "Dear Dumb Diary" were just too awful because the kid keeps getting humiliated more and more and it never gets better. I wasn't even excited about "Anne Frank's Diary" (no hard feelings, it's just my opinion. I'm really moved by the story, but it was not the best as a book).

Therefore "the Adrian Mole Diaries" exceeded my expectations.

At first it was just another book and I just had some spare time to read it beside a different book. Therefore it took me almost a month to read. But the pile of questions (I don't know why I'm referring to a pile) just kept getting bigger and bigger and those questions needed answering. It didn't help that the story bended in so many different ways, so eventually I was primarily reading it fast in order not to forget the events that would later be mentioned again.
The ending came quite abrupt, it was like Townsend was in a hurry. I didn't know there were more books in the series so I was rather shocked that the last question answered was whether or not Adrian was going to lose his virginity to Pandora, leaving so many other questions open such as "Who are Rosie's parents?" or "How old does Bert Baxter get?". I did get it, because the book was mostly about how Adrian was maturing and everything and him reflecting on it.

I'm wondering if I will read the next books because I'm stuck in so many series. I hope I will read them one day, wether I'm 13 or 90.

[Kricket · Rating 4 out of 5]

life as recorded in the daily diary of young adrian mole, an intellectual who dreams of glory and frequently sends his original poetry to the BBC. (whether they want it or not.) meanwhile, he must put up with his parents (on again off again married and/or employed), pandora (his on again off again lady love) and a variety of oddball friends and neighbors.

after i read "youth in revolt" by CD payne, some other readers informed me that it was a rip-off of these books (the volume i read includes the first two in the adrian mole series) and that i would like this better.

on the last point, those people were right. adrian, like nick twisp, is horny, stupid, angsty, and riddled with acne, but i found him infinitely more lovable. he's disgusting without crossing into vulgar. he's got redeemable qualities, such as caring about his stupid parents and illegitimate baby sister as well as an elderly man he looks out for. plus, he's british and uses all kinds of adorable brit-speak.

"youth in revolt" while similar in plot, has a completely different tone so probably can't be considered a rip-off. but i did like this one better because it made me laugh louder.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Adrian Mole Diaries was the perfect read for a busy week between my daughters' ballet recital and their performance of Coppelia. Since it was in diary form, it was easy to pick up and put down. Adrian is a fairly typical British teenager - self-absorbed, well-informed about some topics, completely oblivious to others and trying to figure life out with only some help from the adults around him.

Adrian is mostly likable and this book is a fun look at British slang. It's also amusing to see the 1980s through the eyes of a teenage male, since I experienced them myself as a teenage female.

Having waited a few days to write this review, I find I'm without a lot to say beyond this: If you're in the mood for a quick, entertaining read, this might be worth your time. It's not all lightness and fluff - Adrian's family has its fair share of dysfunction - but it would be an easy poolside or beachside read.

[Meradeth Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow I hadn't heard of this series, but a good friend told me about loving them as a kid and I had to pick up a copy. It is hilarious! Adrian is goofy and incredibly self absorbed--but in a way that comes across as amusing rather than completely annoying. He is dealing with some difficult issues: his parents are in limbo, he finds himself with younger siblings in a rather unexpected way, and he's definitely teased. However, he carries on, in true British fashion, and somehow never loses sight of who he is. The diary format was a great one of this--I don't see how it could have worked really any other way--although it did mean that I often ended up reading well into the night because finding a good breaking point was impossible :) Overall, even though Adrian is a definitely flawed character, he's also a very human one, and one who represents the early 80's well. There are apparently a bunch more novels in the series as Adrian grows up and I hope to check them out!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my all-time favorite book, hands down. Waxing poetic about it won't do it justice, so I'll just be honest. I went to Barnes and Noble and asked for a comedy to read on a family road trip, and was given this by the sales guy. I was pretty disappointed, because it looked unassuming and started out kind of bland, but I got hooked fast on the easy, cynical writing and subsequently I was inspired to keep a journal. I've written every day for about 6 years, just basic stuff, and I've got to thank Sue Townsend for that. Adrian is kind of the anti-hero of his own story, and I liked that there wasn't some fantastical plot to prove that he'd had a hero's journey and tons of character development at the end of the novel. It was really easy to believe that this was the diary of a normal teenage boy, and one that I could relate to at that. That's all. Enjoy the book, please.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book to read because one of the review of Henrick Groen's Diary said that the book was similar to Adrian Mole's Diary. The style is very similar as they are both diaries of characters that have very dry wits and are laugh out loud funny. The difference of course being that Henrick is 83 and Adrian is 13. Adrian's entries are about pimples, girls, being bullied at school, charity work with the elderly, and his parents marital problems. The book is a bit dated as it was written in the late 1970s. I think if the main characters of books are teenagers then they should be marketed as YA books and not adult books. I think most teenagers would understand the situations, there is not profanity or sexual references that a boy that age wouldn't get it.