The Uncommon Reader

By Alan Bennett

From the book jacket:

“When her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely … and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her newfound obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch.”

I loved this little novella a friend gave me as a Christmas gift! However, I wonder if she was trying to tell me something …

“The Uncommon Reader” takes you into the life of the Queen of England as she discovers the wonders of books. What starts as what she sees as an obligation to borrow a book from the mobile library soon turns into almost an addiction to the written word.

Before long, the Queen is reading every book she can get her hands on, much to the chagrin of her personal secretary, who feels she is neglecting her duties and preferring the company of her new friend.

As she gets more and more involved in books, she finds herself wanting to avoid her duties in order to have time to read.

This novella was a quick and fun little book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the light humor the author uses in his writing. It’s never laugh-out-loud. Rather, it makes you smile and sometimes, giggle.

If you’re looking for a book to give to your own friends who are obsessed with reading, you might want to consider “The Uncommon Reader.” They’ll love you for it!

I'm including this book on my list for the A to Z Challenge.