Alan Bennett

I restrained myself from reading your blogs before finishing The Uncommon Reader so as not to be swayed in my opinions about this book. I was delighted to find that you also enjoyed it very much. I read most if it on the bus trip to Uckfield where I had to stifle my giggles at the humour particularly in the first half. ' In my day, it was called personnel' although actually it wasn't it was called the servants. The many digs at Sir Kevin and New Zealand, always asking about the sheep shearing. 'What ethnic classics diid you have in mind, Sir Kevin, The Kama Sutra?' It was Henry James she was reading one teatime when she said out loud 'Oh do get on!' Does the latter not ring a bell?

Alan Bennett has used not only the stereotype of the Queen but also the royal family, New Zealand, Wales, ('Bad luck, ma'am), gays, guards and many authors, cleverly switching from one subject to another, raising a myriad of current issues in a very precisely choreographed manner and ending on a very unexpected note. All in 121 pages. Brilliant!