Saturday 11 August 2012

untold stories - alan bennett


I was reading 'Untold Stories' by Alan Bennett a couple of weeks ago, but when l was steaming through it in the bath one evening after work (see what l did there), l fell asleep and dropped it in (obviously been working too hard).  The pages then became wet and enlarged (CALM DOWN) and l had to wait to dry them out before l could finish it.  This l  managed to do, and a fine read it was (l'm glad it wasn't my kindle).  There's a moving and interesting part at the beginning about his mother (and other family members) battle with severe depression, and about how he and his family dealt with it, plus an account later in the book about how he was attacked with his partner while strolling to the sea in Italy, and the way that was handled by the authorities.  The book also includes diaries, reproduced speeches, details of his cancer, plus lots, lots more.  Bennett is droll, and easy to caricature, but ultimately, an informative and funny writer.  I'm reading another one of his collections (Writing Home) at the moment, but so far, l prefer this book.  Top notch stuff, and if anybody wants a free waterlogged copy off it, they can have mine.

toodle pip

No comments: