From one of England’s most celebrated writers, a funny and superbly observed novella about the Queen of England and the subversive power of readingWhen 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 (from J. R. Ackerley, Jean Genet, and Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) and intelligently, … the classics) 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. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.
With the poignant and mischievous wit of The History Boys, England’s best loved author revels in the power of literature to change even the most uncommon reader’s life.
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Recommend to all avid readers.
A short, amusing book about the Queen stumbling upon a mobile library and turning into an avid reader. Interesting insights on the joy of reading and the pomp and protocol surrounding the royal household.
Fun, easy read.
It’s the Queen’s Jubilee! Okay, so I missed it by a few weeks, but I actually read this little book—at 119 very small pages, the novella designation is very apt – closer to the Jubilee than I’m finally posting my review of it. (Also, I should add that it has been on my list for quite some time, but all the coverage of the Queen did spur me to …
I loved this book, there were times when it felt as though the queen was speaking in my ear. Over the last few months we’ve been dazzled by the royal family, but for my money, the picture captured within the pages of this book is everything we love about her her Maj!