The Uncommon Reader

The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett, is a very short book–took me only two hours to read it (in electronic format). And I loved it.

In this story, Queen Elizabeth II one day discovers a « travelling library » near her palace and feels compelled to borrow a book, any book (because her dogs were barking loudly). She reads it, and then she again feels compelled to borrow a second book (because Norman, who runs this travelling library, offers to let her keep the first book). And that’s how the Queen falls in love with books.

With Norman, she then starts reading everything she can find, avidly, knowing that she’ll never be able to read everything, never be able to catch up! As she becomes more absorbed in books, she realizes that she is less and less interested in her usual duties (family, politics, the world, even her appearance). The people around her (ministers, secretaries, family) are getting more and more annoyed by these changes and they begin to think that it might be a sign of her age.

The style is light, very British, and charming. Loved loved loved it! This is not a book for or against the monarchy, it doesn’t criticize or praise the Queen’s life, it’s just imagining what amazing things book can do to someone, and it’s also a reminder of how lucky we all are to be able to read. The humour is subtle but always present, and even though I was a bit shocked by the ending, I absolutely loved the book. I’ll have to think more about the ending. And the very beginning of the book, with the President of France, is absolutely hilarious!

Also, I don’t know if this book is trying to remind everyone of the importance of reading, or if it’s actually an elegy to a vanishing human practice, because every time the Queen asks common people if they’re reading anything, they are stunned and the answer is often « no. » The surprising ending might also suggest that reading is no longer enough, or maybe even no longer necessary…  Aaahhhh I don’t know! I just texted my favourite Librarian-in-Chief to ask her to read the book and tell me what she thinks!

This book was pure joy to read.

“‘Pass the time?’ said the Queen. ‘Books are not about passing the time. They’re about other lives. Other worlds. Far from wanting time to pass, Sir Kevin, one just wishes one had more of it. If one wanted to pass the time one could go to New Zealand.’”

PS. Funny coincidence: the first book the Queen falls in love with (the second one she borrows) happens to be on my to-read list already! I guess I know what I’ll read next.