Sue Townsend

If one were to judge the British population by the diary entries of Sue Townsend’s Adrian Mole, Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones, or Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson, it would be pretty easy to assume that England must be the most screwed-up place on the planet. Massively self-absorbed, completely selfish, utterly neurotic, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (Aged Thirteen and Three-Quarters) introduced readers to this unique form of British humor. (For all you Red Dwarf fans out there, imagine the diary entries of a young Arnold Rimmer, minus the futuristic setting.) While the joke, which was carried on past Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years, has worn a little thin by now, anyone who has snickered over Bridget’s struggles toward self-actualization or Georgia’s obsession with her spots owes it to themselves to check out this pioneer in the field of self-obsession.

Aftertaste:
She could probably let Adrian grow up sometime soon, but otherwise, no.

Availability:
Everywhere.

Other Recommendations:
The Georgia Nicholson books, by Louise Rennison

The Bridget Jones books, by Helen Fielding

The Princess Diaries books, by Meg Cabot

Alice, I Think, by Susan Juby

Website:
http://www.adrianmole.com/index.html -