Insights into England’s Queen

Noted playwright Alan Bennett (“The History Boys”) has given us his latest work of prose: the short, elegant and brilliant novella “The Uncommon Reader.” In “Reader,” Bennett takes us behind the scenes as the Queen of England, much to the dismay of her court and her countrymen, discovers her love of books.

It all begins when the Queen is walking with her corgis on palace grounds and her dogs run up ahead. She follows her beloved pets, only to see that they have discovered a bookmobile. She feels obliged to take a look inside, and again, out of obligation, decides to borrow a book. This single action propels the Queen into a world of letters she had never experienced before.

As her appetite for reading becomes more and more voracious, her aides become more concerned. But nothing can prepare them for the revelation that she might be considering becoming a writer herself.

One of the wonderful things about this novella is that readers get a first-hand look at the propriety and protocol of the workings of Buckingham Palace. From the aides and attendants who believe they are working in the best interests of Queen and country by discouraging her new hobby, to the Queen’s personal aide, who nourishes and fosters her newfound love of books, Bennett has brought to life an engaging and joyous work of fiction that is impossible to put down.

Clocking in at a mere 128 pages, “The Uncommon Reader” can be read in one sitting, and in my opinion, should be. With visions of Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth still fresh in my mind from her Academy Award-winning performance in “The Queen,” I was enthralled in Bennett’s story from the get-go, and would recommend it to any and all book lovers.