Wednesday June 10th

Pandora and I are in love! It's official! She told Claire Nelson, who told Nigel, who told me. I told Nigel to tell Claire to tell Pandora that I return her love. I am over the moon with joy. I can overlook the fact that Pandora smokes five Benson and Hedges a day and has her own lighter. When you are in love such things cease to matter.

The Secret Diary of Adrian mole Aged 13 ¾ is an unabashed, pimples-and-all glimpse into the troubled life of an adolescent. Writing candidly about his parents' marital troubles, the dog, his life as a tortured poet and 'misunderstood intellectual', teenager Adrian Mole's painfully honest diary makes hilarious and compelling reading.

I loved Adrian Mole's diaries growing up, and despite that I haven't reread them. The main reason was that the first paperback editions of Secret Diary and Growing Pains were weirdly bound, so that the pages fell out. Not great in a book! I bought a boxed set of all five books, and now plan to start at the beginning and get reacquainted with old friends such as Pandora Braithwaite (nope, I don't know what he saw in her either) Bert Baxter, Lucas and the rest. I'm really looking forward to this, and reading The Wilderness Years for the first time..

January 30th 2004
Up to Page 16

After reading The Princess Diaries a discussion on the Book Break list got started about Adrian Mole. One of the other readers decided to give him a go, which ignited my urge to become reacquainted. I had forgotten how tragically sweet and clueless he was, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the book.

August 1st 2004

I'm putting this aside for the time being as I'm totally swamped with new books I want to read and I don't really have the time for rereading.  I really enjoyed dipping into Aidy's life, but I think it'll have to wait a little bit longer