The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole

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In this instalment of the diaries, Adrian has his first experiences of birth and death. He soldiers bravely on through the many challenges that life throws at him, and wins a place in our hearts with his charming naivety. As his frustrations mount, Adrian decides to run away to London but then decides that would be the first place his parents would look and so runs away instead to Grimsby. This book was touching, as well as hilariously amusing. It exhibited a great understanding for adolescent life, making the storyline so interesting and engaging. I couldn't fault this book, I was utterly hooked and read it in two days! It showed subtle hints at the differences between Adrian's huge problems, and their devastating effects, and his parents' life shattering financial problems. This book made me laugh out loud and was sharp as knives. Furness, Hannah (8 July 2014). "Sue Townsend's last hurrah". The Telegraph. London . Retrieved 7 August 2014. Justine A lap-dancer at the Secrets Club in Soho who visits Mole at Savages, as a friend of Adrian's. She is known for a python act. For a short while she becomes the lover of Zippo Montefiori, who describes her thus: "She's a wanker's dream! She's a dislocated wrist! She's duvet heaven!".

Malcolm is the severely under-educated dish-washer during Adrian's stint as head chef at Savage's. Malcolm is not especially bright, but Adrian appreciates his friendship. When a cat that looks uncannily like the Downing Street cat, Humphrey, appears at the restaurant it is Malcolm that takes it in and lavishes it with expensive playthings and food. Malcolm christens the cat 'Humfri' as he only understands phonetic spelling. He is a labour supporter. Barry Kent ( Chris Gascoyne) is a bully at Adrian's school who beats Adrian up in exchange for money, until Adrian's grandmother puts a stop to it.Production of sequels was interrupted by Townsend's declining health. At the time Adrian Mole – The Weapons of Mass Destruction was published in 2004, Townsend stated it would be the last Adrian Mole volume. However, in an interview on Leicester hospital station Radio Fox on 5 June 2008, Townsend said that she was in fact writing a new Mole book entitled The Prostrate Years, which was released in 2009. In October 2009 the Leicester Mercury featured an interview with Townsend where she discussed the new Mole book and her plans for future works. [2] A 7-part radio series on BBC Radio 4 featured extracts from the book read by Nicholas Barnes. Townsend adapted the book for the stage in 1984 with music by Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley. There was also a 1985 television series. Bert Baxter ( Bill Fraser) is Adrian's foul-mouthed and strongly opinionated old age pensioner friend. He lives with Queenie in a bungalow, along with Bert's aggressive and unpredictable German Shepherd dog, Sabre.

So I leave those '80s lovers with an image from one of the best high school movies ever - The Breakfast Club. Adrian Mole is an outsider who feels the reason he can't quite fit in with "regular" society is that he is an intellectual. Evidence from his diary entries include a precocious interest in literature, in left-wing politics, a desire to have his own poetry show on the BBC, his dislike of Margaret Thatcher and his frequent critiques of his less-refined schoolmates and family. Adrian's dysfunctional family, as in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, is one of the focal points of the book. A successful stage production ran at the Wyndham's Theatre, London, in 1984-1986, that included Simon Gipps-Kent and followed with a road tour. [6] Ms Fossington-Gore (Mary Maddox) is Adrian, Pandora and Nigel's opinionated but supportive form tutor.The Mole family's neighbour Mr. Lucas is left by his wife, Mrs. Lucas. He and Adrian's mother Pauline have been having an affair, and they both leave to go to Sheffield, leaving Adrian and George, his father, on their own. Adrian meets old age pensioner Bert Baxter as part of the 'Good Samaritan' project at his school. Bert's filthy house and habits disgust Adrian, but they become friends. School bully Barry Kent begins 'demanding money with menaces' from Adrian, until Adrian's grandmother puts a stop to it by confronting the bully. Adrian takes a trip to Sheffield to see his mother and her lover, Mr. Lucas. Adrian Mole's royal wedding diary, by Sue Townsend". The Guardian. London. 17 April 2011 . Retrieved 24 July 2013. Adrian Mole and the Small Amphibians (all of which were contained in Adrian Mole: From Minor to Major) Michael Flowers is the husband of Netta, father of Daisy, Poppy and Marigold and grandfather of Gracie. Michael owns a shop on Leicester High Street, County Organics, selling flower seeds. He votes conservative. He wears his hair in a ponytail, to the point where his granddaughter describes him as "a lady with a beard". Michael is a devout believer of all things organic, and does everything he can to prevent using fossil fuels. He invents a product, Orgobeet Juice, but it is rejected by Dragon's Den, much to his disgust. Michael has three daughters: Daisy, Poppy and Marigold. Daisy is the product of his first marriage to the Mexican Conchita, who left him; Poppy and Marigold are the products of his second marriage to Netta. He is an enthusiastic counter-tenor of the local madrigal society. He hates people from and all things to do with Mexico. Michael has a sister and a nephew. Glenn Bott-Mole, son of Sharon Bott, whom Adrian knew at school and had an affair with as a young man. Sharon represents the underclass of British society. Glenn moves in with his father and it is revealed the boy has a lot of respect for him when Adrian sees the cover of his diary. He eventually joins the army and at the end of the last book is expecting a baby with his fiancée, Finley-Rose.