The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole

It looks as though Townsend was trying to break away from the compulsion to write sequels: the next few years of Adrian's life after Growing pains are compressed into a few letters and radio talks, and the book is padded out with a few pieces of Townsend's journalism in her own voice, as well as the short but very funny Margaret Hilda Roberts, a fragment from the diary of a neurotically overachieving schoolgirl growing up as a grocer's daughter in the thirties. She helps her father water down the dandelion & burdock, ticks off poor people for their improvidence and her headmistress for inefficiency, and has the local bobby arrest an unemployed cyclist called Tebbit for vagrancy. Townsend claims to have found this at a car-boot sale in show more Grantham, and expresses her regret that we have no way of knowing what happened to Margaret in later life... show less

This book is slightly different from the others in the series in several ways, I think. Most instalments of the Mole diaries are longer, and contain a novel in diary form, with the diary entries being quite frequent over a period of a year or so. This is the equivalent of a short story collection, with shorter bits of Adrian's diary recounting significant moments through his late teens into early adulthood, between 1984 and 1989. I'm not sure if Sue Townsend expected to be writing about Mole into his 40s at this time!

As he grows up Adrian seems to be a sadder character in some ways - there are pieces of diary about his frustrations at work. He is still profoundly in love with Pandora Braithwaite but she has gone to university while show more he's still in Leicester, stuck at home until he's forced to move out. There are still some very funny moments though, including Adrian's trip to Moscow with Pandora's dad - how Adrian comes to visit Moscow is a bit far fetched but it's almost justified by some of the funny bits of that story.

Adrian's diary only takes up 87 pages of the book - there are some pieces by Sue Townsend herself, some of which may have been reprinted from other publications. I especially enjoyed her trip to Russia in the late 80s with a number of other writers.

The final contribution is allegedly the diary of a teenage girl, one Margaret Hilda Roberts, who comments with horror in her diary about the introduction of free school milk. In 1974, then Education Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher was to become known as "Milk Snatcher" for taking this milk away - I liked this bit because I still remember how sad I was to lose my milk when I turned 7. This is the diary of a teenage sociopath and is probably most enjoyable to those who share the author's very left wing views.

This book is probably of most interest to fans of the series and those who like books which comment on the politics of Britain in the late 1980s. show less

This is the third book in the Adrian Mole series, but unlike the others, it is only partly in diary form. His story is interspersed with letters to Barry Kent (now incarcerated) and his broadcasts on Radio 4 which show off his customary delusion and visions of grandeur.

Also included in the book are the funny diaries of a teenage girl in the 1930s, named Margaret Hilda Roberts. It is obvious to the reader that these are supposed to be the diaries of the young Margaret Thatcher - these parts are particularly cruel and witty, and were actually my favourites parts of the book overall.

The book also has a collection of essays by Sue Townsend, the main one being her recollection of a trip to Russia which she took with six other writers. Unlike show more the Adrian Mole and Hilda Roberts section, this part is non-fiction.

Unfortunately, this book was not up to the standard of the Adrian Mole books which preceded it. The book is only about 160 pages, and Mole's section is 90 or so pages - yet it covers 5 years of his life, and effectively acts as a bridge between the book which comes before it and the one which comes after it. As ever, Adrian indulges in a fair amount of navel gazing, and swooning over his beloved Pandora, but this episode of his life did not grab me as much as the others I have read did.

I was not over enamoured with the essays by Sue Townsend. Her writing flowed well, and there were some moments which made me smile, but it felt like 'filler' material, added to pad the book out.

The diaries of Margaret Hilda Roberts however, were very funny, and it's a shame that this was such a small segment. Townsend shows her satirical side portraying Margaret as a haughty and snobbish schoolgirl, with am admiration for capitalist beliefs and an active dislike of the working class.

Overall, a less than satisfying episode of Adrian Mole's life, but I would have loved to have seen the diaries of Margaret Hilda Roberts developed into a full length book. show less

This is the 3rd book in the Adrian Mole series, about a hapless teen in the UK in the 80s. He writes a series of letters and diaries that are often very funny. This book wasn't. The Adrian Mole part was very short, not book length at all, and really covered nothing new in Adrian's journey through life.

I just got it from a Book Mooch, because I wanted to complete the series.

The book also has diary entries from the author Sue Townsend, and from someone called Margaret Hilda Roberts, which appears to be the demented childhood of Margaret Thatcher, to actually make 117 pages.

The third installment of diary entries of Adrian Mole, transcripts of Adrian's Pirate Radio Four programs, extracts from Sue Townsend's own diaries, and diary entries from a teenage girl called Margaret Hilda Roberts (hmm...). This installment has some good parts in it, but since it contains short pieces of different writings, it's not quite as coherent as the previous books. The audiobook has different narrators for the different characters and they are all good, although Margaret sounds more like a child than she is supposed to be.

This book was given to me by my ex-boyfriend’s aunt, i.e. my book supplier. I love Adrian Mole but merely for entertainment purpose. In this book, you’ll find that this is not the typical Adrian Mole Diary. Bound in the same book, there are Sue Townsend’s travel journal to Majorca and Russia, also there’s an introduction to Margaret Hilda Roberts’ diary.

Let’s talk about the famous Adrian Mole first. He seized the opportunity to go to Russia with Mr. Braithwaite. It is his first time traveling with his awful photo on his passport. It somehow reminded me of Chibimaruko’s first time flying on the plane to Pulau Selatan. Pandora is in Oxford now married to a dude. But it was a set up so that her ‘husband’ could obtain a show more legal entry to England. So they are divorcing soon. Adrian forced to move out of his mother’s apartment and his loser life continues.

The most interesting story of this book is the highlight of Sue Townsend’s visit to Russia. Together with a few authors, she accepted the offer to the tour. It was genuinely hilarious. Sue Townsend’s style. I learn to love travelogue after I read her account.

Meanwhile, I’m not familiar with Margaret Hilda Roberts yet. So her diary was not expected, that means I did not look forward in reading her personal life yet. However, she sounded like Matilda. Only that she has parents with better sense.

This book is relatively thin; 163 pages; but rich in words. I am stunned how Townsend could cram all the adventures into one book. Definitely quality out weight quantity.

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Book 179
True confessions of Adrian Albert Mole.
Sue Townsend.
Well we enjoyed the Adrian part and the Margaret Hilda Roberts (Nick Wannan you would find that chapter funny!) But the Susan Lilian Townsend chapters ... 50 pages.. left us cold? So disappointing after the others. Why did she have to mess about with it?
Pam Martin
6/10