This selection of Roald Dahl's short stories is specially chosen for teenagers. The stories are a perfect introduction to the breadth of Roald Dahl's work for adults, as well as a wonderful collection in its own right.
Adrian Mole's first love, Pandora, has left him; a neighbor, Mr. Lucas, appears to be seducing his mother (and what does that mean for his father?); the BBC refuses to publish his poetry; and his dog swallowed the tree off the Christmas cake. "Why" indeed.
"Il faut d'abord que je vous dise deux choses sur moi : la première, c'est que je suis belle, la deuxième c'est que, hier, j'ai tué un homme du nom de Gerald Fox." Fuyant un mari ennuyeux qui voue un amour inconditionnel à ses quatre tortues domestiques, une existence monotone dans le lotissement des Chemins Gris ou il ne se passe jamais rien, et surtout la police, Coventry va se découvrir une âme d'aventurière... et de fugitive sans le sou. Tandis que tout le monde la recherche activement, ses tribulations en plein cœur de Londres, aux côtés de personnages tous plus rocambolesques les uns que les autres, vont se révéler plus drôles qu'une vie de femme au foyer dans la banlieue anglaise...
Depuis dix-sept ans, Eva voit sa vie lui échapper dans son quotidien effréné de mère et de ménagère. Jusqu'au jour ou elle se met au lit... et décide d'y rester ! Mais la rumeur se répand et bientôt une foule d'admirateurs se presse à son chevet. Burn-out ou grève féministe, Eva trouvera-t-elle, dans ce geste inouï, un sens à sa vie ? La papesse de la comédie satirique britishépingle les absurdités de la vie moderne dans une fable, aussi sombre que follement drôle.
British teenager Adrian Mole records the ups and downs of adolescence in his diary.
She hadn't the heart to tell him she had done away with his baby. She had not wanted to commit herself. He worked with his hands, on a bench instead of a desk. He was Mr. Wrong. And yet she loved him. Seventeen years later he reappears. It unnerves her. Does he love her still? Does he hate her? They are middle-aged, they've lost their looks (he has lost his job). But they remember vividly how rapturous it was between them.
At fourteen, Adrian Mole's life continues to be nothing but a set of tragic circumstances: His tempestuous relationship with an alluring schoolmate tortures him, while his intellectualism continues to be ignored by the British press. Despite it all he remains as agonizingly funny as ever in this, the second of his diaries.
Adrian Mole is 39 and a quarter. Unable to afford the mortgage on his riverside apartment, he has been forced to move into a semi-detached converted pigsty next door to his parents, George and Pauline. His ravishing wife Daisy loathes the countryside, longs for Dean Street and has yet to buy a pair of Wellingtons; they are both aware the passion has gone out of their marriage, but neither knows how to reignite the flame. To cap it all off, Adrian is leaving his bed numerous times a night to go to the lavatory and has other alarming symptoms, leading him to suspect prostate trouble. Meanwhile, his mother thinks that an appearance on the Jeremy Kyle show might solve the mystery of her daughter’s paternity once and for all. And when George is asked to provide a DNA sample, will the shock kill him? He is already disabled, though still chain smoking and has had an ashtray welded onto the arm of his wheelchair. As Adrian’s worries multiply, a phone call to his old flame Dr Pandora Braithwaite, BA, MA, PhD, MP and Junior Minister in the Foreign Office, ignites memories of a shared passion and makes him wonder – is she the only one who can save him now?
The latest diaries of this set-upon yet ambitious closet genius are hilariously hedonistic and marvelously moving. They are filled with the kind of soulful, scathing and sly musings all of us indulge in but would never divulge. The most disarming pangs and prevarications are laid bare for our amusement. Adrian Mole - misunderstood, maligned, and muddled - is a nerdy hoot. And oddly captivating.
The continuing saga of Adrian Mole, a middle-aged bookseller and single parent, who worries about many things, including his engagement to Marigold Flowers. Will he find it in himself to break off his engagement to the tenacious Marigold and start a meaningful relationship with her sister?
Adrian Mole has at last reached physical maturity, but he can't help roaming the pages of his diary like an untamed adolescent. Finally given the heave-ho by Pandora, he seeks solace in the arms of Bianca, a qualified hydraulic engineer masquerading as a waitress. Between his dishwashing job and completing his epic novel, 'Lo! The Flat Hills of My Homeland', Adrian hopes that fame and fortune will not keep him waiting much longer.
The 'same age as Jesus when he died', Adrian Mole has become a martyr: a single-father bringing up two young boys in an uncaring world. With the ever-unattainable Pandora pursuing her ambition to become Labour's first female PM; his over-achieving half-brother Brett sponging off him; and literary success ever-elusive, Adrian tries to make ends meet and find a purpose. But little does he realise that his own modest life is about to come to the attention of those charged with policing The War Against Terror . . .
A revolutionary British government orders the Queen to abdicate and the Royal family to vacate Buckingham Palace. Being rehoused on a council estate in the Midlands comes as a bit of a shock to Philip and Elizabeth. The intrusion of this family of "poshos" is a shock for their new neighbours too.
Whether in the guise of a 13 3/4-year old adolescent, a transvestite PM or the Queen reduced to living on a council estate, Sue Townsend has been brilliantly satirizing British life for more than twenty years. Penguin published all of Townsend's hilarious Adrian Mole books and The Queen in Hell Close is an extract from The Queen and I, a brilliantly acerbic take on a Royal Family in dire straits.
Glimpse into the life of one of Britain's best-loved comic writers - Sue Townsend - with this hilarious collection of her anecdotes and musings. ___________ Enter the world of Susan Lilian Townsend - all our welcome! This sparkling collection of Sue Townsend's hilarious non-fiction covers everything from hosepipe bans to Spanish restaurants, from writer's block to slug warfare, from slob holidays to the banning of beige. These funny, perceptive and touching pieces reveal Sue, ourselves and the nation in an extraordinary new light. Sit back and chortle away as one of Britain's most popular and acclaimed writers takes a feather to your funny bone. Witty, and laugh-out-loud funny, The Public Confessions of a Middle-Aged Woman (Aged 55¾) is essential reading for any Sue Townsend fan. _____________ 'Anyone who loved The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole will enjoy this collection of witty and sharply observed jottings from the inimitable Sue Townsend. Great stuff' OK! 'Full of homely, hilarious asides on the absurdities of domestic existence . . . What a fantastic advertisement for middle-age - it can't be bad if it's this funny' Heat 'A welcome addition to any bookshelf' Hello! 'It's as if Townsend has caught our idiosyncrasies on candid camera and is showing a rerun of all the silly clips . . . the ideal dip-in-and-out book' Time Out
These further writings take Adrian Mole from the ages of 16 to 21, describing the young diarist's first job as a librarian, and his later role at the Department of the Environment, where he struggles manfully to preserve the Earth's ozone layer.
For the past thirteen years, as England became an increasingly unhappy and fearful place, Prince Charles has been living quietly on a bleak council estate, The Flower Exclusion Zone (known locally as 'The Fez), with his wife and love of his life, Camilla. He enjoys gardening and poultry keeping while Camilla spends her days doing as little as possible, alongside their fellow ASBO-subjected neighbours. But life is about to change... Charles refuses to follow his destiny unless his wife can be Queen - and public opinion suggests the people would rather have Jordan than Camilla on the throne. But no sooner has Prince William offered himself as the next monarch, than one Graham Cracknall of Ruislip emerges - claiming to be Charles and Camilla's secret love child, and therefore the rightful heir to the crown. When the battle for the Crown begins the dogs on the Fez begin a struggle of their own - one that sweeps across the dog population of England. As Harris, the Queen's irascible corgi says, 'we've been domesticated for too long, it's time we showed our bleeding teeth.' Will sanity prevail over the right royal cock up that England has become? Or will chaos reign supreme?
Behind the doors of the most famous address in the country, all is not well. Edward Clare was voted into Number Ten after a landslide election victory. But a few years later and it is all going wrong. The love of the people is gone. The nation is turning against him. Panicking, Prime Minister Clare enlists the help of Jack Sprat, the policeman on the door of No 10, and sets out to discover what the country really thinks of him. In disguise, they venture into the great unknown- the mean streets of Great Britain. And for the first time in years, the Prime Minister experiences everything life in this country has to offer - an English cream tea, the kindness of strangers, waiting for trains that never come and treatment in a hospital - and at last he remembers some of things he once really cared about . . . 'Wickedly entertaining. There is a gem on nearly every page. Nothing escapes Townsend's withering pen. Satirical, witty, observant . . . a clever book.' Observer 'A delight. Genuinely funny . . . compassion shines through the unashamedly ironic social commentary.' Guardian 'Poignant, hilarious, heart-rending, devastating.' New Statesman 'Hilarious. Sue Townsend's laughter is infectious.
From the back cover: Adrian Mole: From Minor to Major brings together the three bestselling volumes of Adrian Mole's diaries for the 1980s - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, The Growing Pains of Adrian Albert Mole and True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole - with Adrian's previously unpublished diaries for 1989 and 1990. For the first time between the covers of one book, these are the complete Adrian Mole diaries, taking him from 13 3/4 to 23 3/4.
the Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾
"Adrian Mole is a 13-year-old boy. Adrian writes a diary about his school, his family and, of course, love. "There's a new girl in our class . . . I think I might love her. I am 13 ¾ years old, so I'm old enough for love!"--Publisher
A collection of humorous one-liners, stories and poems from women including Jo Brand, Mae West, French and Saunders, Jane Austen, Beatrix Potter, Jilly Cooper, Queen Victoria and Ruby Wax. A percentage of royalties on every copy sold goes to Comic Relief.
Dlouho očekávané nové pokračování světově proslulé řady knih o věčném smolaři Adrianu Moleovi zavádí čtenáře do Velké Británie roku 2002. Adrian nyní dosáhl středního věku, pracuje v knihkupectví, má za sebou dvě nevydařená manželství a je otcem dvou synů. Jeho sen o kariéře úspěšného spisovatele se rozplynul. Obdiv svého okolí se snaží získat alespoň luxusním bydlením, což ho ovšem uvrhne do zlověstné spirály rostoucího zadlužení. Navíc se málem ožení s Marigold, pološílenou vyznavačkou alter-nativního způsobu života. Najde v sobě sílu zrušit zasnoubení a navázat nový vztah s krásnou Daisy?
A harmincas éveiben járó Adrián továbbra is aggódik: Válhat még belőle jó apa? Csak átverés a Viagra? Miért nem akarja a BBC megfilmesíteni az ő sorozatgyilkosról szóló komédiáját, A fehér furgont? Belsőségekre specializálódott, ünnepelt konyhafőnökként, szingli szülőként és szüzességi fogadalmat tett regényíróként vajon megleli-e a beteljesülést, amire vágyik? Vajon Blair Szép Új Nagy-Britanniájában van-e helye Adrián Mole-nak?
Adrian Mole žije spočiatku v komore Pandorinho oxfordského bytu a pracuje v odbore pre životné prostredie. V práci ani v súkromnom živote nie je spokojný, a ani jeho posedenia u krásnej psychoterapeutky Leonory nie sú účinné. Spriaznenú dušu nachádza v trafikantke Bianke, kvalifikovanej inžinierke. Či je to tá pravá, ktorá naplní Adrianovu túžbu po naozajstnej láske, a akú úlohu zohrá v Adrianovom ďalšom živote jeho chlapčenský otčim a nigérijská študentka Jo Jo, to sa dozviete v štvrtom, poslednom pokračovaní denníkových záznamov Adriana Mola.
Adrian Mole, velika kreacija britanske spisateljice Sue Townsend, ponovno je pred vama sa svim svojim problemima što ih iznosi u iskrenim i duhovitim ispovijedima od 1. siječnja 1991. do 15. travnja 1992. godine. Sada Adrian ima 23 i 3/4 godine i zaposlen je u Ministarstvu za okoliš u Oxfordu, u Odjelu za zaštitu vodenjaka. Adrianova neprilagođenost okolini, njegova opsjednutost ženskom anatomijom i neispunjenim seksualnim žudnjama, njegovi nesređeni roditelji, njegova ljubav prema književnosti i uporni pokušaji da napiše roman rezultiraju duhovitim šaljivim i zabavnim stranicama. No u ovoj knjizi Adrian će se od zbunjenoga gubitnika razviti u zrelu i sređenu osobu. Znači li to kraj Adrianovih dogodovština?
Kniha o hrdince s neobvyklým jménem Coventry se čte jedním dechem. Hned v prvních řádcích se dozvídáme o zločinu, jehož rozluštění se dočkáme až v samém závěru. Coventry je na útěku a svou svízelnou životní situaci využívá k tomu, aby se vymanila z nudného stereotypu vzorné ženušky v domácnosti. Poprvé v životě se dostává z provinčního městečka na severu Anglie do Londýna: velkoměsto objevuje nejprve z roviny ulice a prostředí bezdomovců, později se při práci pomocnice v excentrické domácnosti ocitne mezi potrhlými intelektuály, nahlédne i mezi společenskou a politickou smetánku. Autorka jejím prostřednictvím velmi vtipně kritizuje, ironizuje a paroduje všechna prostředí, kterými Coventry postupně prochází.
Libro di enorme successo in Inghilterra, presenta il personaggio Adrian Mole, un simbolo degli adolescenti negli anni '80, ma anche un ritratto divertente della società inglese.
Texty shromážděné v této knize původně vznikaly jako příspěvky do časopisu The Magazine. Sue Townsendová je psala v letech 1993–2001. V podstatě jde o vtipné střípky z autorčina života – Townsendová s nezaměnitelným a nenapodobitelným humorem popisuje svou rodinu a drobné domácí trampoty. Dočteme se o problémech s řemeslníky v domě i o potížích s novými domácími spotřebiči. Zkrátka o všem, co zpříjemňuje či znepříjemňuje život jedné normální britské ženy ve středních letech.
Onoga dana kada su njezina djeca otišla studirati Eva je legla u krevet i ostala u njemu. Sedamnaest godina samo je željela viknuti svijetu: Stani! Silazim! Sada joj se za to napokon pružila prilika. Možda će imati vremena za razmišljanje. Time nikako nije zadovoljan njezin muž, doktor Beaver, astronom koji provodi vrijeme zureći u svemir koji se širi i održavajući osmogodišnju preljubničku vezu s kolegicom Titanijom te besposličareći u preuređenom vrtnom spremištu. Tko će pripremiti večeru? Žali se da je Eva doživjela živčani slom i uzdigla privlačenje pozornosti na novu razinu. Ali glas o Evinu odbijanju da ustane iz kreveta brzo se širi. Tu je i Alexander, majstor za sve, koji stiže pomoći Evi da se riješi sve odjeće i ostalih predmeta iz prošlosti i donositi joj čaj i tost. Horde obožavatelja pišu joj i okupljaju se na ulici ne bi li ugledali anđela. I tako, premda joj svijet uporno zadire u mir, Eva iz zatočeništva u krevetu napokon počinje shvaćati što je sloboda. Žena koja je legla u krevet na godinu dana duhovit je i dirljiv roman o tome što se dogodi kad netko prestane biti osoba kakva svi žele da bude. Sue Townsend, naj-duhovitija britanska spisateljica u zadnja tri desetljeća, napisala je genijalno djelo koje vadi mast suvremenom obiteljskom životu. Roman je s engleskoga preveo Ozren Doležal.
Adrian iskreno bilježi sve svoje dnevne brige, od dana do dana, sa smionošću koja nije pozanata u prozi ovog žanra. Saznajemo sve o njegovom čvrstom vjerovanju u svoj književni talent, o njegovoj velikoj ljubavi prema Pandori, o "nesebičnom" pomaganju starcu Bertu Baxteru, o alkoholičarskim i seksualnim neprilikama njegovih roditelja.... U četrnaestoj godini Sue Towsend napušta školu, a u osamnaestoj se udaje. Majka je četvero djece. Prije uspjeha s Adrianom Moleom radila je kao prodavačica u trgovini odjećom i činovnica na općini. Početak njezine karijere bio je obilježen problemima i nerazumijevanjem, naime nekoliko je izdavača odbilo objaviti "Tajni dnevnik" s obrazloženjem da je u pitanju sasvim prosječna priča! Vjerojatno su zbog toga požalili kad je 1982. roman potukao sve rekorde prodaje, ne samo u Velikoj Britaniji, već i diljem svijeta. Vrlo brzo snimljena je i TV-serija, a tekst je adaptiran i izvođen kao kazališni mjuzikl. Nakon "Tajnog dnevnika Adriana Molea" uslijedili su nastavci "Novi jadi Adriana Molea", "Adrian Mole na pragu zrelosti", "Adrian Mole i mali vodozemci", te "Adrian Mole: divlje godine". Osim navedenih naslova, autorica je još objavila: "Obnovljeni Coventry", "Kraljica i ja", "Deset sitnih prstiju", "Duh Daniela Lamberta", "Velika nebeska krava", "Društvena prostorija" i dr.
In dagboekvorm geeft een 13-jarige jongen commentaar op de moderne leefcultuur en de politiek. Dagboeknotities van een 13-jarige jongen die het leven op school en thuis niet makkelijk vindt.
