The Uncommon Reader Analysis

British author Alan Bennett’s novella The Uncommon Reader (London Review of Books, 2007), set in modern-day Britain, focuses on the “uncommon reader”—Queen Elizabeth II—who narrates the story as she becomes obsessed with reading after a random encounter with a mobile library. As she becomes more interested in reading than with the duties of the monarchy, her fascination with books has major consequences for her, her household and council of advisors, her family, and her position as monarch. Overwhelmingly acclaimed for its gentle, satirical tone and its celebration of the power of reading, The Uncommon Reader takes its title from the phrase “common reader,” generally described as any person who reads for pleasure, as opposed to a critic. Known

Many people in her life, including Prince Phillip, her personal secretary, and the Prime Minister - and even her beloved Corgis - are frustrated by her reading habit and wonder what’s happened to make her change her ways so much. These people try to find any way they can to derail her reading habit, including getting rid of books by claiming that they looked suspiciously like bombs, or shipping her books to the wrong address while the Queen is travelling in Canada. The Corgis even show their displeasure by tearing up every book they can. Her closest advisors try to talk to her, to convince her that she shouldn’t read for the good of the nation. They make the argument that it’s selfish when she could be focusing on the country, that it isolates her from the public and makes her unrelatable, but she’s not swayed by any of these arguments. Although those around her are troubled by her new obsession, her journey through the world of books opens up her perspective in ways she never had when she was sheltered. She starts noticing smaller things in life, like the way her maid’s face subtly changes when upset. Far from isolating her, she actually becomes closer to the people around her and more aware of their moods and