Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years - Sue Townsend

Although I read the two original Adrian Mole books many times growing up I'd never actually got around to reading any of the 'adult' Mole books until very recently. I started with The Wilderness Years and then moved onto the book I'm reviewing here, Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years, the fifth book in the series. This one starts in 19997 and Adrian Mole's age is listed as 30 on the front cover. The book begins with Mole working (and living) as an offal chef at Hoi Polloi, a London restaurant run by a foul mouthed drunken lout called Peter Savage. Adrian can't cook to save his life but it doesn't matter because the celebrity ponces who frequent this part of ...  Read the complete review

I've never read an Adrian Mole book before, and so starting with what appears to be the latest (last?) of the series is a little bit weird. I am grounded though, as I vaguely remember parts of the original TV series' (I never saw the series for this - and maybe glad after the reviews for that here), and back in the 80's, this whole Sue Townsend phenomena was as big as Bridget Jones today. And though Mole was devised by a woman, it's still not hard to scarily find affinity with him. Atleast there are a few universal/certain moments I can identify to. Though I am too taciturn to write my own diary. '...The Cappuccino Years', picks up Mole ...  Read the complete review

If you can read, then I am sure you have read Sue Townsend`s past Mole books. This one is just as good as the last and now the BBC has given it a new sparkle, who knows where Adrian is going next. I finished reading the book on Saturday and if you are wondering about the strange boy on the bike or thinking isn`t Adrian a nastly piece of work leaving his kin(s) alone at home - then I would recommend you read the book before the BBC let you know the ending. The characters are excellent and quite amusing with their little wims and strange ways. They are also brilliantly created because they represent the type of people who you can seaily bump into in your everyday lives. ...  Read the complete review

Adrian Mole is, once again, back in our lives - but this time he's a 30 yr old offal chef working in 'Hoi Polloi' Restaurant in Soho, London, and addicted to Opal Fruits! He is also a father to William, half Nigerian. Jo-Jo, Adrian's wife (whom are both now seperated), has moved back to Nigeria. William lives with Adrians parents, George and Pauline, and Adrian's 15 yr old foul mouthed sister, Rosie. Since his schooldays, he has always had a crush on Pandora Braithwaite, now a prospective Labour candidate for Ashby-De-La-Zouch. She's very beautiful, sexy, brainy, and to be quite honest with you, way out of Adrian's league, ...  Read the complete review

Why has this book been written? Townsend's previous Mole encounter, 'The Wilderness Years' tied the series up in a pretty neat conclusion with a sufficient air of finality. This new book unnecessarily destroys what had been a quite satsifactory conclusion to a funny and popular series. 'Cappucino' lacks the 'Private Eye' political satire of the earlier books. While previous Mole encounter chronicled and mocked the Thatcher and Major governments, the 30-year-old Mole hasn't got an awful lot of worthwhile comments to make about New Labour. The political jokes extend little further than separating 'Socialists' from 'New Labour Supporters' - hardly razor-sharp stuff. ...  Read the complete review