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Adrian Mole #1-3
Adrian Mole: from Minor to Major
From the back Adrian 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13 3/4, The Growing Pains of Adrian Albert Mole and True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole - with Adrian's previously unpublished diaries for 1989 and 1990.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.
Paperback
First published August 1, 1991
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About the author
Sue Townsend
114 books948 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend was a British novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole series of books. Her writing tended to combine comedy with social commentary, though she has written purely dramatic works as well. She suffered from diabetes for many years, as a result of which she was registered blind in 2001, and had woven this theme into her work.
Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend was a British novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole series of books. Her writing tended to combine comedy with social commentary, though she has written purely dramatic works as well. She suffered from diabetes for many years, as a result of which she was registered blind in 2001, and had woven this theme into her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 26, 2015
In the first and second part of this book the protagonist is called Adrian Mole from the ages of 13 - 15 years old. I found Adrian to be very irritating and irrational to the point I found him unpleasant to read about and wanted to hit him.
Though by the last part of the book, although still obnoxious and mildly annoying (at 23), I didn't want to hit him at least, so can recommend the last portion of the book just for the slight lack of irritation.
I think a younger reader would get this book more than I do, as I find some teens in books to get very irritating now. All I ask for is a reasonably level headed teenager. Is that too much to ask?
Overall this book was just OK, it's nothing amazing and only gets 2/5 stars.
Though by the last part of the book, although still obnoxious and mildly annoying (at 23), I didn't want to hit him at least, so can recommend the last portion of the book just for the slight lack of irritation.
I think a younger reader would get this book more than I do, as I find some teens in books to get very irritating now. All I ask for is a reasonably level headed teenager. Is that too much to ask?
Overall this book was just OK, it's nothing amazing and only gets 2/5 stars.
November 14, 2017
Adrian Mole is perfect and a classic, now and forever and ever, amen. R.I.P. Sue Townsend. We miss you.
April 14, 2021
It's a modern classic for a reason, an excellent use of the device of making the reader better informed than the author, and making Adrian a largely unsympathetic character - increasingly so as time goes by. However it is the book's celebration of its community, complex, multicultural, messy that really stuck out to me
January 29, 2018
I thought this whole collection was a very good read and enjoyed reading the antics of adrian mole. I too found after the growing pains it was hard to grasp what was going on but in my opinion i think this was great writing for the character , and also he in the book mentions he must remember to write everyday in the diary , so I feel this was a way to see him growing up and pull away somewhat from the diary as he was getting older he was having less time to update the diary on his life which is true for many of us who have ever kept diary i think. I remember keeping a diary as child was easy but nowadays so many things happen to write it all down would take a long time plus busy life so I feel this is a way to show his somewhat maturity as he gets older. Although I did rate the other books lower because of this however all in all a very good read couldn't put the book down and read it in three days.
October 17, 2022
I have read all the Adrian Mole books when I was younger and they are still just as good! I love Adrian mole,he makes me laugh and it’s wonderful reading about the 80’s and early 90’s. I kept picturing Will out of the Inbetweeners and wondered if Adrian was the inspiration for him. I love all of Sue Townsends books,I was very sad when she passed away. Adrian Mole is someone I can read every few years and never get bored of him.
September 12, 2020
*Maybe 3.5?
I actually really enjoyed this book. It was super easy to read and it was really good. The character of Adrian Mole is really good, realistic and interesting - I particularly love him with Pandora and the school trip scene. It was an easy read but really enjoyable.
I actually really enjoyed this book. It was super easy to read and it was really good. The character of Adrian Mole is really good, realistic and interesting - I particularly love him with Pandora and the school trip scene. It was an easy read but really enjoyable.
July 18, 2024
I liked how this was written in the diary format, and I did enjoy reading it however wasn’t action packed and a bit irritating 😭 I feel like I was expecting more and would have liked more of a journey throughout the life - the ending was inconclusive, but I think that’s how it was meant to be
August 27, 2025
For the most part, Adrian Mole: From Minor to Major, is an interesting, quick read that’ll take you back in time to the 1980s and early 90s, and feel like you’re living an average life in suburban Leicester with the alarmingly average Adrian Mole and his rag-tag band of family members and assorted friends and acquaintances, including Bert Baxter (his communist elderly associate), Nigel (the gay on-off friend), George and Pauline (his madhouse parents), Barry Kent (bully turned poet) and of course, his true love Pandora. It’s a great commentary of life in that period of time—Thatcher’s England. Adrian is an excellent parody of a teenager, which’ll lead to many teenagers enjoying reading about him, and anyone older having a good laugh about his pure incompetence. Despite its few inconsistencies, the books are definitely not a let down and, especially if you’re a fan of such wonderful topics as the Norwegian Leather Industry and long-winding provincial novels like the classic novel Lo! The Flat Hills of my Homeland, this book is definitely for you.
More here: https://jessicagrixtistanley.com/2016...
More here: https://jessicagrixtistanley.com/2016...
January 18, 2021
I thought the character of Adrian was rather annoying and at age 14 should at least have some understanding of finance and should start thinking of how having little finance effects everyone and not just the fact that he cant but mars bars. He is a very unlikable and self-centered character making enjoy the book less and less and the story went on.
February 25, 2021
Re read this trilogy for the nostalgia value from my younger days. At the start of the third book I felt like giving up but kept reading and it was worthwhile.
I will continue to read the rest of the series.
I will continue to read the rest of the series.
August 15, 2018
Hilarious and touching. A childhood favourite that has stood the test of the time.
February 16, 2019
Good for nostalgia. Don’t know if it would appeal to anyone who didn’t live in the 80s in uk. Third book had lost its sparkle and continuity.
February 20, 2019
Depressing and hilarious - in short, very British.
July 12, 2019
It was funny when I first read it at the age of 12. Now it’s both hilarious and depressing.
July 5, 2021
Very funny and entertaining. The last book was a bit boring though.
Read
December 16, 2021love this book have read some before
January 1, 2022
Funny and witty illustration of the past in UK. Had lots of fun reading it
January 27, 2022
It was good! Definitely loses its charm a bit as Adrian ages, but still fun to read.
August 7, 2022
Only read the last bit, as had just re-read the first two diaries. That bit feels like the filler it was in another Sue Townsend book.
September 1, 2022
Funny and sad at the same time, poor Adrian clearly suffers from delusions of grandeur. Light entertainment read.
October 13, 2022
This is such a classic and never gets old.
December 31, 2025
Just as honest, heartfelt & humorous as I remember. A classic read for a child of the early 90's.
January 15, 2022
Adrian Mole has been my lifesaver on many occasions. These books regularly drag me out of the darkest holes, again and again.
March 8, 2011
Of "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 3/4" I wrote: Adrian Mole, precocious British teenager, self-professed intellectual, and diarist tells us of his trials and tribulations during the last part of his 13th and all of his 14th year. His musings are funny, sweet, and ultimately poignant. In this first edition of the series, we follow him through his decision to become an intellectual, his parents separation and reunification, and his tumultuous first love affair with one Pandora Braithwaite (herself precocious, radical and somewhat fickle.)
Upon my second reading of this book, I was pleased that I was not any less enchanted by Adrian as when I first became acquainted with him during my freshman year of college. Adrian is such a real and believable character that it's hard to believe he sprung from the mind of a middle-aged woman, who herself has never, presumably, been a 13 and 3/4 year old boy. Of course, neither have I. I am also not British, and not well-acquainted with early 1980's Britain and know nothing of British politics. I often find it difficult to read literature from countries I have not visited or studied extensively, but the colloquialisms herein are not as mystifying or unable to be understood from context in this work as others I have read.
I would recommend this book to any American Anglophile or any young adult who would in any way identify with the engaging character of Adrian Mole.
On "The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole:" The only thing I have to add about this edition of the series is that I find it a little hard to believe that a 15-year-old as well-read and 'intellectual' as Adrian is completely oblivious to certain things. It's rather annoying and makes him a bit less believable of a character. However, this book is still literally laugh out loud funny.
Upon reading "The True Confessions of Adrian Mole" I must say that I find it rather unnerving after two books covering daily entries from Adrian's life over a period of 1 1/2 years each, having the third volume of the series (no lengthier than the first two) feature essays, radio broadcasts, selected letters and covering a period of 5+ years. It's jolting. Also, upon growing older, Adrian does not seem to *grow up!* He's still writing bloody awful poetry which, at 13 3/4 was amusing, it's rather less so at age 20 (and 8 months, which he still finds it necessary to add.) He's still naive and not clever at all, which is hard to fathom from such a promising youth. I find it hard to believe that the BBC allowed him a broadcast slot! I still intend to read the following volumes of the series, but my main purpose will be to find out whether Adrian ever removes his head from his *cough* ahem.
Upon my second reading of this book, I was pleased that I was not any less enchanted by Adrian as when I first became acquainted with him during my freshman year of college. Adrian is such a real and believable character that it's hard to believe he sprung from the mind of a middle-aged woman, who herself has never, presumably, been a 13 and 3/4 year old boy. Of course, neither have I. I am also not British, and not well-acquainted with early 1980's Britain and know nothing of British politics. I often find it difficult to read literature from countries I have not visited or studied extensively, but the colloquialisms herein are not as mystifying or unable to be understood from context in this work as others I have read.
I would recommend this book to any American Anglophile or any young adult who would in any way identify with the engaging character of Adrian Mole.
On "The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole:" The only thing I have to add about this edition of the series is that I find it a little hard to believe that a 15-year-old as well-read and 'intellectual' as Adrian is completely oblivious to certain things. It's rather annoying and makes him a bit less believable of a character. However, this book is still literally laugh out loud funny.
Upon reading "The True Confessions of Adrian Mole" I must say that I find it rather unnerving after two books covering daily entries from Adrian's life over a period of 1 1/2 years each, having the third volume of the series (no lengthier than the first two) feature essays, radio broadcasts, selected letters and covering a period of 5+ years. It's jolting. Also, upon growing older, Adrian does not seem to *grow up!* He's still writing bloody awful poetry which, at 13 3/4 was amusing, it's rather less so at age 20 (and 8 months, which he still finds it necessary to add.) He's still naive and not clever at all, which is hard to fathom from such a promising youth. I find it hard to believe that the BBC allowed him a broadcast slot! I still intend to read the following volumes of the series, but my main purpose will be to find out whether Adrian ever removes his head from his *cough* ahem.
July 10, 2011
Separated into four parts - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, The True Confessions of Adrian Mole and Adrian Mole and the Small Amphibians - the quality and tone sort of leaps wildly when you hit the halfway point and finish Growing Pains.
I really enjoyed the first two books, which - given the abrupt ending of Secret Diary, and immediate succession of Growing Pains - really feels as if they should be just one book anyway, as they cover the teenage years of Mole as he declares himself an intellectual, churns out abysmal but fascinating poetry, waxes on about the Norwegian Leather Industry, and lusts after Pandora. It's also interesting as a look at the '80s, as I didn't realise at first that they were written in the '80s as opposed to looking back at them. The various quirks of the diary format - the daily updates, some of them tiny and some of them epic, some of them written retroactively to account for terrifying motorway excursions, the snippets of poetry and letters - work entirely in the first two books' favour.
Unfortunately something goes terribly wrong after Growing Pains. A year and a half is inexplicably 'lost' before the next update, and the time line also seems to have gone wandering - a year and a half has passed according to the dates, but only six months according to the diary itself. Continuity errors crop up. Characters who had stepped out of the series are back where they were, little details are forgotten. The tone is rather different, too. The diary format is sustained in parts, but goes all over the place, with updates no longer taking place every day but every other month. There is a much greater emphasis on letters and diatribes, some purporting to be read out on BBC Radio Four. The whole thing feels like it might not be canonical, like Adrian is merely fantasising about these fantastic events (something that would be quite in keeping with his character), but when the short work Small Amphibians picks up things carry on in the same vein, skipping ahead and becoming increasingly off the wall. Much of what occurs during Mole's teenage years is either realistic or realistically unrealistic, seen through his oblivious eyes, yet what occurs later becomes increasingly hard to swallow, as if he's either more and more unhinged or the writing is getting looser and looser.
I'm told that the next book, The Wilderness Years, is perhaps the best in the series. I hope so. Certainly the first two books are fantastic. True Confessions and Amphibians are perhaps less worth reading, but assuming they fit into the larger arc of the series, still necessary.
I really enjoyed the first two books, which - given the abrupt ending of Secret Diary, and immediate succession of Growing Pains - really feels as if they should be just one book anyway, as they cover the teenage years of Mole as he declares himself an intellectual, churns out abysmal but fascinating poetry, waxes on about the Norwegian Leather Industry, and lusts after Pandora. It's also interesting as a look at the '80s, as I didn't realise at first that they were written in the '80s as opposed to looking back at them. The various quirks of the diary format - the daily updates, some of them tiny and some of them epic, some of them written retroactively to account for terrifying motorway excursions, the snippets of poetry and letters - work entirely in the first two books' favour.
Unfortunately something goes terribly wrong after Growing Pains. A year and a half is inexplicably 'lost' before the next update, and the time line also seems to have gone wandering - a year and a half has passed according to the dates, but only six months according to the diary itself. Continuity errors crop up. Characters who had stepped out of the series are back where they were, little details are forgotten. The tone is rather different, too. The diary format is sustained in parts, but goes all over the place, with updates no longer taking place every day but every other month. There is a much greater emphasis on letters and diatribes, some purporting to be read out on BBC Radio Four. The whole thing feels like it might not be canonical, like Adrian is merely fantasising about these fantastic events (something that would be quite in keeping with his character), but when the short work Small Amphibians picks up things carry on in the same vein, skipping ahead and becoming increasingly off the wall. Much of what occurs during Mole's teenage years is either realistic or realistically unrealistic, seen through his oblivious eyes, yet what occurs later becomes increasingly hard to swallow, as if he's either more and more unhinged or the writing is getting looser and looser.
I'm told that the next book, The Wilderness Years, is perhaps the best in the series. I hope so. Certainly the first two books are fantastic. True Confessions and Amphibians are perhaps less worth reading, but assuming they fit into the larger arc of the series, still necessary.
June 30, 2014
When I picked it up at the library, I really wasn't expecting to find such an intriguing read. I didn't even know that Adrian Mole was a successful series in the '80s. The whole time I was reading it, I think it reminds me a hell of a lot of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, although, of course, much more mature and the story doesn't really focus on Adrian's school life. I must say, most of the time I was fighting not to let my palm meet my face - also known as the case of the face-palm - because a lot of the things Adrian says/writes are obviously wrong. Or, more like, he misses all the obvious hints. It was rather frustrating but, at the same time, enjoyable. You can see him mature throughout the story although don't expect him to ever fail to make you want to facepalm. Not just him, everyone around him also makes you want to scream because...well, you will soon find out if you read the book. Such an incredible read and makes me feel rather nostalgic, I miss stories and writing styles such as this: humble and innocent.
April 5, 2010
This collection from Sue Townsend is comprised of Adrian Mole's exploits from the very beginning through the end of the Wilderness Years, with extra bits thrown in for good measure. Precocious and dramatic, Adrian is surrounded by a world that is at a loss as to how to deal with him. His ignorance of his own ability to rub people the wrong way veers wildly between hilarious and infuriating.
By the time you get to the end of The Wilderness Years, something special happens. Adrian is finally starting to grow into himself (we hope), and perhaps he'll be a bit more at ease in the world in books to come. We can only keep reading and find out for ourselves. This volume is special for being able to offer us some previously-unreleased looks into Adrian's life, and it makes the whole story that much more entertaining. Well worth the almost 800 pages.
By the time you get to the end of The Wilderness Years, something special happens. Adrian is finally starting to grow into himself (we hope), and perhaps he'll be a bit more at ease in the world in books to come. We can only keep reading and find out for ourselves. This volume is special for being able to offer us some previously-unreleased looks into Adrian's life, and it makes the whole story that much more entertaining. Well worth the almost 800 pages.
December 26, 2011
Another from the "Favorite Book Roundabout".
I've already read the first book of three, I think I'll skip that one. The second and third will be read soon.
I am not very fond of this book. Whe part one was okay (see my review of that book), the second and third book were not. I already said that I just can't place myself into the mind of a teenage boy and found it also very hard to read book 2 and 3. The tone of the books did not change, he is still whining, getting worked up about futilities.
The two stars come from the combination of all three books in one, otherwise it would have been one star.
Maybe if I read them when I was a teenager it would have been better, but I can't go back to that time anymore. (Apart from being physically impossible, I'm not so sure I would go back just for this single book. I would know other things to go back for!)
I've already read the first book of three, I think I'll skip that one. The second and third will be read soon.
I am not very fond of this book. Whe part one was okay (see my review of that book), the second and third book were not. I already said that I just can't place myself into the mind of a teenage boy and found it also very hard to read book 2 and 3. The tone of the books did not change, he is still whining, getting worked up about futilities.
The two stars come from the combination of all three books in one, otherwise it would have been one star.
Maybe if I read them when I was a teenager it would have been better, but I can't go back to that time anymore. (Apart from being physically impossible, I'm not so sure I would go back just for this single book. I would know other things to go back for!)
November 30, 2012
Adrian Mole is a...interesting character. He seems to think he's thr best thing on earth and no one else can possibly live up to him. Ever. And while some books I've enjoyed in the past have VERY annoying characters, at least those characters had a purpose or a trait that made them likeable, despite their failings. Adrian is just annoying. The book is funny - on every page I was, at the very least, chuckling to myself. But that's all the good about it. A clever idea maybe, but the characters were shallow and unrealistic, and the book just started to repeat itself after the second part. I read this in the library and I'm very glad I didn't spend any hard-earned money on it.
December 23, 2011
Originally I was just going to pick this up and read sporadically. Then I rediscovered what a complete git Adrian Mole is. Self absorbed and totally hilarious!
The first part - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 - is, by far, the best and funniest part of the whole collection. But there are definitely some great moments in the later diaries as well. He never grows out of his childhood obsessions - Pandora, terrible poetry, the fact that he is obviously an intellectual.
Reading Adrian's diaries always make me feel better about myself.
The first part - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 - is, by far, the best and funniest part of the whole collection. But there are definitely some great moments in the later diaries as well. He never grows out of his childhood obsessions - Pandora, terrible poetry, the fact that he is obviously an intellectual.
Reading Adrian's diaries always make me feel better about myself.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews