Can anyone explain Adrian Mole to me?

[WastedYouth]

I thought this was a kids book?? is it not?

How many of them are there and can anyone give me a brief run-down on what the series involves?

Its Teen Angst. I read it when I was a teen and guess some of the humour escaped me!

So it's not suitable as an adult read?

He grows up

these are all the books

The latest one is 2007 which would make him late 30s I think. He is older than me. I read the teenage ones recently and they were hilarious. Much better than when I read them the first time.

Just read that he is 39 and 1/4 in the latest book

It is very funny as an adult read - I bought my Mum the complete set for Christmas as we all loved them so much when they first came out!

I am enjoying them much more as an adult. Got the box set and gardually working my way through.

oh i absolutely love them, i remember reading the secret diary as a pre teen, and have just finished the 'Prostate Years' which my lovely folks just bought me in hardback (strokes lovely hardback book) at first they seem quite simple books, but the subtext and the underlying themes are so complex and sad/happy/funny/strange and pick up on lots of current hot topics

I LOVE them, they start when he is 13 and the latest he is in his late 30s? Amazon will have them all. They are just so funny and warm and sad and I love the characters, esp his Mum! They can be read by teeneagers but I find them much funnier in my 30s

Am the same age as Mr Mole and read the first book at 13. Read them all and they are brill!

I'm also about the same age as LunaticFringe and MrsNorthman, and so as Adrian, and recently bought a set of the first 7. I think from the beginning they were marked as young adult more than kids, but appealed to teenagers and adults - in the first diary there is lots to appeal to a 13 year old but there are also lots of jokes which might not be spotted by a teenager whereas more mature readers will pick them up.

I think later ones have been pitched at adults more than kids/the YA market.

They were mentioned on a BBC 4 programme about diaries the other night and I've started rereading The Secret Diary.

While there's still some humour I have to say I think grown up Adrian is sadder than teenage Adrian, as he's never got over his delusions and disappointments. But I plan to read my set this year, and then I'll either borrow the latest from the library or buy if out in paperback once I'm otherwise up to date.

I LOVE Adrian Mole - even though he is a bit older than me (I'm 32)

They are LOL funny, though at times moving, sad and poignant too

The teenage diaries are a great insight into the 80s (Thatcher years etc) as well

Another Mole fan here: I'm also the same age and feel I've grown up with him. Looking forward to reading The Prostrate Years!

The first two are real classics - the later ones are a bit too sad for me (and you need to know the characters from the first two).

The first two give a real feel for England in the early 80s. He's about 8 years older than me, so when I read the first one when it first came out lots of it went over my head (like the measuring his 'thing' with a ruler every day - I thought he had a pet stick insect like me!) but other bits I could really relate to.