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debsd's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lu_wilson's review against another edition
2.0
Heard good things about Bennett, but this wasn't for me. Maybe I'm not a comedy book type of person as it didn't appeal and didn't seem funny.Â
daaan's review
4.0
Alan Bennett is always a delight to read. He has the ability to portray a character vividly in a mere handful of verbal brushstrokes. This volume consists of 4 stories, each long enough to be satisfy, but not long enough to outstay their welcome.
The Laying on of Hands is a wicked portrayal of the funeral of a “masseur” to the stars. The star of the story though is the priest who is struggling with his own sexuality, trying to remain chaste but not doing terribly well and eventually realising that he doesn’t have to. The humour in this is biting, striking at celebrities, the gay community and the church (all of which Bennett has been an active member of in his life).
“The things they stood up in” is slightly unusual, but also a little special. It follows the life of a middle aged couple who come home to find their house has been totally stripped of all their possessions. Everything. Even the oven. This event shakes the two of them, the husband is a very buttoned down lawyer and the change is difficult for him to process, the wife actually learns to enjoy being forced to face new experiences. Then under unusual circumstances this reverses, with one final reversal near the end. The book sets out looking like a critique of materialism, but finishes by being about personal emancipation. It’s a little surreal, but very worthwhile.
“Father, Father Burning Bright” was a little less good. I didn’t really get to grips with Midgley, the main character. I always find Bennett’s women a lot easier to understand. Take from that what you will.
Finally “the lady in the van” is quite sweet in its truthful portrayal of an eccentric old lady who lived on his drive for 15 years until her death. It’s a little disjointed as it is drawn from diary extracts, it doesn’t really have a neat conclusion, but that’s how you can tell it’s true.
All in all, I can highly recommend the collection.
The Laying on of Hands is a wicked portrayal of the funeral of a “masseur” to the stars. The star of the story though is the priest who is struggling with his own sexuality, trying to remain chaste but not doing terribly well and eventually realising that he doesn’t have to. The humour in this is biting, striking at celebrities, the gay community and the church (all of which Bennett has been an active member of in his life).
“The things they stood up in” is slightly unusual, but also a little special. It follows the life of a middle aged couple who come home to find their house has been totally stripped of all their possessions. Everything. Even the oven. This event shakes the two of them, the husband is a very buttoned down lawyer and the change is difficult for him to process, the wife actually learns to enjoy being forced to face new experiences. Then under unusual circumstances this reverses, with one final reversal near the end. The book sets out looking like a critique of materialism, but finishes by being about personal emancipation. It’s a little surreal, but very worthwhile.
“Father, Father Burning Bright” was a little less good. I didn’t really get to grips with Midgley, the main character. I always find Bennett’s women a lot easier to understand. Take from that what you will.
Finally “the lady in the van” is quite sweet in its truthful portrayal of an eccentric old lady who lived on his drive for 15 years until her death. It’s a little disjointed as it is drawn from diary extracts, it doesn’t really have a neat conclusion, but that’s how you can tell it’s true.
All in all, I can highly recommend the collection.
jillysnz's review
4.0
Listening to Alan reading his stories is such a treat, wicked observations lovingly composed, and mildly stated
"Her mother was 82, the last 20 years had not been easy and had she known what was in store she thought now she would probably have stabbed her mother to death the second she turned 60."
Had me sniggering happily.
"Her mother was 82, the last 20 years had not been easy and had she known what was in store she thought now she would probably have stabbed her mother to death the second she turned 60."
Had me sniggering happily.
litficwithellie's review
4.0
This review also published on my blog: Review & Recommend: Four Stories - Alan Bennett
The humour I loved about The History Boys is present throughout, in Bennett’s irreverent, yet measured attitude. He does not shy away from addressing heavy topics, yet the stories remain humourous throughout. Bennett’s talent for writing inappropriate relationships while keeping the characters human, rather than caricatures of evil is impressive, and a common element in his work. The first story in this collection, “The Laying on of Hands” details the memorial service of a masseur. That the masseur had relations with many of the people in attendance fairly soon becomes apparent, and the memorial service spins somewhat out of control as testimonials to the dead man’s character are offered from various attendees. Bennett’s unique style combines adultery, LGBT relationships and religion seamlessly, exposing the darker underworld to the glossy celebrity lifestyle most of the attendees are part of.
Perhaps the most traditional marital relationship I’ve seen Bennett write in detail is that of the Ransomes in “The Clothes They Stood Up In”. The couple return from a trip, to find their home completely emptied. Not just of valuables, but of furniture, carpet, light fittings, even toilet paper. Left with only the clothes they stood up in, the Ransomes start to repurchase items, and Mrs Ransome in particular starts to come to terms with their new, minimalist way of life. The plot thickens, however, as a series of twists and turns interrupt their new reality, and they are forced to again change their lifestyle. This story acts as a kind of mystery story, and the clues scattered throughout are well-placed so as to seem innocuous, until the final scene at the end reveals the truth. The premise of the story is highly entertaining, and Bennett executes it excellently.
Out of all the stories, my least favourite was “Father! Father! Burning Bright”, about a man who’s father becomes hospitalised. Unlike most of Bennett’s characters, I could not find any sympathy for Mr Midgley, the protagonist. His family, as well, seem insufferable. The most interesting part of this story for me were the other characters in the hospital, the ones mourning a family member, worrying for a loved one, or welcoming a child. These background characters lifted the story for me and gave it an element of humanity that I felt was lacking from the central family. I felt this story wasn’t as humourous as some of the others as well, which was a shame as it’s one of the things that I enjoy most about Bennett. The adultery in this seemed more gratuitous as well, and didn’t make much sense to me. The style is consistent from the other stories in other respects, however, so I still enjoyed reading it.
The final piece in this collection, “The Lady in the Van” is probably the most famous in the collection. Based on entries from Bennett’s diaries, it tells the story of an elderly woman who ends up living in a camper van on Bennett’s drive. Recently turned into a film starring Maggie Smith, “The Lady in the Van” is eccentric, and would seem so unbelievable it would be difficult to get into if it wasn’t based in truth. Bennett doesn’t shy away from telling the more disgusting details of her life in the van as well, giving the story real depth. Despite the gaps between the diary entries, it never feels as though anything is missing from Miss S’s story. I was glad that Bennett offered us more information about her background, but also very glad he put it into an afterword rather than including it in the story. While it was interesting to hear more about the real Miss S, I was glad that the fictional Miss S was left more ambiguous.
So, I’m still a big Alan Bennett fan. If anything, these stories have really just cemented it, as they’ve confirmed his irreverent humour is present throughout his work. His life is extraordinary, as proven by “The Lady in the Van”, and it’s made me really want to read his autobiographies. As my 5th read in 2020 goes: not bad at all.
Rating: 4 stars.
The humour I loved about The History Boys is present throughout, in Bennett’s irreverent, yet measured attitude. He does not shy away from addressing heavy topics, yet the stories remain humourous throughout. Bennett’s talent for writing inappropriate relationships while keeping the characters human, rather than caricatures of evil is impressive, and a common element in his work. The first story in this collection, “The Laying on of Hands” details the memorial service of a masseur. That the masseur had relations with many of the people in attendance fairly soon becomes apparent, and the memorial service spins somewhat out of control as testimonials to the dead man’s character are offered from various attendees. Bennett’s unique style combines adultery, LGBT relationships and religion seamlessly, exposing the darker underworld to the glossy celebrity lifestyle most of the attendees are part of.
Perhaps the most traditional marital relationship I’ve seen Bennett write in detail is that of the Ransomes in “The Clothes They Stood Up In”. The couple return from a trip, to find their home completely emptied. Not just of valuables, but of furniture, carpet, light fittings, even toilet paper. Left with only the clothes they stood up in, the Ransomes start to repurchase items, and Mrs Ransome in particular starts to come to terms with their new, minimalist way of life. The plot thickens, however, as a series of twists and turns interrupt their new reality, and they are forced to again change their lifestyle. This story acts as a kind of mystery story, and the clues scattered throughout are well-placed so as to seem innocuous, until the final scene at the end reveals the truth. The premise of the story is highly entertaining, and Bennett executes it excellently.
Out of all the stories, my least favourite was “Father! Father! Burning Bright”, about a man who’s father becomes hospitalised. Unlike most of Bennett’s characters, I could not find any sympathy for Mr Midgley, the protagonist. His family, as well, seem insufferable. The most interesting part of this story for me were the other characters in the hospital, the ones mourning a family member, worrying for a loved one, or welcoming a child. These background characters lifted the story for me and gave it an element of humanity that I felt was lacking from the central family. I felt this story wasn’t as humourous as some of the others as well, which was a shame as it’s one of the things that I enjoy most about Bennett. The adultery in this seemed more gratuitous as well, and didn’t make much sense to me. The style is consistent from the other stories in other respects, however, so I still enjoyed reading it.
The final piece in this collection, “The Lady in the Van” is probably the most famous in the collection. Based on entries from Bennett’s diaries, it tells the story of an elderly woman who ends up living in a camper van on Bennett’s drive. Recently turned into a film starring Maggie Smith, “The Lady in the Van” is eccentric, and would seem so unbelievable it would be difficult to get into if it wasn’t based in truth. Bennett doesn’t shy away from telling the more disgusting details of her life in the van as well, giving the story real depth. Despite the gaps between the diary entries, it never feels as though anything is missing from Miss S’s story. I was glad that Bennett offered us more information about her background, but also very glad he put it into an afterword rather than including it in the story. While it was interesting to hear more about the real Miss S, I was glad that the fictional Miss S was left more ambiguous.
So, I’m still a big Alan Bennett fan. If anything, these stories have really just cemented it, as they’ve confirmed his irreverent humour is present throughout his work. His life is extraordinary, as proven by “The Lady in the Van”, and it’s made me really want to read his autobiographies. As my 5th read in 2020 goes: not bad at all.
Rating: 4 stars.
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