The Uncommon Reader: A Novella
Alan Bennett
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux
U.S. hardcover, 1st American ed.
ISBN 0-374-28096-7
128 pages; $15.00

One hates to say too much about this charming bauble of a book for fear of impinging upon the fragile spell it casts. One can say simply that it is a tale of how history might proceed were Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom to become a dedicated and very good reader. What would she read? Where would she get her books? How would her staff react? How would her subjects react? What would the prime minister do? Would she scribble in the margins? Would she proselytize about reading? Would she begin to write?

There is no booklover who would not love to find this little tale in his Christmas stocking or as one of her Hanukkah gifts. You may find that the recipient is absent from the dishwashing after a holiday meal, reading this beautiful little soap bubble by the fireplace, utterly engrossed, but won’t it feel good to know that your gift was so happily received?