Alan Bennett has written a charming, albeit short and self-congratulatory (and reader flagellating) little story in “The Uncommon Reader.” While I’d highly recommend the little book if you can find it free or cheap, it’s rough to think that people will pay $12.00 for this, something so slight that it can be read in 1-2 hours.
The cover is graced with a quote from noted NYT critic, Michiko Kakutani:
“Delicious and very funny… A delightful little book that unfolds into a witty meditation on the subversive pleasures of reading.”
I think I agree with Kakutani’s general sentiment. The book is well written and quite funny, however, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Bennett’s book had created an artifice just to congratulate book readers on being book readers. It’s a nice trick but it came off feeling a bit smug and grating, like it was written for the self-important crowd that already feels superior. It irked me a bit. I didn’t feel cheated at the end, but I did feel like I got the book just to give myself a pat on the back, and that felt a little dirty.
