Number 10

Rating:
Summary: Disappointingly depressing
Review: I felt the most intense joy when I first discovered Adrian Mole. I laughed out loud in a crowded room and hugged it to me in joy; it was so clever and so funny. Sue Townsend's wit and her sharp observations of English life were acerbic, but not without pity or hope.

"Number 10" is without either. I found it depressingly morbid and full of despair despite the "happy endings" that some obtained.

If you like dark political humour you may enjoy it, if, that is, you can ignore the uneven pacing and the uncomfortable number of plot threads flailing around like a sea anemone's tentacles.

I hope this was just a one-off event - perhaps she's venting her displeasure of the Iraqi war. At any rate - I really can't recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Brit Satire
Review: Number 10 is, of course, Number 10 Downing Street, where the British Prime Minister resides. In this rollicking political satire, the P.M. in question is Edward Clare, a man with many issues, who finds himself in political hot water for being out of touch with ordinary Britons. The solution is a secret tour, with Edward dressed as a woman, to meet people from all walks of life and find out how they really live. Edward is accompanied by loyal constable Jack Sprat, and the tour goes from one madcap scenario to another.

So, what happens? Will Edward gain new insight into the plight of everyday people? Will he come home with better ideas for the governance of Great Britain? Will he learn something about himself? You will just have to read the book to find out.

Author Sue Townsend, who is also the creator of the Adrian Mole books, is a brilliant comedic writer. She creates one improbable yet fascinating character after another, one implausible scene after another, and somehow it all works. Author Townsend clearly has a heart for people; even though you may laugh all the way through the book, you will also find a depth of feeling that makes her characters somehow, strangely, believable. I recommend Number 10 highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber

Rating:
Summary: Balanced satire
Review: One thing that is engaging about "Number 10" is that it is not a shallow political satire that many Americans are accustomed to reading. (After all, this is British politics, and to expect the average American to understand half the jokes in a typical non-American satire is asking a lot.) With a minimum of acquaintance with the British government, one can get a very healthy dose of ripping humour from Sue Townsend's book. If you know a little more than the average, you can get some of the subtle jokes. My favorite is where actor Brian Blessed is quoted as saying that someone was loud.

That is a tame example of the humor in "Number Ten". The book is for adults and requires both an appreciation for British humour and an objective observation of political views and all their shortcomings. The story is not entirely funny or satirical. It has legs of its own, so it's interesting regardless of the political content, and it is worth your time to read.