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Bennett, AlanBennett, AlanThe Complete Talking HeadsAlan Bennett’s award-winning seriesof six television monologues, TalkingHeads, may have been first aired in1988, but over a decade later it is stillimpossible to read these deeply movingand affectionate scripts without hearingthe voices of the actors who played them.Maggie Smith as the alcoholic vicar’s wifefinding a semblance of happiness in anaffair with an Indian shop owner, PatriciaRoutledge as the poisonous neighbour,Julie Walters as the over-the-hill dollybird auditioning for a porn film and ofcourse Thora Hird as Doris, the old ladyalone in her home having fallen andbroken her hip.The Uncommon ReaderA deliciously funny novella thatcelebrates the pleasure of reading.When the Queen in pursuit of herwandering corgis stumbles upon a mobilelibrary she feels duty bound to borrowa book. Aided by Norman, a young manfrom the palace kitchen who frequentsthe library, Bennett describes the Queen’stransformation as she discovers theliberating pleasures of the written word.With the poignant and mischievous witof The History Boys, England’s best lovedauthor revels in the power of literatureto change even the most uncommonreader’s life.