Untold Stories

A collection of Alan Bennett's prose. The title piece is a poignant family memoir with an account of the marriage of his parents, the lives and deaths of his aunts and the uncovering of a long-held family secret. Also included are essays, reviews, lectures and reminiscences.

"Untold Stories" is Alan Bennett's first collection of prose since "Writing Home" and takes in all his major writings over the last ten years. The title piece is a poignant family memoir with an account of the marriage of his parents, the lives and deaths of his aunts and the uncovering of a long-held family secret. Also included are his much celebrated diaries for the years 1996 to 2004, as well as essays, reviews, lectures and reminiscences ranging from childhood trips to the local cinema and a tour around Leeds Art Gallery to reflections on writing, honours and his Westminster Abbey eulogy for Thora Hird. At times heartrending and at others extremely funny, "Untold Stories" is a matchless and unforgettable anthology.

List of Illustrations		ix
Introduction		xi
Untold Stories		1	(126)
Written on the Body		127	(30)
Seeing Stars		157	(20)
The Ginnel		174	(3)
Diaries 1996-2004		177	(190)
Theatre and Plays
The Lady in the Van		367	(16)
The National Theatre		383	(5)
The History Boys		388	(21)
Radio and TV
Hymn		409	(7)
Cheeky Chappies		416	(7)
The Last of the Sun		423	(13)
Thora Hird		436	(5)
Lindsay Anderson		441	(12)
Art, Architecture and Authors
Going to the Pictures		453	(24)
Spoiled for Choice		477	(17)
Portrait or Bust		494	(21)
Making York Minster		515	(5)
County Arcade, Leeds		520	(4)
A Room of My Own		524	(8)
Denton Welch		532	(6)
England Gone: Philip Larkin		538	(5)
Staring out of the Window		543	(14)
Ups and Downs
A Common Assault		557	(21)
Arise, Sir...		578	(18)
An Average Rock Bun		596	(33)
Acknowledgements		629	(3)
Index		632

Winner of PEN/Ackerley Prize 2006.