Sue Townsend, the woman who brought us comedy gems such as the diaries of Adrian Mole, 'The Queen and I' and her 'Confessions of a Middle Aged Woman' has died at the age of 68 in her home after she had a stroke.
Echoing the French King Louis XIV who once said "Versailles, c'est moi" Sue once told writer Kate Kellaway in an interview: "Adrian Mole, c’est moi". Though it is hard to think of this woman, who left school at 14, married at 18 and became a single mother at 23 ever pondering on the knowledge that: "I have never seen a dead body or a real female nipple. This is what comes of living in a cul-de-sac.”
Sue Townsend did not have the beginnings expected of such a successful author. She did not learn to read until the age of eight, when her mother taught her with the aid of Richmal Crompton's Just William book series.
Sadly Sue's life was plagued by ill health, starting with TB peritonitis at the age of 23, she had a heart attack in her 30s and was later diagnosed with Charcot’s joint–degenerative arthritis. She became diabetic and by 2001 had registered as blind. This did not hinder her productivity though, she dictated the rest of her books to her son, once describing the process was to: “throw words into the dark”
Stephen Mangan, who played her most popular character creation Adrian Mole in the 2001 TV adaptation said he was "Greatly upset to hear that Sue Townsend has died. One of the warmest, funniest and wisest people I ever met."
Sue leaves behind her husband, four children, 10 grandchildren and a shelf full of hilarious novels, plays and non-fiction books.
