Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction
First edition
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| Author | Sue Townsend |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Adrian Mole |
| Publisher | Michael Joseph |
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Publication date
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7 October 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 352 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 57536718 |
| 823.914 22 | |
| LC Class | PR6070.O897 A65 2004 |
| Preceded by | Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years |
| Followed by | Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years |
Published in 2004 by Penguin Books, Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction is Sue Townsend's sixth full Adrian Mole novel (as opposed to Adrian Mole and the Small Amphibians and the Guardian serial). It is set in 2002/3 and Adrian is 33¾ years of age. The life of the protagonist is covered for one year, with a short epilogue that jumps to a time one year later (to 2004).
The title of the book refers to the weapons of mass destruction that were used as justification for the Iraq War which began at this time. This is a recurring theme throughout the book.
The story also deals with an issue that has affected Sue Townsend directly; she was registered blind in 2001, as a result of long-term diabetes. Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction was typed by Townsend's husband from dictation.
The novel is a bestseller due to the series' dedicated fan base, and has met with critical acclaim. Critics have praised the novel for its combination of sitcom-style humour with an underlying element of tragedy and pathos. Some consider it less comical and darker than the previous installment, Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years. Critics claim that Mole's immature and angst-ridden personality has lost its appeal as he approaches middle-age, where it was endearing in a younger man.
Bruce was Adrian's old schoolmate in the first book. He was very clever although he couldn't grasp more philosophical concepts and dealt mainly with numbers. He never seemed to have many friends and was always seen with a calculator in his hand. He later started IdioTech, a company that specialises in 'technology for idiots'. At the end of the book he marries Marigold.
Nigel is Adrian's best friend. During the course of the novel he becomes blind. Unfortunately he has to give up working as a media analyst due to his condition, since this job essentially involves reading newspapers. Due to this and his situation in general, he becomes depressed and short-tempered. He often snaps at Adrian and is rude and contemptuous to him, despite Adrian's (often clearly misguided) attempts to involve him in his writer's workshop and cheer him up. He is given a guide dog for his condition, to which he develops an emotional attachment.
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