Alan Bennett is one of Britain's most successful and popular living writers. He is also one of the last survivors of a generation of rule-breakers and radicals that first found its voice with Beyond the Fringe in 1961. Since then, he has gone on to huge success with his plays (Kafka's Dick, and An Englishman Abroad), films (A Private Function, Prick Up Your Ears, and The Madness of King George), monologues (Talking Heads) and diaries (Writing Home, and The Lady in the Van). In this book, the author examines the life of this intriguing, private man and sheds light on his work.