by Alan Bennett
First published 1994
Alan Bennett's garden becomes home to an eccentric, homeless woman in "The Lady in the Van." When Miss Mary Shepherd parks her battered van on his driveway, Bennett's life is upended by her peculiar habits and unusual backstory. As the years pass, their unlikely friendship deepens, even as Shepherd remains a mysterious, off-putting figure. Poignant and dryly humorous, this true story explores the bonds that can form between the most disparate of people.
Genres: 20th-century, contemporary, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-friendship
Period: 20th century
512 pages · Hardcover · Faber & Faber