Bridget Jones discovers social media...

I have to admit that I am yet to read a Bridget Jones novel. I have seen both the films and snorted with laughter my entire way through both but I have never owned, read, stroked, smelled a Helen Fielding book. It's not exactly a book I have to be ashamed about not reading I think we'll agree but I do hate feeling left out when everyone gets excited about a sequel novel or film where I've never seen/read 'the first one'.

For me it is that case where the first person I ever discussed the book with told me that it wasn't any good. So, being the easily impressionable child that I am was, I didn't read it. As it happens, though, I do completely trust this person and, if my own theory works whereby a good film adaptation is often the result of a poor book or vice versa, then this person was probably right because the first film in particular is arguably one of the best ever films (fact.) and features one of the best ever British accents by an American (double-fact.).

So with these not particularly intellectual but nevertheless considered observations, the question is - are we excited that there is a new Bridget Jones novel from Helen Fielding on the horizon?

I have to say I'm apprehensive... but perhaps the distance from its prequels will serve the new novel well (The Edge of Reason was published in 1999 and the film was released in 2004).

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is to be published on October 10th 2013.