TRIBUTES FOR BRITISH AUTHOR AND PLAYWRIGHT SUE TOWNSEND WHO DIED ON APRIL 10, 2014:
* Fellow novelist Linda Grant - "Sue Townsend did social satire without contempt and cruelty. She always felt to the reader like one of us"
* Poet Ian McMillan - (Townsend) "understood the rhythms of 'ordinary' speech and how magnificent and life-affirming they are"
* Musician Chas Hodges - "Sad about Sue Townsend. Must say I preferred Adrian Mole to Harry Potter."
* Crime writer Ian Rankin - Her death was "a real loss ... So I'm reading The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and marvelling at it afresh."
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* Stephen Mangan, who played Adrian Mole in a 2001 television adaptation - "Greatly upset to hear that Sue Townsend has died. One of the warmest, funniest and wisest people I ever met"
* Writer and journalist Caitlin Moran - "One of the funniest women who ever lived"
* Comedy writer Danny Wallace - "Farewell, brilliant Sue Townsend. Rest in peace, Adrian Mole"
* Playwright Simon Stephens - "I met Sue Townsend. Very early in my career. She was much more inspiring than I thought she would be and I thought she would be amazing"
* Stand-up comedian Sarah Millican - "Such sad news about Sue Townsend. Just about to start reading 'The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year'. Will do so now with a heavier heart"
* Actor and presenter David Walliams, who has written a string of best-selling books for children - "Sue Townsend was a comedy genius & wrote some of the funniest books of all time. A lovely lady too"
* Francesca Crossland, a fan - "R.IP. Sue Townsend, thank you for The Diaries of Adrian Mole, for the wit and charm of your books that helped me understand the world better"
* Another fan, Jen Evans - "Sad to hear about the death of Sue Townsend. Her words made me laugh and inspired me. She played a big part in my life without ever knowing"
* Tom Weldon, chief executive of Penguin Random House UK - "Sue Townsend will be remembered as one in a handful of this country's great comic writers. We were so proud to be her publishers. She was loved by generations of readers, not only because she made them laugh out loud, but because her view of the world, its inhabitants and their frailties was so generous, life affirming and unique."
