What are you reading right now? Page 168

Quote: Pingl @ December 24 2012, 8:37 AM GMT

Kynaston books are good, but a little dry. I believe his plan is to cover everything up to the present eventually. I must say I prefer Dominic Sandbrook's histories, but I did enjoy these

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Oh, I haven't found it dry, but rather amusing in parts and certainly informative. I will check out Dominic Sandbrook's books though, thank you, though primarily I was interested in reading only about the 1950s as that's when I was "growing up" and everything was a happy haze; hence I have found Kynaston's book very revealing - seeing what was actually going on around me.

I see you have the Lad himself as an avatar, so presumably a big fan? I love Anthony Aloysius St John, and am also a big fan of The Goons - both of which I remember listening to with my Dad, but not taking it all in. NOW, of course I appreciate it much more and with Hancock the references to life in those times rings a bell with me and makes me smile.........and laugh!!

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ December 24 2012, 9:10 AM GMT

Oh, I haven't found it dry, but rather amusing in parts and certainly informative. I will check out Dominic Sandbrook's books though, thank you, though primarily I was interested in reading only about the 1950s as that's when I was "growing up" and everything was a happy haze; hence I have found Kynaston's book very revealing - seeing what was actually going on around me.

I see you have the Lad himself as an avatar, so presumably a big fan? I love Anthony Aloysius St John, and am also a big fan of The Goons - both of which I remember listening to with my Dad, but not taking it all in. NOW, of course I appreciate it much more and with Hancock the references to life in those times rings a bell with me and makes me smile.........and laugh!!

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Ah yes Hancock is my comedy hero, I grew up listening to my Dad's LP's of the lad himself. Sandbrook covers the fifties in Never Had it so Good he has an easy pleasing style. I feel much the same about the late sixties and seventies for the same reason as you, although my happy memories of the seventies have taken a little knock lately.

Quote: Pingl @ December 24 2012, 8:21 AM GMT

Nixonland - a book about the elections Nixon contested and his influence on the times he lived in. A strange and complex man, who in hindsight did more good than harm. It has also made me realise what an amazing President LBJ was, I must read more about him.

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Reading up on him recently interesting he made peace with China but his dislike of Indira ghandi pushed India towards the USSR

It seems in those days politicians were bigger more terrible and more magnificent figures

Tigers compared to today's pussy cats

Quote: sootyj @ December 24 2012, 10:01 AM GMT

Reading up on him recently interesting he made peace with China but his dislike of Indira ghandi pushed India towards the USSR

It seems in those days politicians were bigger more terrible and more magnificent figures

Tigers compared to today's pussy cats

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Yup, realpolitik brought great long term outcomes. Mind you he was given to strange moments, threatening to nuke Vietnam etc, but Kissinger normally stepped in. Nixon was a strange and complicated man and maybe despite himself was more successful than his character would suggest. Its interesting how left wing the USA became under LBJ, he was succeeding where even Roosevelt couldn't, but sadly it was all derailed by Vietnam.

LBJ was the guy who actually ended segregation and was the hero if civil rights
Funny as he had the reputation as an idiot
Nixon pretty much won the Vietnam from a us point of view

Quote: sootyj @ December 24 2012, 10:25 AM GMT

LBJ was the guy who actually ended segregation and was the hero if civil rights
Funny as he had the reputation as an idiot
Nixon pretty much won the Vietnam from a us point of view

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It is odd, LBJ would be on Mount Rushmore now if it weren't for Vietnam, his manner and reputation for bullying didn't help, but this was a facade, underneath he was probably the greatest humanitarian and most radical President since Roosevelt. He seems to be slowly rehabilitated, mind you so is Nixon.

Quote: Pingl @ December 24 2012, 9:14 AM GMT

Ah yes Hancock is my comedy hero, I grew up listening to my Dad's LP's of the lad himself. Sandbrook covers the fifties in Never Had it so Good he has an easy pleasing style. I feel much the same about the late sixties and seventies for the same reason as you, although my happy memories of the seventies have taken a little knock lately.

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Are yes, Macmillan's "Never Had It So Good" (I have a newspaper from my vast collection screaming this).

Compared to the late 40s I suppose it was, BUT it all went downhill from there in my eyes.

Seeing the early 50s with rose tinted glasses? Maybe I am but there was a lot to be said for the early part of that decade.

What has knocked the 70s for you? I know I shudder when I see photos of myself in those brown/orange clothes with kipper ties, flares and cuban heeled shoes.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ December 24 2012, 11:37 AM GMT

Are yes, Macmillan's "Never Had It So Good" (I have a newspaper from my vast collection screaming this).

Compared to the late 40s I suppose it was, BUT it all went downhill from there in my eyes.

Seeing the early 50s with rose tinted glasses? Maybe I am but there was a lot to be said for the early part of that decade.

What has knocked the 70s for you? I know I shudder when I see photos of myself in those brown/orange clothes with kipper ties, flares and cuban heeled shoes.

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It seems that every star of the period was a pervert, although I know I shouldn't be surprised I guess I see that era as long hot summer days through innocent eyes, I'm just wondering now if they'll ever be able to repeat any programmes from the seventies but songs of praise. Still my childhood seemed idylic and like you felt everything went down hill after them. Now I'm beginning to think things got a lot better, shame but there you go. Still wear the flares and cuban heels in the privacy of my own study, what a man does in his study is his business, I'm even as we speak slipping on a caftan, bloody thing who left that there! >_<

Quote: Pingl @ December 24 2012, 11:45 AM GMT

I'm just wondering now if they'll ever be able to repeat any programmes from the seventies but songs of praise.

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Well Stars on Sunday is probably ruled out...

Quote: Pingl @ December 24 2012, 11:45 AM GMT

It seems that every star of the period was a pervert, although I know I shouldn't be surprised I guess I see that era as long hot summer days through innocent eyes, I'm just wondering now if they'll ever be able to repeat any programmes from the seventies but songs of praise. Still my childhood seemed idylic and like you felt everything went down hill after them. Now I'm beginning to think things got a lot better, shame but there you go. Still wear the flares and cuban heels in the privacy of my own study, what a man does in his study is his business, I'm even as we speak slipping on a caftan, bloody thing who left that there! >_<

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"It seems that every star of the period was a pervert."
Well, it's being purveyed as that now, but groupies going in for a mass shag in the dressing room of the theatre with the band that was appearing in their town was very common, AND NOW those same slappers are coming out of the woodwork to say they were molested by so and so, and so and so. I'm certainly not saying that someone like Jimmy Saville was a misguided saint but the "shenanigans" cut both ways, but saying all that, clearly some girls were innocent victims. But let's get it in perspective.

"long hot summer days"
Yes! Especially 1976, which I remember very well as my son was born in that May and it was a nightmare trying to keep him cool. The heat wave went on for months of course. I also remember my then business partner and I (we had a photographic repair workshop) decided on one very hot day "for a laugh" to put on the Super Ser calor gas heater on full blast in our windowless room to see who could stand it the longest. Insane.

Quote: Ben @ December 16 2012, 9:48 AM GMT

The book I'm reading is How's the Pain? by Pascal Garnier.

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Finished this last night and thought it was a good read. A nice look at youthful optimism and the horror that is looking for contentment in later years. Now going to start on Burmese Days by Orwell.

Just finished 'Standing in another Man's Grave'Latest Rebus by Ian Rankin.

Have now read the first few pages of 'Citadel' - Kate Mosse ( not the silly model). It may take some time.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
For some inexplicable reason I've always thought this was one of those 1950s/60s books (like Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird, etc), but when I bought it I realised it was written in 1999. Which was a bit of a shock.
It's good so far though.

I just finished "the nose knows"

a spunky murder mystery, about a dog called Spunky who solves crimes with his best friend a cat.

I will be trying to promote these classics of the genre.

They make Sherlock Holmes look like a bag of steaming shite,