Just Finished Reading: Auntie’s War – The BBC During the Second World War by Edward Stourton (FP: 2017) [388pp] 

When the drums of war started beating in the heart of Europe in the late 1930’s the BBC was still a youngster finding her feet. During that turbulent time, she not only found her feet but her voice too. This is her story, told with both knowledge and affection by someone who clearly knows their stuff. 

At the very centre of the discussion of the BBCs place in the upcoming conflict was the pervading belief of the time that the bomber would always get through. This was not entirely fanciful after the experience of civilian populations in Spain and, as war did break out, in the Low Countries and Poland. It was fully expected that mass bombing would cause both mass casualties and mass panic. The role of the BBC was to calm the population and its anodyne programming early on earned it (unsurprisingly) the name ‘Auntie Beeb’. Desperate for ‘real’ news it was discovered, much to the dismay of both the BBC and the UK government, that a considerable number of listeners were tuning into German propaganda radio especially by the infamous ‘Lord Ha-Ha'. The government proposed that the BBC should combat this with its own British propaganda efforts. The BBC had another idea – it would combat lies and half-truths with facts. The BBC would become a truth-teller. Naturally, in war time after all, it couldn’t tell the WHOLE truth but it resolved not to lie to the public. It was in itself a battle both with the government (especially once Churchill took office as PM) and with the military authorities but gradually, as the months passed, it was shown to be a highly effective strategy and the listeners to Lord Ha-Ha dropped off considerably. 

But the BBC didn’t simply broadcast on the Home Service to its UK listeners. It broadcast to the Empire and to an increasingly Occupied Europe. Most importantly, it broadcast to the US to show not only that it was still in the fight but to encourage America in its drift towards being the Arsenal of Democracy and eventually a fighting Ally – helped along by actions of both Hitler and the ultimate attack on Pearl Harbor. With the Liberation of Europe approaching in 1944 the BBC became one of the organising hubs for the French and other national Resistance movements enabling people like Charles de Gaulle to become the pivotal figures they eventually became. It was also the time that the war correspondent came into their own, first reporting on the Battle of Britain (‘recorded live’), the Blitz (from the roof of broadcasting House) and from the D-Day landings until the very end of the war in Europe. Techniques and technology were invented and put into use that had never been tried before and a number of correspondents died to bring back the stories for the BBC to broadcast to the world. 

I picked up this excellent work as part of my reading for the BBCs 100th birthday on 18th October. I’m really glad I did. Not only was this deeply informative and very well written it was honestly gripping in parts as correspondents, producers and heads of departments pushed the envelope of what could and could not be broadcasted in wartime. One of the complaints that made me laugh was when a listener objected to a BBC reporter was observing a fight during the Battle of Britain and making comments like it was a football match. Brilliant! FULL of interesting stories and fascinating people this was once of the best historical reads of the year. Highly recommended for anyone interested in either the BBC or WW2.         

Oh.... MY... GOD..... 45 Days.... FOURTY-FIVE. The shortest term Prime Minister since AT LEAST 1835. GOOD GOD! What a farce..... 

COVID booster & Winter Flu shots booked for Saturday 22nd. Sorted!

Just Finished Reading: Mary Poppins by P L Travers (FP: 1934) [161pp] 

The East Wind it seems is a lucky wind. With the children’s nanny leaving without giving notice life at No 17, Cherry Tree Lane was going to get a lot more difficult. Until, that is, there was a knock at the door. The children had seen her arrive although they still couldn’t believe their eyes. The woman, who they were about to find out was their new nanny, had floated to earth held up by an umbrella. Refusing to take a No for an answer and refusing to offer any references, Mary Poppins installed herself at No 17 and would stay, she said, until the wind changed direction. The children, and indeed the rest of the household, had no idea what was going to happen next. For the children it could be summed up in a single word: adventure. 

Along, no doubt with the rest of the world, I was delighted as a child by the 1964 Disney adaptation of this book starring the delightful Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke (complete with very questionable Cockney accent). So, it was both interesting and confusing to note the vast differences – from memory – between book and movie. One thing that struck me straightaway was that, in the book(s), Mary Poppins seemed to be a lot darker as well as far less sociable. What also struck me, or at least made me ponder, is the probability that Mary wasn’t exactly human. Her use of magic on a regular basis, I thought, as well as other magic users reactions to her and especially her encounters with magical/intelligent animals put her somewhat beyond the simple ‘human using magic’ narrative. It seemed that Mary had been around for a VERY long time and that she was held in HIGH regard by other magic users who often seemed something more than human themselves. The character of Mary seemed to be either an Elemental or, possibly, a Fae – at least that’s my THEORY. 

This short book (the first of four I think) was essentially a series of a single self-contained story per chapter presumably as a format for bedtime reading. Each has a kind of moral teaching to the young without being too heavy about it. Being now almost 100 years old there are some rather quaint moments and the British class system is very much front and centre. I’m not sure if children, even young children, would find it particularly readable but it does have a generally pleasant ‘tone’ to it which I liked. Strange, amusing and often bizarre – especially when compared to the Disney version – this was quite an interesting read and is one more of the previously unread Children’s Classics off my list! 

"Erm, Time Travel Holidays? Yes, I'd like to cancel my holiday to the Early Permian Period. Yes, I've been doing some research and it appears that I'm, erm, kind of allergic to some of the insects from that era......"

Happy 17th Birthday to Seeking a Little Truth today. Who imagined (I certainly didn't) that I'd still be blogging SEVENTEEN years later....! Here's to the NEXT 17 years! 

Ha! Try being born in the 60's... [lol]

OK, this is the VERY LAST 20 Questions, honest. 

What do you really wish you knew when you were younger? 

That plans are often worthless but planning is never a waste of your time.  

What book did you read more than one time? 

The LoTR trilogy, His Dark Materials trilogy, the first 2 Dune books (the rest following) …. Few, but some... 

What was the happiest moment of your life? 

My time with Carol – the best of times and the worst of times. Heck of a ride though... [lol] Other choices are my 3 years at university or, along with periods of stress and frustration, my last job. 

Would you rather control King Kong or Godzilla? 

Godzilla, or even better, MechaGodzilla! As long as it avoids Lego factories who could stop me? 

Would you rather have to fart loudly whenever you have a serious conversation or have to burp after every kiss? 

My ex-girlfriend found my burping LESS than sexy, believe me! [lol] 

What is the most important thing you have learned in life? 

Be your own person. Make your own choices. Spend the time to find out who you are and then be that to the best of your ability. Don’t let other people define you. 

Would you rather go to the cinema or to a concert? 

Cinema probably, although I have been to a few good concerts. 

What makes you the angriest? 

Willful ignorance – especially when the information is readily available. 

Would you rather be covered in fur or covered in scales? 

Tricky.... Fur would be WARM which I like but scales would look great and be SO easy to clean with the wipe of a damp cloth.... 

If you could move anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Apart from the UK? Probably either New Zealand or Canada as I greatly enjoyed my visits to both countries. 

What pets did you have while you were growing up? 

Our first pet was a German Shepherd, we had rabbits, several types of birds, mice, rats, jerboas, hamsters, fish, snakes.... Always something in our house!  

Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or 20 minutes early? 

Oh, I’m ALWAYS early! I absolutely HATE the idea of being late for anything. I’d rather be an hour early than 2 minutes late! 

What do you think about artificial intelligence? 

It’s coming, it’s inevitable and there’s a fair chance that it will kill us all. Best outcome is that it would keep us a pampered pets or keep us around for experimental purposes (to study us rather than what we presently do to mice – hopefully). 

Do you think religion will always exist? 

Probably. I think it will slowly decline over the next century but even then, there will be millions of people who believe.  

Would you rather wear a wedding dress/tuxedo every single day or wear a bathing suit every single day? 

Me? In a *bathing suit*? NOT a good idea. Tux it is! 

Would you rather be a cyborg or be half-man half-animal? 

Well, humans ARE animals but Cyborgs are TOO cool to turn down.  

Who was your first crush? 

Probably either one of my teachers @ school or literally the girl next door (Jackie). 

What’s your dream job, and why? 

I really enjoyed my time as a Project Manager. I liked things I’d been working on, sometimes for years, come to fruition in bricks & concrete (or wood and paint). In another life I’d liked to have been either an architect or maybe a civil engineer. 

Would you rather be SpongeBob or be Patrick? 

SpongeBob, DUH! He’s an ICON. 

If you could put something on the cover of a newspaper, what would it be? 

Happy Christmas, War is OVER. 

Just Finished Reading: The Poisoned Island by Lloyd Shepherd (FP: 2013) [386pp] 

London, 1812. With the Solander now returned from its Tahiti expedition there is much rejoicing in the banqueting rooms of the Royal Society. Using the very latest techniques, overseen and enforced by the ship's captain, almost all of the plants recovered from that isle have made it back to England in excellent condition. The botanical bounty on the ship being removed to Kew Gardens to great acclaim is not the only thing that has returned from paradise. The crew has returned with stories of blue skies, warm seas and even warmer embraces from dusky maidens. Some have also returned with infection and wild stories of dead volcanoes, dark happenings and ancient gods. A few, a mere handful, have also returned in the grip of addiction and the means to feed it, at least for a while. Within days of the landing Thames River Police Constable Charles Horton finds himself examining the fresh corpse of a Solander sailor. The cause of death is no mystery but mystery nevertheless abounds. The man's sea chest has been ransacked but nothing taken, the room looks like a hurricane has passed through it and, mystery of mysteries, the man seemed to have been smiling as he died. But Charles Horton has little time to ponder such mysteries before he is presented with another corpse and another link back to the Solander and the island of Tahiti. What happened there deep in the rainforests and what followed these men back from paradise to kill them?  

After reading the previous book in this series I was delighted to discover that there were four books in total. I was also delighted to discover that I was hooked on the second narrative from the very start. Not only is Horton a fantastically interesting character but the world of the early 19th century the author creates is rich, deep and full of wonder. The author conjures a world, and a place in London, on the very edge of modernity with missions of exploration and scientific breakthroughs changing the world and challenging previous certainties seemingly every day. Passing comments to new building projects, new docks, new buildings going up around him as Horton investigates the crimes – a new idea in itself apparently – shows how dynamic things are. The environment of the novel is changing as we proceed through it which is pretty neat and is something at the heart of both novels read so far. On one level this is simply a very good historical crime novel. Left at that it would be a recommended read. But, as with Horton’s previous outing, there is MUCH more going on here. The historical side of things is detailed and gives the novel a real sense of living in a different age. Without any great exposition we learn snippets about the ongoing war in America and with Napoleon, about British exploration and the expansion of her Empire, we learn about the birth pangs of the early police service and the very start of modern police investigative techniques, we are introduced to Botanical ideas that would eventually become one element in the future debate on Evolution and so on. But none of that slows the narrative in any way – indeed it ADDS to the narrative! It’s very, very clever and deeply enjoyable. I couldn’t really fault this at all really except in one very minor way. Charles Horton is lucky enough to have Abigail as his wife. Although we don’t ‘see’ her much within the covers of the novel she’s a bit of a scene stealer whenever she appears. Needless to say, I really enjoyed spending more time in Charles Hortons world. Definitely recommended for all lovers of historical crime novels with a sprinkling of the uncanny.     

Yes! It's REAL... [lol]

Just Finished Reading: This New Noise – The Extraordinary Birth and Troubled Life of the BBC by Charlotte Higgins (FP: 2015) [240pp] 

The BBC was born, originally as a Company before it became a Corporation, in October 1922. Over the subsequent 100 years of its life, it grew from a small and limited reach endeavour to a world class orgainsation much beloved (if often criticised) by millions of its listeners and viewers. Its original remit was threefold – to inform, educate and (lastly) to entertain. But from the very start under the direction of its first head Lord Reith it was determined to give its audience what they should have and not what they wanted or thought they needed. The BBC would not cater to the lowest denominator not pander to popular taste. It would enrich, uplift and enlighten – at least to begin with. After a somewhat shaky, and a typically British ‘muddling through’ approach, the BBC really hit its stride during WW2 (of which more later) reporting on the Blitz and reporting to America, the Empire and Occupied Europe. It was at the centre of the TV revolution after the war ended and, for some considerable time, was the only TV broadcaster in the country. Later, of course, came the increasing commercialisation of the airwaves, both on radio and television, that the BBC struggled with. Along with recurring arguments about its status as an independent entity (dependent on the government to operate as well as being paid for by the controversial licence fee) and a fair few scandals in recent years – all too often self-inflicted – the BBC has, generally, weathered the various storms reasonably well all things considered. As an institution it holds, for many, the same regard and respect that they ascribe to the NHS and even the Royal Family. Britain without the BBC, whilst not unthinkable, would be a very strange place indeed. 

I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this book. I certainly learnt a lot, and an interesting lot at that, about the BBC’s early days when, for obvious reasons, people employed by it were essentially flying by the seat of their pants (and knew so) because no one had done anything quite like this before. That, as you might imagine, excited many but worried some, especially those in positions of power and influence. It wasn’t only governments but newspapers, long standing interests and the very bastions of the Establishment who were not sure exactly how to deal with or control this ‘new noise’. The book's subtitle is reflected in the structure of the book with it roughly being split between birth and troubled history. I had hoped for more on the iconic programming that I grew up with and which influenced me (and my generation) so much. There were hints of this throughout the book but I was always left wanting more. I don’t regard this as a fault of this well-written look at the organisation but, rather, the fact that this wasn’t really the book I was looking for on the subject. But saying that, this was an interesting insight into the BBC which clearly recognised, beloved or not, that there have been and continue to be problems at the very heart of things. The BBC is far from perfect but is also far from broken. There are those who would love to see it go, to see it privatised, to see it neutered. I am certainly not averse to seeing it ‘fixed’ as much as possible but personally I don’t want the BBC to be just another media conglomerate that we either ‘consume’ or ignore. The BBC needs to be better than that. An interesting read if you’ve ever wondered what the fuss around the BBC was about. More to come in recognition of ‘Aunties’ 100th birthday this month.  

Maybe the last 20 Questions (for now). 

What’s the worst advice someone has given you? 

It’ll be fine. Just ask her..... 

What keeps you up at night? 

These days? Caffeine. 

Would you rather be forced to dance every time you heard music or be forced to sing along to any song you heard? 

Singing, I guess.... I do hum or whistle a bit anyway so it’s not too much of a change really. 

Would you rather hug a panda or hug a polar bear? 

Difficult. Both are bears and both can get VERY nasty. Maybe a BABY polar bear, if its Mum isn’t around or is cool with the whole thing... 

If you could see into the future, what’s one thing you want to see? 

First (hopefully friendly!) Contact with an alien intelligence. 

How many people have you kissed? 

Less than 50. I haven’t really been keeping count. Always one of my (past) fun activities though. 

What is your very first memory? 

I THINK it was my first day at school aged around 4 1/2 

What do you hate about politicians? 

Oh, I think that’s a WHOLE post. But the shortened version would be lying and never giving a direct answer to a question no matter how many times they’re asked it. 

Do you have any insecurities in your life? 

OK, now THAT’S funny! 

Would you rather be completely insane and know that you are insane or completely insane and believe you are sane? 

I think many people are crazy these days (honestly, I think it helps!) and believe themselves to be sane. To be sane in today’s world would send you crazy unless you were already in denial.  

When you were a kid, what seemed like the best thing about being a grown-up? 

Having money and not having anyone telling you what you can spend it on. It’s one of the GREAT things about being a single adult too. No one saying “You paid HOW much... for THAT!” 

What are you most grateful for? 

Pretty good DNA from my parents – except possibly some things I might have inherited from my mother. Thanks, Mum! 

What took you way too long to figure out? 

That it's completely pointless arguing about personal beliefs. We all have opinions about how the world works and how it's supposed to work. But they are opinions and NOT facts or certainties. Arguing about an opinion is a waste of your time and gets you nowhere except for raised blood pressure.  

Would you rather be able to see 10 minutes into your own future or 10 minutes into the future of anyone but yourself? 

Being able to see 10 minutes into your own future would be an incredible advantage. The things (and people) you could avoid, the money you could make.... The possibilities are endless. 

Would you rather surf or skateboard? 

Skateboard. I never learnt to swim. 

What are your views on what happens after you die? 

LOTS of things happen after you die. They just don’t involve YOU. 

What do you miss about your childhood? 

The lack of any kind of responsibility, plus low expectations. 

Would you rather there be a perpetual water balloon war going on in your city/town or a perpetual food fight? 

WOW, and I thought these questions couldn’t get crazier..... Water balloons. A city-wide food fight with the number of people going hungry tonight would be beyond obscene. 

If you went into a coma and woke up in the year 2120, what would be the first thing you would want to know? 

Probably how the FUCK we made it to 2120! Plus, how on earth am I still alive at 160.....! 

Would you rather be an average person in the present or a king of a large country 2500 years ago? 

DEFINITELY present day. We are MUCH better off that ANY king 2500 years ago. 

Trying too hard? Or taking it to *Boss* level?

Just Finished Reading: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (FP: 1953) [227pp] 

Montag was a happy man. He had a house full of modern conveniences, he had a wife and a satisfying job he was proud of. What more could anyone want? He was happy, until one night, on the way home from work with the smell of kerosene still clinging to him he saw Clarisse. She almost looked like she was waiting for him whilst looking up at the stars. Their first conversation was surreal but Montag was intrigued and began looking forward to her strange questions and almost childlike ethereal quality. Then, without warning, she disappeared. Missing her questioning, Montag began to notice how empty his life was becoming. His wife barely spoke to him and spent her waking hours either plugged in or entranced by her TV ‘family’. Even his job as a fireman, a vitally important job, became the source of tension with the rest of his crew and especially his boss. Worse, he started wondering. Wondering why they did it. Wondering why they put themselves in harm's way, and for what? Knowledge? The lies of fiction? The so-called pathos of poetry? The plays of Shakespeare? But still, he wondered. Was he missing something? Despite what his boss said, so eloquently, about the uselessness of books was he wrong? Were they all wrong to have turned their back on the written word? It was an itch he needed to scratch and so he took a book and started to read... 

The 1966 movie version, directed by François Truffaut, is one of my favourite movies of all time. But oddly, I had never read the original novel until now. I do have a rather vague memory of trying to read it in my callow youth but ended up DNFing it. On re-reading (or actually completing it this time) I can see why. Apart from a few central set pieces the original movie and book versions are very different. The core ideas are the same – a world without books enforced by the ‘firemen’ whose job it is to ensure the books never rise again – but the worlds in both media are quite dissimilar. The moral decay comes across very clearly in the book with parents who both don’t know and don’t care about their children, with seemingly constant war or threat of war (very reminiscent of 1984 I thought), with juvenile delinquency encouraged and not just tolerated and with TV and (presumably) radio designed purely to keep people both ‘occupied’ and off balance as they drown in noise and flashy graphics. What came across time and again is that people have ceased to care about anything and that they can barely remember what happened last week never mind anytime longer than that. In the middle is Montag, the everyman, wondering why he feels lost and wondering how he can find something to keep him tethered to the world. 

I can see why this is such an iconic book and why it became part of western culture, but I can’t honestly say that I enjoyed reading it much. It was interesting seeing how things changed between page and screen and it was interesting finally reading the classic but it hasn’t really aged all that well despite being prescient in some ways (the fact that Montag’s wife constantly had her air-buds in made me laugh muchly). It is very much a book of its time and is definitely worth a read if for no other reason that it's so iconic but I wasn’t massively impressed overall.      

Just Finished Reading: Burning the Books – A History of Knowledge Under Attack by Richard Ovenden (FP: 2020) [233pp] 

Burning books or the destruction of archives neither started, nor unfortunately ended, with the 1930’s in central Europe. Even recently, in the war in Ukraine, we have witnessed the deliberate targeting of cultural centers and libraries by Russian missiles. This is, as it always was, a well-worn method of attempting to erase a people, a belief or a culture from history. Without records for future generations to discover and appreciate it is that much harder for communities to know their own past. Without historical anchors to bind them it is much more likely that cultures, beliefs or entire peoples become adrift in time. 

From the destruction of the Library of Alexandria (which was actually two libraries and didn’t burn down in a single tragic event) to the religious book burnings during the 30 Years War and the Reformation, from the removal of archives in former colonial outposts – partially through blind bureaucracy and partially to deny former colonies evidence for legal recourse – to artillery strikes on libraries during the breakup of Yugoslavia, to the casual neglect of libraries throughout the world as cash-strapped governments cut funds and cut again on what many see as easily disposable activities. Even today on our nightly news we see those who often do not use libraries attempting to force the removal of books to restrict the dissemination of ideas or narratives they deem inappropriate or inconvenient. The symbolic, at least, burning of books it with us today and quite probably in our own town. 

Of course, being a book lover of many, many years, the very idea of deliberately destroying books and most especially old rare or priceless books – no matter their content – is deeply repugnant to me. If a book holds a belief system I do not subscribe to, if a book contains details or opinions that I do not share, if a book portrays lifestyles or behaviours that are different to mine, I do not expect, advocate or demand their destruction. To my way of thinking that’s like asking me to describe the smell of the number 9 – my mind kind of slides off the idea and just can’t ‘lock on’ to it. But such ideas, sometimes all too successful although thankfully often anything but, are nothing new and are universal. But so is, as the author points out repeatedly, the idea that books, ideas, culture should be preserved for all mankind. Tales of those who fight against book banning or book burning are sprinkled throughout this often-compelling narrative, stories of those who hid sacred Jewish texts during the dark times in Occupied Europe, stories of librarians, firefighters and civilians who braved fire, and exploding shells to rescue priceless historical artifacts from museums and cultural archives as well as publishers who continue publishing such works despite the threat of fines, prison or worse. Definitely an interesting, depressing but also uplifting work (as well as a warning!) for all bibliophiles.   

Her picture looked VERY different on the App.........

Day Trip: Bovington Tank Museum  

So, one of my gamer friends had this week off work. He was wondering if I had any ideas of things to do or places to go. I floated the idea of Bovington Tank Museum. As LONG-time gamers we’ve played various games involving tanks – mostly from WW2 – so it seemed like a good idea to go see some of the real thing. It was around a 2-hour drive from my place but took a bit longer than expected as he hit the last edge of ‘rush hour’ plus the local school run. Once past that though, things speeded up. Finding the place was pretty easy (satnav plus some decent signage) and our first bit of amusement was a badly parked modern APC (armoured personnel carrier) clearly not inside the white lines. We were tempted to leave a snotty message about inconsiderate parking but thought better of it. 

My very first impression was a little disappointing when we walked into the main hall and only saw a handful of vehicles. “Is this IT?” I thought. Thankfully it wasn’t and we spent around 3 hours walking around 3 miles (according to my friends FitBit) around the various halls, watching some video presentations, talking to some very well informed and friendly staff, playing tank recognition (we got around 95% right first time), shopping in the gift shop and from an indoor market stall and, finally, a late lunch before we drove back. 

Naturally we were picking out our favourite tanks from our gaming experiences. My friend has quite an attachment to the Sherman Firefly which is his ‘go to’ tank in Company of Heroes II as well as one I’ve just unlocked in WarThunder. We were both impressed by the variety of tanks the museum held. Not only did they have the WW2 classics from the UK (of course), Germany (ditto) and the US but also some VERY chunky tanks from France and a few from Italy. I think the thing that struck both of us was just how SMALL some of the tanks were and just how BIG others were. What was also interesting (to me anyway!) was how the basic design stayed fundamentally the same – tracks, turret, gun – but how the LOOK of the tanks changed radically over time. Compare the original WW1 tanks or even the WW2 tanks with the more modern Challenger II and you can clearly see the evolution of a fighting vehicles but they are still WORLDS apart. I think I said at some point that a single modern MBT (Main Battle Tank) could destroy a battalion of WW2 tanks with little danger to itself. Really, it’d be zero contest. Part of that is because of the changes in tank survivability (and not just the armour) and a good part is the changes in ammunition (also on display). We were both totally fascinated and had a great day out – plus I bought BOOKS! 

If you’re interested in such things and ever wondered if it was worth the trip – the answer is YES.  

     

It's OCTOBER and that means it's Monster & Horror Month here @ SaLT. So, hold on to your garlic and shotguns, we're going in.... [lol]