Tag Archives: Biggles

Failure, Another Perspective

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I had my copy of Ribbons today – the magazine of the Tanka Society of America. I jhave three poems in it, so I am happy. Slightly less happy that it will be reducing to two magazines a year instead of three, but if it relieves some of the workload on the committee you can’t really argue with it. I know from previous volunteering how hard and thankless it can be. The loss of one hance a year to publish is a small price to pay for the continued smooth running of the society.

I’ve been watching a documentary on TV – David Harewood’s F Word – and it was quite interesting. He interviewed some successful actors (including Brian Cox, Olivia Colman and Damian Lewis) and it seems that they are all just as susceptible to worries about success and failure as I am. Admittedly, we operate t different levels and I’m way behind in terms of wealth and global recognition, but we all seem to think pretty much the same.

Brian Cox, for instance, says a bad review is just the opinion of one person, who might be having a bad day, while Olivia Colman told of her experiences after winning awards and still finding herself out of work. Having said that, I expect that being an out of work Oscar winner is probably still better than being an unemployed non-Oscar winner.

Most actors who have any moderate fame seem to fill their time quite nicely with writing books for children. It seems all the rage at the moment. This is an interesting article on the subject. I’m not sure how I feel about some of the comments, particularly the ones about being careful bout what children read at an early age. One of mine was a poor reader until he started reading Pokemon cards to his younger brother and then moved on to sports journalism. By the time he wrote his first essay at University he was miles away from having a good academic style but he quickly learned. The other one just read graphic novels, or comic books as I always think of them. A local librarian told me to be grateful that he ws reading anything voluntarily.

The problem, as mentioned in the article, is that there is a touch of snobbery about what kids read, just as there used to be when libraries removed Enid Blyton books. Personally, I read a lot of classics in Dean & Sons junior editions. I still remember ploughing through Jane Eyre and similar stuff when I was far too young. having been taught to read by the time I was five I was skilful enough to read a lot of novels that I was far too young to appreciate. It was only when I moved on to Biggles and William and Enid Blyton that I actually liked reading and I haven’t stopped since., though I have rarely gone back to fine literature after my early experiences.

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More of the Postcode Safari

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I’m going to visit SG 14, CF 15, BS 10, TS 12, DD 7, HP 16 and HP 18. It may take two attempts.

SG 14 is the Stevenage area, in North Hertfordshire, just north of London. It includes part of the town of Hertford, just 19 miles north of London. One of the more famous people to be born there is Captain W. E. Johns. He wasn’t actually a Captain, but it sounds more solid and reliable than most other ranks. Senior enough to show he was capable, but junior enough not to be held responsible for anything bad in the conduct of the war.

You may not recognise the name, as it generally means nothing to women or to people under 50, or, I presume, Americans, but he was the author of around 100 books, including the Biggles books. As you can see, if you read the link, he’s an interesting man.

I’ve read about 50 of the books, which probably isn’t a good thing as he’s generally held to be a touch racist.

CF 15 is Cardiff, and contains the village of Taff’s Well. It is unique in having the only thermal spring in Wales. It was a popular resort in the late 19th century and the spring is about 21 degrees Centigrade. There’s more to it than that, but you’ll have to read the link.

BS 10 is Bristol area, and takes in part of Bristol, including Westbury-on-Trym. It’s quite historic, tracing its origin back to King Offain the 8th Century, and being used as quarters by Prince Rupert during the Civil War. It was the home of Robert Southey, a Lakeland poet who was Poet Laureate for 30 years. He is the first person recorded using the word zombie in English.

Next up – TS 12 – which is Teeside. It’s quite a nice place, despite including Middlesbrough. Technically it’s actually Cleveland, though the letters TS tend to suggest otherwise. Cleveland was a county from 1974 – 1996. Cleveland Police, like Humberside Police still exist, even though the counties don’

TS 12 is Saltburn-by-the-Sea, which has a very nice pier and a funicular railway. We’ve been to the pier, though I don’t think I’ve written it up. I did, however, write a clerihew which mentions Saltburn. It has thus gained poetic immortality.

The header picture is a squirrel in a bin at Clitheroe Castle. The other is Sandsend, which is close to Saltburn. It’s the best I can do.

Beach at Sandsend

Resting, Reading and Recuperating

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One of the horrors of old age that I have observed is that at a certain stage people stop reading. My father, despite everything, is still hanging in there. He’s never been a massive reader but he’s always done crosswords and puzzles and, although they may be getting simpler, he’s still doing them. This, I feel, is a good thing.

Ever since I had tonsillitis. in around 1964, and my mother suggested reading as a hobby, I have been a lost cause. She bought me a copy of Biggles of The Special Air Police and the rest is history.

I still have the book – it’s within feet of me as we speak. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if she’d bought Jane Eyre, as she later did. Would I have grown into a sophisticated professor of English Literature? Or would I have given up reading? I suspect the latter. Having been persuaded to read several classics in my early reading career I then gave them up until recently when I thought I should give them another try.

It didn’t really work out well. You may have seen my comments on this previously – that Don Quixote would be much better if it was half as long and had a murder on the first page, preferably Don Quixote himself. My feeling on a number of other classics is similar.

The nearest I’ve been to a classic in the last twelve months is  John Buchan. I’ve managed The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr Standfast and The Three Hostages but I’m having a rest for now. There comes a time when casual racism wears a bit thin, even if it is authentic contemporary racism.

I moved on to Dr Thorndyke but after four of them I started searching around for some variety. Having read a book on Q Ships I’m now on Nature Cure by Richard Mabey.  Clare Pooley recommended it to me when I came out of hospital. I broke one of my normal rules and paid £4.99 for a Kindle edition, but it’s been worthwhile.

Clearly the man is marching to a different drummer, even when he isn’t suffering from depression, but it’s a relaxing and informative read. I looked forward to his account of male urology, as this is one of the points where our lives converge. He likens it to a mythical linking of his internal water with the water of the Fens. That’s why he’s known as an elegant and spiritual writer.

I have never thought of it as mystical in any of my three stays in Male Urology, I just use it as a source of broad humour. My internal water is linked to the water in my kettle.

That’s why I’m not known as an elegant and spiritual writer.

Finally,  moving back to the point. It’s surprising how much energy it takes to read and concentrate. I struggled in the days after leaving hospital, and I’m still not fully back in the swing of things. With the sort of time I’ve had on my hands recently I should have seen Nature Cure off in short order, probably in a day. It’s only 240 pages in the paper edition, which is not a long book.

I didn’t have the energy to start it for a couple of days and I’ve been doing a section each day. I still have a bit left, though to be honest I’m now able to read faster and I’m just trying to prolong the pleasure of reading.  I’m doing puzzles now and looking at the web, though still not up to full speed.

Has anybody else noticed that reading can be such an effort? Or am I just getting old?