Bloody Foreigners by Robert Winder
This book examines immigration to Britain since Roman times, highlighting the often immense contribution immigrants have made to what are often thought of as quintessentially British or English things.
Roman, Saxon, Jute and Dane, French Huguenot, Indians, Jews, Irish, Jamaican, the list goes on.
I thought the book was quite balanced - neither a rose tinted spectacles view of immigration nor a sub-BNP misery and woe. Lucidly written with a balance of detail and broad sweep that gives a sense of understanding of the complexities involved.
More than anything one might conclude that immigration is neither inherently good or bad, but that it has always happened.
The country into which we are born is not something we control, so it is strange that some people make such a fuss about it.
Some of the treatment given to immigrants - or often off spring of recent immigrants has been appalling but generally, better than in most countries.
I wonder it there will be a companion book - because Britain own record of emigration to the rest of the world far exceeds the amount of immigrants who have come to live here.
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
A Bob for Bob - More Book Reviews
The unpublished Bob Monkhouse - A interesting memoir about comedian Bob Monkhouse by his friend and fellow comedian of whom I have never heard. Bob comes across as incredibly hardworking and professional, kind and thoughtful in all he did. His friend doesn't come across so well, which at least shows commendable honesty ! There are plenty of Monkhouse jokes to make you laugh and interesting insights into his professional and private life.
On the Way Home is the diary of Laura Ingalls Wilder - of Little House on the Parie fame. It records a trip that she made in 1894 with her husband and daughter moving from South Dakota to Missouri. It is basically a day to day commentary on who they have met that day, the local crops, land prices, where they camp etc. Nothing much happens, quite often they meet people in waggon going from Missouri to South Dakota seeking a better life ! It must have been a strange time in the history of the USA. The native Americans had been almost obliterated, there was no longer a frontier or new territory to settle. Years of bad harvests meant real hardship for many. In all a historic record of interest to few I guess.
On the Way Home is the diary of Laura Ingalls Wilder - of Little House on the Parie fame. It records a trip that she made in 1894 with her husband and daughter moving from South Dakota to Missouri. It is basically a day to day commentary on who they have met that day, the local crops, land prices, where they camp etc. Nothing much happens, quite often they meet people in waggon going from Missouri to South Dakota seeking a better life ! It must have been a strange time in the history of the USA. The native Americans had been almost obliterated, there was no longer a frontier or new territory to settle. Years of bad harvests meant real hardship for many. In all a historic record of interest to few I guess.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Food Fraud
Anyone with a unwheming belief in the power of the free market ought to take a look at "Swindled - The Dark History of Food Fraud from Poisoned Candy To Counterfeit Coffee" by Bee Wilson. ISBN-13: 978-0691138206.
Not so long ago, left to the market, Pickles were green from toxic copper, children's sweets gained their bright colors from lead and other poisons, and the white bread of the upper crust was often bleached with alum.
Nor sadly does government legislation solve everything - Wilson makes it clear that watering down, coloring up, bulking out, and plain poisoning are still with us, as are dyes, flavorings, and the catch all 'additives'. Even labeling is of limited use as it has not been kept upto date.
Advertisers continue to con people with for example highlighting "low fat" while not mentioning the high salt and sugar they have replaced the fat with. Buyer beware indeed !
Not so long ago, left to the market, Pickles were green from toxic copper, children's sweets gained their bright colors from lead and other poisons, and the white bread of the upper crust was often bleached with alum.
Nor sadly does government legislation solve everything - Wilson makes it clear that watering down, coloring up, bulking out, and plain poisoning are still with us, as are dyes, flavorings, and the catch all 'additives'. Even labeling is of limited use as it has not been kept upto date.
Advertisers continue to con people with for example highlighting "low fat" while not mentioning the high salt and sugar they have replaced the fat with. Buyer beware indeed !
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Library Books July 2011
Sid James Cockney Rebel by Robert Ross iSBN 978 1 906779 35 1
Sid James is usually regarded as one of those strange (is it only British) Phenomena, an actor who played the same character time after time. You knew what to expect with Sid James.
James Robertson Justice, Terry Thomas, Kenneth Williams, Sean Connery - the line between acting and just being the persona they had adopted was far from clear.
Perhaps surprisingly given the number of films he was in, as well as plentiful TV and the unforgettable radio of Hancocks Half Hour - I believe this is only the second biography of Sid. It scores heavily over the previous attempt in that it has a lot more information and reminiscences from friends and colleagues. There is an obvious and undenied element of hero worship on the part of the author - but that works well in capturing the appeal of Sid James. It is interesting to note how much Sid resisted becoming a top of the bill star - and how he was concerned about his image and keen to see it evolve.
Paintings that changed the world by Klaus Reichold and Bernhard Graf ISBN 3-7913-1983-3
The first thing I liked about this book was that the introduction starts by saying "Of course, no painting really changed the world !" But it works very well as an overview of different paintings from cave painting from over 17,000 years ago to Andy Warhol in the 1960's. A page of text and often a few other relevant pictures offer context and explanation for each of the main pictures. I am always surprised about how small many original artworks are, quite often, no more than 60cm by 40cm.
Do you think that's wise - The life of John Le Mesurier by Graham McCann
ISBN 978-1 84513 583 6
A very warm and well written book. John Le Merurier is probably best know for playing Sgt Wilson in Dad's Army, but also memorable for host of films where you remembered he'd been in them, even though he might have been on screen for just a few minutes. As self-described jobbing actor, Le Mesurier was more than capable of taking on more challenging roles, which sometimes came his way. The book is excellent in dealing with his complicated relationships with Hattie Jacques and Tony Hancock. The only error I spotted was the claim Hancock used teleprompters for the HHH episode the lift - when that was recorded before the car accident that that led to Hancock using such machines.
My life in Comedy - Nicholas Parsons ISBN 9781845966218
Nicholas Parsons has already written an autobiography - so this book
Nicholas started as a straight actor but has had a career that has covered:
straight man, game show host, west end stage, cabaret, film and radio.
This book has anecdote's about lots of famous people he has worked with over the years,
rarely gushing and not afraid to be critical of some people !
the chapters on his role as a straight man and as chair of just a minute were interesting
as well as his reflections on comedians. His insight into the early days of TV and post war films
were good too.
The elephant to Hollywood - Michael Caine - the Autobiography ISBN 978-1-444-70003-9
A very chatty style - a rags to riches story and a remarkable 50 year career, he must be doing something right.
Sid James is usually regarded as one of those strange (is it only British) Phenomena, an actor who played the same character time after time. You knew what to expect with Sid James.
James Robertson Justice, Terry Thomas, Kenneth Williams, Sean Connery - the line between acting and just being the persona they had adopted was far from clear.
Perhaps surprisingly given the number of films he was in, as well as plentiful TV and the unforgettable radio of Hancocks Half Hour - I believe this is only the second biography of Sid. It scores heavily over the previous attempt in that it has a lot more information and reminiscences from friends and colleagues. There is an obvious and undenied element of hero worship on the part of the author - but that works well in capturing the appeal of Sid James. It is interesting to note how much Sid resisted becoming a top of the bill star - and how he was concerned about his image and keen to see it evolve.
Paintings that changed the world by Klaus Reichold and Bernhard Graf ISBN 3-7913-1983-3
The first thing I liked about this book was that the introduction starts by saying "Of course, no painting really changed the world !" But it works very well as an overview of different paintings from cave painting from over 17,000 years ago to Andy Warhol in the 1960's. A page of text and often a few other relevant pictures offer context and explanation for each of the main pictures. I am always surprised about how small many original artworks are, quite often, no more than 60cm by 40cm.
Do you think that's wise - The life of John Le Mesurier by Graham McCann
ISBN 978-1 84513 583 6
A very warm and well written book. John Le Merurier is probably best know for playing Sgt Wilson in Dad's Army, but also memorable for host of films where you remembered he'd been in them, even though he might have been on screen for just a few minutes. As self-described jobbing actor, Le Mesurier was more than capable of taking on more challenging roles, which sometimes came his way. The book is excellent in dealing with his complicated relationships with Hattie Jacques and Tony Hancock. The only error I spotted was the claim Hancock used teleprompters for the HHH episode the lift - when that was recorded before the car accident that that led to Hancock using such machines.
My life in Comedy - Nicholas Parsons ISBN 9781845966218
Nicholas Parsons has already written an autobiography - so this book
Nicholas started as a straight actor but has had a career that has covered:
straight man, game show host, west end stage, cabaret, film and radio.
This book has anecdote's about lots of famous people he has worked with over the years,
rarely gushing and not afraid to be critical of some people !
the chapters on his role as a straight man and as chair of just a minute were interesting
as well as his reflections on comedians. His insight into the early days of TV and post war films
were good too.
The elephant to Hollywood - Michael Caine - the Autobiography ISBN 978-1-444-70003-9
A very chatty style - a rags to riches story and a remarkable 50 year career, he must be doing something right.
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