Tim Atkinson's Blog, page 11
February 22, 2019
Behinds... at the museum
Twilight at the Museums is an annual feature of February half-term at Cambridge. Museums, churches, galleries and buildings across the city (and beyond) stay open late and let you come and look around by torchlight. And it's free!
There's plenty to choose from, including dinosaurs at the Sedgwick Museum, medieval manuscripts at the University Library and classical bums at the Museum of Classical Archeology. I kid you not. Did you know the latter venerable collection is the top museum in England for bottoms? No, neither did I.
You certainly learn something new every day. And Cambridge is, after all, one of our most venerable seats (yes, yes, pun intended) of learning. And the annual twilight events add an extra dimension of fun to the proceedings, so... next year (I'm afraid you've missed it for 2019) look out here for the programme, and then take your pick.
My one gripe about an otherwise excellent event is that it all takes place on the same day. If only there was some way of spreading the events throughout the week, we could all see a lot more.
As it is we saw (and heard, sung) some of the oldest (and largest) medieval musical manuscripts in existence - in one case, effectively from the time before music was even written down. The world-famous Consolations of Philosophy contain squiggles (called neumes) designed as no more than an aide-memoire to the melody that this famous dialogue with 'Lady Philosophy' would have been sung to 1000 years ago.
A couple of years ago a team from Cambridge University managed through a remarkable feat of musical detective work to reconstruct the music, and so we were treated to a candlelit recital (don't worry, the candles weren't real. The books were, though!) of the oldest music ever written. It looks a lot like this.
Other MS on display on Wednesday looked like this...
And this...
(Note the helpful finger pointing the singer to the next line of music on the following page!)
And then, of course, there were the bums. This one belongs to Venus...
Other backsides are available, belonging variously to Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, Cupid and a host of other gods plus innumerable unnamed Graeco-Roman athletes are, of course, available. In a-bun-dance...
And all so attractively lit.
Although if the lighting isn't quite to your liking, they even provide you with torches.
Spot on!
There's plenty to choose from, including dinosaurs at the Sedgwick Museum, medieval manuscripts at the University Library and classical bums at the Museum of Classical Archeology. I kid you not. Did you know the latter venerable collection is the top museum in England for bottoms? No, neither did I.
You certainly learn something new every day. And Cambridge is, after all, one of our most venerable seats (yes, yes, pun intended) of learning. And the annual twilight events add an extra dimension of fun to the proceedings, so... next year (I'm afraid you've missed it for 2019) look out here for the programme, and then take your pick.
My one gripe about an otherwise excellent event is that it all takes place on the same day. If only there was some way of spreading the events throughout the week, we could all see a lot more.
As it is we saw (and heard, sung) some of the oldest (and largest) medieval musical manuscripts in existence - in one case, effectively from the time before music was even written down. The world-famous Consolations of Philosophy contain squiggles (called neumes) designed as no more than an aide-memoire to the melody that this famous dialogue with 'Lady Philosophy' would have been sung to 1000 years ago.
A couple of years ago a team from Cambridge University managed through a remarkable feat of musical detective work to reconstruct the music, and so we were treated to a candlelit recital (don't worry, the candles weren't real. The books were, though!) of the oldest music ever written. It looks a lot like this.
Other MS on display on Wednesday looked like this...
And this...
(Note the helpful finger pointing the singer to the next line of music on the following page!)
And then, of course, there were the bums. This one belongs to Venus...
Other backsides are available, belonging variously to Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, Cupid and a host of other gods plus innumerable unnamed Graeco-Roman athletes are, of course, available. In a-bun-dance...
And all so attractively lit.
Although if the lighting isn't quite to your liking, they even provide you with torches.
Spot on!
January 26, 2019
Under review...
I've been extremely lucky since The Glorious Dead was published in that, without asking, several people have logged in to Amazon (.com and .co.uk) and left reviews... even luckier that they've all, by and large, been very positive.
But, y'know, us authors are never satisfied. That's why we keep writing. There's always another, better, book to be written. And there are always more reviews to seek.
I was fortunate to receive a particularly good print review in The Soldier magazine (trade journal of the British Army) who gave the book five stars and chose it as 'Book of the Month' for November. But the silence from the book pages elsewhere has been deafening... if not entirely surprising.
Book reviews in the national press are hard to get, especially for relative unknowns (like what I am). But reviews from readers on Goodreads, Amazon and the like are thankfully not as scarce. And neither, I'm very pleased to say, are direct emails (through my website) from readers telling me (in almost all cases) how much they've enjoyed the book.
Now I know it's asking a lot, but... if only all these lovely emails could be converted to Amazon reviews. Here's what a difference they could make...
And here's how easy they are to do. First (assuming you're logged in to Amazon) go to the product page and click the book. Scroll down to the 'Customer Reviews' and you'll see a 'Review this product' heading under which is a button 'Write a customer review'.
Click this button and it takes you here...
After that you can add your star rating (*ahem* five, perhaps?), a headline for the review, and then the review itself. Click 'submit' and this will appear...
After which, if you're lucky (Amazon do reserve the right to withhold or remove reviews, especially one's they suspect have been paid for) you'll receive a message like this...
And, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to have bought the book on Amazon. This one - Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin - was picked up for £1 in a charity shop. (I know, I know, that means my poor fellow author doesn't make a dime, but - hey! - he's richer and more famous than I am. I'm sure he won't mind. Especially as I left a five-star rating for him!)
But, y'know, us authors are never satisfied. That's why we keep writing. There's always another, better, book to be written. And there are always more reviews to seek.
I was fortunate to receive a particularly good print review in The Soldier magazine (trade journal of the British Army) who gave the book five stars and chose it as 'Book of the Month' for November. But the silence from the book pages elsewhere has been deafening... if not entirely surprising.
Book reviews in the national press are hard to get, especially for relative unknowns (like what I am). But reviews from readers on Goodreads, Amazon and the like are thankfully not as scarce. And neither, I'm very pleased to say, are direct emails (through my website) from readers telling me (in almost all cases) how much they've enjoyed the book.
Now I know it's asking a lot, but... if only all these lovely emails could be converted to Amazon reviews. Here's what a difference they could make...
And here's how easy they are to do. First (assuming you're logged in to Amazon) go to the product page and click the book. Scroll down to the 'Customer Reviews' and you'll see a 'Review this product' heading under which is a button 'Write a customer review'.
Click this button and it takes you here...
After that you can add your star rating (*ahem* five, perhaps?), a headline for the review, and then the review itself. Click 'submit' and this will appear...
After which, if you're lucky (Amazon do reserve the right to withhold or remove reviews, especially one's they suspect have been paid for) you'll receive a message like this...
And, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to have bought the book on Amazon. This one - Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin - was picked up for £1 in a charity shop. (I know, I know, that means my poor fellow author doesn't make a dime, but - hey! - he's richer and more famous than I am. I'm sure he won't mind. Especially as I left a five-star rating for him!)
January 15, 2019
Ivor Cutler
Ah, where we would be without the wonderful world of Ivor Cutler, eh?
Where would Ivor Cutler be if he hadn't been born on this day, January 15th 1923?
Cue one of those fascinating flights of fancy that the man himself was so well known and loved for. What if he hadn't, we hadn't, they didn't, it wouldn't...?
I was introduced to Ivor Cutler by a friend at teacher training college in London. Neil had come from Aberystwyth University to do a PGCE in London and his digs had a spare room at a time when I was sofa surfing.
We hit if off, not least due to the hours spent in his room (it was much, much larger than mine) listening to his extensive record collection on his large and expensive hifi. (I had a small cassette-radio...)
And chief among the records was one by Ivor Cutler. I've been a fan ever since. The man is - was - a genius, one of those rare, genuine 'one-offs'. No-one was like him. No-one else could've been him.
My affection for him - and collection of his many records and broadcasts - grew.
Neil, however, dropped out and went back to Wales taking his record player with him. Still, I got to move into his much larger room. (The same room erstwhile Labour MP Eric Joyce had to break in to a few months later.)
I lost touch with Neil, which is a shame.
But I still remember Ivor Cutler with lots of affection...
Where would Ivor Cutler be if he hadn't been born on this day, January 15th 1923?
Cue one of those fascinating flights of fancy that the man himself was so well known and loved for. What if he hadn't, we hadn't, they didn't, it wouldn't...?
I was introduced to Ivor Cutler by a friend at teacher training college in London. Neil had come from Aberystwyth University to do a PGCE in London and his digs had a spare room at a time when I was sofa surfing.
We hit if off, not least due to the hours spent in his room (it was much, much larger than mine) listening to his extensive record collection on his large and expensive hifi. (I had a small cassette-radio...)
And chief among the records was one by Ivor Cutler. I've been a fan ever since. The man is - was - a genius, one of those rare, genuine 'one-offs'. No-one was like him. No-one else could've been him.
My affection for him - and collection of his many records and broadcasts - grew.
Neil, however, dropped out and went back to Wales taking his record player with him. Still, I got to move into his much larger room. (The same room erstwhile Labour MP Eric Joyce had to break in to a few months later.)
I lost touch with Neil, which is a shame.
But I still remember Ivor Cutler with lots of affection...
December 29, 2018
Rural Rhymes: Winter Poetry
Christmas isn’t over, contrary to what I’ve read today on a Twitter: in fact, it’s barely even half way through. Anyway, there’s still plenty about the season to enjoy and celebrate, not least this small selection of winter poetry...
December 24, 2018
Jake Thackray: Joseph
Joseph, Joseph, in your cattle stall.
Joseph, Joseph, what do you make of it all?
Joseph, Joseph, what do you make of it all?
Christmas Landscape by Laurie Lee
Tonight, the wind gnaws
with teeth of glass,
The jackdaw shivers
In caged branches of iron,
The stars have talons...
with teeth of glass,
The jackdaw shivers
In caged branches of iron,
The stars have talons...
December 23, 2018
Coming carol-barking?
We were the church choir, so no answer was necessary. For a year we had praised the Lord out-of-key and as a reward for this service we now had the right to visit all the big houses, to sing our carols, and collect our tribute...
December 18, 2018
The gift of giving... how to give something to someone who has everything!
It’s Christmas Time… be afraid. Be very afraid! Because in spite of our best intentions we’ll all undoubtedly end up buying something for somebody that they don’t really need or even want - obliging them by turn to do the same in this reciprocal, seasonal, merry-go-round of money.
If I’m honest, even my kids don’t really need anything. They’ve more toys than they can play with. But… who am I to stand in the way of Santa’s Sleigh? And anyway, there are the inevitable demands from friends and relations (that start in mid-October) to know ‘what they want for Christmas. Because it’s not long, you know!’
Having said that, the kids are easy. The folks we find really hard to buy for are usually our parents. And it seems pointless giving them money (only for them to give it us back in the form of presents for the kids or even us!). Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for gifts. And I love Christmas. But the season of giving so often morphs into the mania of materialism.
But with a little effort, it needn’t cost anything. Well, not in cash terms anyway. I’m talking of that most precious commodity, time. Give back, lend a helping hand (as it says here) and people are likely to be doubly grateful. They get something they want and need… and they don’t have to find a place to store it!
There are plenty of great ideas out there, like the one’s listed on this page. It can be as simple as offering to help out — which is, let’s face it, a great opportunity to give back a little of what most of our parents have been doing for us for years.
It needn’t be redecorating the house from top to bottom, either. Doing the shopping, walking the dog, or a spot of gardening could be worth a small fortune to them. If you want to up the ante, why not cook them a nice meal or create an photo book filled with memories? Ok, they’ll both involve a splash of cash but the outcome is something really special. Honestly, socks don’t even come close.
The world has enough stuff. The vast majority of us don’t need any more things. But what we could all of us use more of, all the time, is that most precious commodity time itself. We might not be able to stop the clocks or do a ‘Dr Who’ but we can so much so easily, for so many if we only think a little more creatively this Christmas.
If I’m honest, even my kids don’t really need anything. They’ve more toys than they can play with. But… who am I to stand in the way of Santa’s Sleigh? And anyway, there are the inevitable demands from friends and relations (that start in mid-October) to know ‘what they want for Christmas. Because it’s not long, you know!’
Having said that, the kids are easy. The folks we find really hard to buy for are usually our parents. And it seems pointless giving them money (only for them to give it us back in the form of presents for the kids or even us!). Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for gifts. And I love Christmas. But the season of giving so often morphs into the mania of materialism.
But with a little effort, it needn’t cost anything. Well, not in cash terms anyway. I’m talking of that most precious commodity, time. Give back, lend a helping hand (as it says here) and people are likely to be doubly grateful. They get something they want and need… and they don’t have to find a place to store it!
There are plenty of great ideas out there, like the one’s listed on this page. It can be as simple as offering to help out — which is, let’s face it, a great opportunity to give back a little of what most of our parents have been doing for us for years.
It needn’t be redecorating the house from top to bottom, either. Doing the shopping, walking the dog, or a spot of gardening could be worth a small fortune to them. If you want to up the ante, why not cook them a nice meal or create an photo book filled with memories? Ok, they’ll both involve a splash of cash but the outcome is something really special. Honestly, socks don’t even come close.
The world has enough stuff. The vast majority of us don’t need any more things. But what we could all of us use more of, all the time, is that most precious commodity time itself. We might not be able to stop the clocks or do a ‘Dr Who’ but we can so much so easily, for so many if we only think a little more creatively this Christmas.
December 15, 2018
A cleaner cleaner...
Have you ever stopped to read the list of ingredients on those household cleaning products? And, if you have, have you checked them out, looked them up, found out what xxx and yyy actually are?
Like many children, it would seem, mine have their fair share of allergies, from hay fever to eczema. So we're careful with what we wash them (and their clothes) in. But, perhaps, not as careful as we could be with what we clean the things we clean them in, with. I mean the bath, or sink, or shower.
Which is where new Bathroom Tincture comes in.
Unlike other products that can, apparently, leave a toxic residue in your bath, Bathroom Tincture is chemical-free and cleans thoroughly using the antiseptic properties of essential oils such as Siberian Pine and Eucalyptus. And active silver is added to these fragrant botanicals - as well as to the packaging itself - to ensure the bottle remains bacteria free at all times*.
As well as leaving your bathroom spotless, so they tell me, this "naturally effective blend benefits the body and mind with its herbal cleansing abilities, leaving you able to relax and rejuvenate in an environment that’s kind to delicate skin and those with allergies."
(They've obviously not been here at children's bathtime... relax? rejuvenate?)
What they did do, though, is send me a bottle to try and I have. And it's good. It cleans as well as any other stuff I use, it does smell good and although I've yet to gather any empirical evidence on its effect on our delicate skin, I'm happy with the results thus far.
Bathroom Tincture costs £7.50. For more information and to explore the full range go to https://www.tincturelondon.com/
You can also find them on Twitter: @TinctureLondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TINCTURELondon
and
Instagram: @TinctureLondon
Like many children, it would seem, mine have their fair share of allergies, from hay fever to eczema. So we're careful with what we wash them (and their clothes) in. But, perhaps, not as careful as we could be with what we clean the things we clean them in, with. I mean the bath, or sink, or shower.
Which is where new Bathroom Tincture comes in.
Unlike other products that can, apparently, leave a toxic residue in your bath, Bathroom Tincture is chemical-free and cleans thoroughly using the antiseptic properties of essential oils such as Siberian Pine and Eucalyptus. And active silver is added to these fragrant botanicals - as well as to the packaging itself - to ensure the bottle remains bacteria free at all times*.
As well as leaving your bathroom spotless, so they tell me, this "naturally effective blend benefits the body and mind with its herbal cleansing abilities, leaving you able to relax and rejuvenate in an environment that’s kind to delicate skin and those with allergies."
(They've obviously not been here at children's bathtime... relax? rejuvenate?)
What they did do, though, is send me a bottle to try and I have. And it's good. It cleans as well as any other stuff I use, it does smell good and although I've yet to gather any empirical evidence on its effect on our delicate skin, I'm happy with the results thus far.
Bathroom Tincture costs £7.50. For more information and to explore the full range go to https://www.tincturelondon.com/
You can also find them on Twitter: @TinctureLondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TINCTURELondon
and
Instagram: @TinctureLondon
December 12, 2018
First with a rifle, then with a shovel...
My piece for The Irish Times was published today. For those of you interested in the historical background to The Glorious Dead - the facts behind the fiction - it might make interesting reading.
Here's a link: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/first-with-a-rifle-then-with-a-shovel-an-irishman-s-diary-on-the-postwar-battlefield-clearances-and-burials-of-the-great-war-1.3727995
Here's a link: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/first-with-a-rifle-then-with-a-shovel-an-irishman-s-diary-on-the-postwar-battlefield-clearances-and-burials-of-the-great-war-1.3727995
