Tim Atkinson's Blog, page 15
June 25, 2018
Find a Soldier
I wrote yesterday about the five-year labour of love that has been my book,
The Glorious Dead
.
I also wrote of the imminent closure of the crowdfunding list, whereby subscribers (or pre-orderers!) get their name in the back of the book (and the book itself, of course) for the price of a pledge.
But they can also get much, much more.
One of the pledge levels uses some of the knowledge and skills I've gained in five years of research to offer my services 'finding a soldier': that is, researching the life, service and final resting place of someone, perhaps a family member, who served and died in the Great War.
Nearly all of us have some personal, family connection to World War One. And lots of people want to find out as much as they can about people they know - relatives, friends, others - who served. But it can be difficult to know where to look, how to search, what questions to ask.
Which is where I come in.
For a small extra sum I can look into this for you. One of the rewards for pledging for The Glorious Dead is to use what I've learnt to help you track down as much as possible about a someone who served, and died, in the Great War.
The details, if you're interested, are below. And you can make your pledge by clicking here.
But hurry! If you want to pledge you have to do so before midnight on July 1st 2018. That's when the book 'goes to press'.
I also wrote of the imminent closure of the crowdfunding list, whereby subscribers (or pre-orderers!) get their name in the back of the book (and the book itself, of course) for the price of a pledge.
But they can also get much, much more.
One of the pledge levels uses some of the knowledge and skills I've gained in five years of research to offer my services 'finding a soldier': that is, researching the life, service and final resting place of someone, perhaps a family member, who served and died in the Great War.
Nearly all of us have some personal, family connection to World War One. And lots of people want to find out as much as they can about people they know - relatives, friends, others - who served. But it can be difficult to know where to look, how to search, what questions to ask.
Which is where I come in.
For a small extra sum I can look into this for you. One of the rewards for pledging for The Glorious Dead is to use what I've learnt to help you track down as much as possible about a someone who served, and died, in the Great War.
The details, if you're interested, are below. And you can make your pledge by clicking here.
But hurry! If you want to pledge you have to do so before midnight on July 1st 2018. That's when the book 'goes to press'.
Last Orders!
Some time ago, I wrote a book.
I mean, another book. I've written several, so far. But this one, this particular book, was special.
It was special because I had a real passion for it, a burning desire to write it, to reveal something I thought people ought to know, to tell a story no-one else (as far as I knew) had ever told.
It was a war book, but not about the war. It was a book about the Great War, and what happened afterwards. Not the politics, not the treaties or the conferences, the reparations, the global consequences.
This book was about the men who died, and whose graves are that 'corner of a foreign field' now marked - not with the 'crosses, row on row' but with the bright, white, Portland headstones of the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission.
Visitors to the battlefields - relatives, tourists, school kids on study visits - often overlook the fact that these iconic monuments to the dead and missing had to be made. And - in the case of the graves - dug.
Bodies had not only to be buried, but exhumed from hasty battlefield burials, examined carefully so that any scrap of identification could be established, then re-interred with dignity, and a little more ceremony.
And the men who did this were the same men (by and large) who'd spent two, three or even four years fighting. They stayed aboard for up to three years searching, step-by-step, digging, examining, burying. All for an extra 2/6 per day. Or all out of a sense of immense duty, before they finally went home, to the men who would never return.
Now, finally, this book is about to be published. Published - after a crowdfunding campaign - by Unbound. In just five days, the list of subscribers (to whom I am immensely grateful) will be closed and the book will go through the final checks and processes before being sent to the printers.
So, if you haven't yet subscribed and you'd like to see your name in the back of a special, hardback, subscriber edition, then you have until midnight on July 1st to pledge. All the proceeds from pledges (apart from a few contributing to forces' charities) go direct to the editing, checking, designing, printing and distributing of the book itself. Nothing goes to me, personally.
Simply click here, and take your pick of the many pledges still available.
The five-year journey is almost at an end.
I mean, another book. I've written several, so far. But this one, this particular book, was special.
It was special because I had a real passion for it, a burning desire to write it, to reveal something I thought people ought to know, to tell a story no-one else (as far as I knew) had ever told.
It was a war book, but not about the war. It was a book about the Great War, and what happened afterwards. Not the politics, not the treaties or the conferences, the reparations, the global consequences.
This book was about the men who died, and whose graves are that 'corner of a foreign field' now marked - not with the 'crosses, row on row' but with the bright, white, Portland headstones of the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission.
Visitors to the battlefields - relatives, tourists, school kids on study visits - often overlook the fact that these iconic monuments to the dead and missing had to be made. And - in the case of the graves - dug.
Bodies had not only to be buried, but exhumed from hasty battlefield burials, examined carefully so that any scrap of identification could be established, then re-interred with dignity, and a little more ceremony.
And the men who did this were the same men (by and large) who'd spent two, three or even four years fighting. They stayed aboard for up to three years searching, step-by-step, digging, examining, burying. All for an extra 2/6 per day. Or all out of a sense of immense duty, before they finally went home, to the men who would never return.
Now, finally, this book is about to be published. Published - after a crowdfunding campaign - by Unbound. In just five days, the list of subscribers (to whom I am immensely grateful) will be closed and the book will go through the final checks and processes before being sent to the printers.
So, if you haven't yet subscribed and you'd like to see your name in the back of a special, hardback, subscriber edition, then you have until midnight on July 1st to pledge. All the proceeds from pledges (apart from a few contributing to forces' charities) go direct to the editing, checking, designing, printing and distributing of the book itself. Nothing goes to me, personally.
Simply click here, and take your pick of the many pledges still available.
The five-year journey is almost at an end.
June 16, 2018
H is for Hawk
H is for Hawk by Helen MacdonaldMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Rarely do you read a book where every word seems so perfectly in place, every thought so apt, each observation clear, original and enlightening. But then, this is a rare book. A rare book about a (reasonably) rare bird, at least in the wild. But it's so much more. Much more. I've had it on my shelves for a while now but - to be honest - it was the hawk on the cover, of the title, and subject of almost all the articles I'd read and discussion I'd heard that stayed my hand as it reached up to the shelf. Because although I love natural history, and ornithology especially, I wasn't sure I was ready to invest a week in the company of someone training a hawk. But the book - as all good books, on whatever subject - is about so much more. The hawk moments are wonderfully real and vivid, but in many ways serve as a metaphor for the internal struggle of the author as she comes to terms with the loss of her father, comes to terms with her place in the world, with the natural order of things, and recovers from illness. It's also an intriguing literary critique of the naturalist and author T.H. White, perhaps best known now for his Arthurian novels but also an accomplished (and deeply flawed) falconer. White's journey of self-discovery through falconry mirrors Macdonald's own growing appreciation of his account of training the eponymous raptor in 'The Goshawk'. And, of course, his journey is hers - both in terms of the bird they both trained, and the struggles they endured and - in Macdonald's case at least - overcame. A richly fulfilling and rewarding read.
View all my reviews
June 13, 2018
Really Readly Good!
David Bowie once famously declared that music would one day flow like water from a tap. The man was a prophet. It does.
It flows freely from any number of sources: Spotify, Apple, Amazon and their streaming subscription services.
But the print world has been slow to catch on.
Until now.
Because now Readly ('the Spotify of magazines') is here.
Readly is a digital newsstand service which gives customers unlimited, “all-you-can-read” access to hundreds of national and international magazines in one app for just £7.99 per month – both streamed and downloaded. Ultra-fast, easy-to-use and convenient – each subscriber can access the inventory on up to 5 devices across the major operating systems – the service has an increasing range of functions, including advanced zoom, bookmark, search and sharing tools.
It's also a great last minute Father's Day gift idea!
If you're stuck for ideas, why not give dad the gift of unlimited reading this Father’s Day? With the Readly digital magazine app you can bag dad a last minute gift that keeps on giving way beyond Sunday 17th June.
And, whether he's interested in tech, cars, news & reviews, sport or even celebrity & gossip, he can read his favourite title and experiment with many more with the Readly digital newsstand.
The Readly gift card is the perfect gift for Father’s Day and has options to suit every gift budget:
1 month - £7.99
3 months - £23.97
6 months - £47.94
And at the moment there's a 'three months for the price of one' special offer.
Yes, Readly!
It flows freely from any number of sources: Spotify, Apple, Amazon and their streaming subscription services.
But the print world has been slow to catch on.
Until now.
Because now Readly ('the Spotify of magazines') is here.
Readly is a digital newsstand service which gives customers unlimited, “all-you-can-read” access to hundreds of national and international magazines in one app for just £7.99 per month – both streamed and downloaded. Ultra-fast, easy-to-use and convenient – each subscriber can access the inventory on up to 5 devices across the major operating systems – the service has an increasing range of functions, including advanced zoom, bookmark, search and sharing tools.
It's also a great last minute Father's Day gift idea!
If you're stuck for ideas, why not give dad the gift of unlimited reading this Father’s Day? With the Readly digital magazine app you can bag dad a last minute gift that keeps on giving way beyond Sunday 17th June.
And, whether he's interested in tech, cars, news & reviews, sport or even celebrity & gossip, he can read his favourite title and experiment with many more with the Readly digital newsstand.
The Readly gift card is the perfect gift for Father’s Day and has options to suit every gift budget:
1 month - £7.99
3 months - £23.97
6 months - £47.94
And at the moment there's a 'three months for the price of one' special offer.
Yes, Readly!
Readly Really Ready for Readers
David Bowie once famously declared that music would one day flow like water from a tap. The man was a prophet. It does.
It flows freely from any number of sources: Spotify, Apple, Amazon and their streaming subscription services.
But the print world has been slow to catch on.
Until now.
Because now Readly ('the Spotify of magazines') is here.
Readly is a digital newsstand service which gives customers unlimited, “all-you-can-read” access to hundreds of national and international magazines in one app for just £7.99 per month – both streamed and downloaded. Ultra-fast, easy-to-use and convenient – each subscriber can access the inventory on up to 5 devices across the major operating systems – the service has an increasing range of functions, including advanced zoom, bookmark, search and sharing tools.
It's also a great last minute Father's Day gift idea!
If you're stuck for ideas, why not give dad the gift of unlimited reading this Father’s Day? With the Readly digital magazine app you can bag dad a last minute gift that keeps on giving way beyond Sunday 17th June.
And, whether he's interested in tech, cars, news & reviews, sport or even celebrity & gossip, he can read his favourite title and experiment with many more with the Readly digital newsstand.
The Readly gift card is the perfect gift for Father’s Day and has options to suit every gift budget:
1 month - £7.99
3 months - £23.97
6 months - £47.94
And at the moment there's a 'three months for the price of one' special offer.
Yes, Readly!
It flows freely from any number of sources: Spotify, Apple, Amazon and their streaming subscription services.
But the print world has been slow to catch on.
Until now.
Because now Readly ('the Spotify of magazines') is here.
Readly is a digital newsstand service which gives customers unlimited, “all-you-can-read” access to hundreds of national and international magazines in one app for just £7.99 per month – both streamed and downloaded. Ultra-fast, easy-to-use and convenient – each subscriber can access the inventory on up to 5 devices across the major operating systems – the service has an increasing range of functions, including advanced zoom, bookmark, search and sharing tools.
It's also a great last minute Father's Day gift idea!
If you're stuck for ideas, why not give dad the gift of unlimited reading this Father’s Day? With the Readly digital magazine app you can bag dad a last minute gift that keeps on giving way beyond Sunday 17th June.
And, whether he's interested in tech, cars, news & reviews, sport or even celebrity & gossip, he can read his favourite title and experiment with many more with the Readly digital newsstand.
The Readly gift card is the perfect gift for Father’s Day and has options to suit every gift budget:
1 month - £7.99
3 months - £23.97
6 months - £47.94
And at the moment there's a 'three months for the price of one' special offer.
Yes, Readly!
June 7, 2018
Keep the Home Fire Burning
You heard it here first. Well, perhaps not. But I'm delighted that one of my picks of the year last year picked up the prestigious (and lucrative) Women's Prize for Fiction last night at the annual award ceremony in London.
Congratulations Kamila Shamsie. Her book really is a worthy winner. Here - should you not yet be persuaded - is my original review...
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Having wasted a small amount of my time last term on the government’s online ‘prevent’ strategy for school teachers I can honestly say that reading this book will give you a greater insight into radicalism than the ridiculous primary school caricatures contained in the so-called training. That, and the satisfaction of some seriously life-enhancing reading makes this book well worth the time ‘borrowed’ from marking and preparation... and pathetic attempts at politically-motivated teacher training.
View all my reviews
Congratulations Kamila Shamsie. Her book really is a worthy winner. Here - should you not yet be persuaded - is my original review...
Home Fire by Kamila ShamsieMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Having wasted a small amount of my time last term on the government’s online ‘prevent’ strategy for school teachers I can honestly say that reading this book will give you a greater insight into radicalism than the ridiculous primary school caricatures contained in the so-called training. That, and the satisfaction of some seriously life-enhancing reading makes this book well worth the time ‘borrowed’ from marking and preparation... and pathetic attempts at politically-motivated teacher training.
View all my reviews
June 4, 2018
F**K YEAH VIDEO GAMES
Excuse the language.
But that's the title of a book, crowdfunded by my own crowdfunding publisher, Unbound, today.
By today, I mean - today. I mean, it launched today, funded today (an hour after launch, actually) and now stands at a whopping 643% funded.*
I know.
Makes you sick, doesn't it?
I mean, makes the heart glad.
Seriously, though.
What an achievement!
*actually, make that 644%. And for those of you puzzling over the maths, 100% gets the book written, edited, proof-read, printed and distributed. The rest is profit!
But that's the title of a book, crowdfunded by my own crowdfunding publisher, Unbound, today.
By today, I mean - today. I mean, it launched today, funded today (an hour after launch, actually) and now stands at a whopping 643% funded.*
I know.
Makes you sick, doesn't it?
I mean, makes the heart glad.
Seriously, though.
What an achievement!
*actually, make that 644%. And for those of you puzzling over the maths, 100% gets the book written, edited, proof-read, printed and distributed. The rest is profit!
June 2, 2018
Thomas Hardy
Happy birthday.
Because the grand old man of English letters was born on this day, way back in 1840.
I've been a fan of Hardy's for years, ever since discovering his poetry through the wonderful settings by Gerald Finzi.
It's odd stuff, not to everyone's taste, but nothing if not accessible. Some, it has to be said, is faintly risible. He wrote too much. But then, he wasn't the first. And probably won't be the last.
But I keep reading for those moments of utter magic, those memorable phrases, those wonderful (in both the novels and the poems) characters.
Here's one of my favourite extracts, from 'Under the Greenwood Tree'.
Because the grand old man of English letters was born on this day, way back in 1840.
I've been a fan of Hardy's for years, ever since discovering his poetry through the wonderful settings by Gerald Finzi.
It's odd stuff, not to everyone's taste, but nothing if not accessible. Some, it has to be said, is faintly risible. He wrote too much. But then, he wasn't the first. And probably won't be the last.
But I keep reading for those moments of utter magic, those memorable phrases, those wonderful (in both the novels and the poems) characters.
Here's one of my favourite extracts, from 'Under the Greenwood Tree'.
May 28, 2018
Little Kids, Big Dilemmas
However confident you feel as a parent (actually, does anyone ever feel confident as a parent?) we all need help from time to time. Thankfully, there's plenty on hand.
A slew of experts have written 'how to' manuals since Dr Spock first burst on the scene (not that one!).
Heck, I've even had a go at it myself, with my 'how to' guide for dads.
But more isn't always better. In fact, at times, it can make things worse.
If you're fed up with conflicting advice and looking for something that's more fact (scientifically researched, too) than opinion, then this book might be for you.
Psychologist Dr Sarah Kuppen, expert in early child development, uses her scientific expertise to sort through the hype and give you the facts.
Using the latest developmental research, she provides practical tips and solves more than 50 familiar parent questions and dilemmas. There'sadvice on:
• five ways to tame a tantrum
• what to do if your child isn’t talking
• the scientific facts on breast versus formula feeding
• managing sibling fights and conflict.
And it's good advice, too - backed up (as I said) by the latest research.
The book - the layout, principally - could be better, however.
As it is, you find yourself starting with toddler tantrums before moving on the sleep issues and then (in chapter three) to a section on breastfeeding.
Chapter four is about screen time while chapter eight is a fascinating psychological discussion of what a new-born is capable of knowing.
With that reservation, Little Kids, Big Dilemmas remains a useful guide for science-minded parents as well as childcare professionals. Reading it will allow you to make informed decisions on the big topics for parenting in the early years.
Just don't read it in the order that it's printed!
Little Kids, Big Dilemmas is available via https://www.routledge.com/9781138857919
A slew of experts have written 'how to' manuals since Dr Spock first burst on the scene (not that one!).
Heck, I've even had a go at it myself, with my 'how to' guide for dads.
But more isn't always better. In fact, at times, it can make things worse.
If you're fed up with conflicting advice and looking for something that's more fact (scientifically researched, too) than opinion, then this book might be for you.
Psychologist Dr Sarah Kuppen, expert in early child development, uses her scientific expertise to sort through the hype and give you the facts.
Using the latest developmental research, she provides practical tips and solves more than 50 familiar parent questions and dilemmas. There'sadvice on:
• five ways to tame a tantrum
• what to do if your child isn’t talking
• the scientific facts on breast versus formula feeding
• managing sibling fights and conflict.
And it's good advice, too - backed up (as I said) by the latest research.
The book - the layout, principally - could be better, however.
As it is, you find yourself starting with toddler tantrums before moving on the sleep issues and then (in chapter three) to a section on breastfeeding.
Chapter four is about screen time while chapter eight is a fascinating psychological discussion of what a new-born is capable of knowing.
With that reservation, Little Kids, Big Dilemmas remains a useful guide for science-minded parents as well as childcare professionals. Reading it will allow you to make informed decisions on the big topics for parenting in the early years.
Just don't read it in the order that it's printed!
Little Kids, Big Dilemmas is available via https://www.routledge.com/9781138857919
May 25, 2018
Half Term at the Royal Albert Hall
Half-term approaches, and if you're looking for something to do in London, there's a full programme of fantastic family related events at the Royal Albert Hall as part of their Festival of Science: Space! series.
Details below, and tickets can be booked direct from https://www.royalalberthall.com/
My Great Orchestral Adventure
Saturday 26 May 2018, Auditorium
Aliens have arrived on planet Earth and they are not happy! The record player on their spaceship is broken and instead of bringing musical messages of intergalactic peace, it’s doing the complete opposite! We need to travel through outer space to help save the world! Along the way we’ll make friends with aliens, waltz in zero gravity and enjoy sunrise symphonies, all without leaving the Royal Albert Hall’s magical auditorium. You decide what happens next by voting which way we should travel! We’ll be singing, dancing and best of all, a full symphony orchestra will bring our adventure to life.
A Strange New Space
Tuesday 29 May 2018, Elgar Room
A Strange New Space is Tessa Bide’s non-verbal, one-woman show aimed at children aged 4-10 years old, and follows the journey of space-obsessed Amira, who dreams of becoming an astronaut. The show melds physical theatre with stunning puppetry and original music. We travel on an imagined voyage into space, paralleled with Amira’s real-life journey as a refugee across continents, forming an unforgettable introduction to theatre for young audiences.
Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking (Junior Edition)
Wednesday 30 May 2018, Elgar Room
Tangram Theatre returns to the Hall’s Elgar Room to present their family theatre show celebrating the 20th century’s most brilliant thinker as part of the Festival of Science: Space. Join Albert, the genius behind the übercoolest moustache in science, for a lecture like none you’ve ever seen.
Engsonglopedia of Science
Wednesday 30 May 2018, Elgar Room
John Hinton presents his new science-based family show in the Elgar Room as part of the Hall’s inaugural Festival of Science: Space. Ensonglopedia of Science sees Hinton present a song about science for every letter of the alphabet – expect atoms, big bangs, cells, DNA and plenty more. Expect the unexpected, and expect it to rhyme!
Albert's Band Presents: To Infinity and Beyond
Friday 1 June 2018, Elgar Room
Join the Royal Albert Hall’s resident Education & Outreach orchestra, Albert’s Band, as they take you on a musical journey to a galaxy far far away. Led by Kevin Hathway and his team of astro-musicians, this promises to be the perfect family friendly introduction to some of the most famous and recognised pieces of classical music in the universe! These concerts are part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Festival of Space.
Moomins and the Comet - Live Re-Score
Sunday 3 June 2018, Elgar Room
This is a rare chance for Moomins fans old and new to experience Anne Wood’s TV adaptations of Film Polski’s breathtakingly charming animations, all accompanied by a live score which mixes Casios with ocarinas and the voices of vintage synthesisers with instruments from around the world.
Details below, and tickets can be booked direct from https://www.royalalberthall.com/
My Great Orchestral Adventure
Saturday 26 May 2018, Auditorium
Aliens have arrived on planet Earth and they are not happy! The record player on their spaceship is broken and instead of bringing musical messages of intergalactic peace, it’s doing the complete opposite! We need to travel through outer space to help save the world! Along the way we’ll make friends with aliens, waltz in zero gravity and enjoy sunrise symphonies, all without leaving the Royal Albert Hall’s magical auditorium. You decide what happens next by voting which way we should travel! We’ll be singing, dancing and best of all, a full symphony orchestra will bring our adventure to life.
A Strange New Space
Tuesday 29 May 2018, Elgar Room
A Strange New Space is Tessa Bide’s non-verbal, one-woman show aimed at children aged 4-10 years old, and follows the journey of space-obsessed Amira, who dreams of becoming an astronaut. The show melds physical theatre with stunning puppetry and original music. We travel on an imagined voyage into space, paralleled with Amira’s real-life journey as a refugee across continents, forming an unforgettable introduction to theatre for young audiences.
Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking (Junior Edition)
Wednesday 30 May 2018, Elgar Room
Tangram Theatre returns to the Hall’s Elgar Room to present their family theatre show celebrating the 20th century’s most brilliant thinker as part of the Festival of Science: Space. Join Albert, the genius behind the übercoolest moustache in science, for a lecture like none you’ve ever seen.
Engsonglopedia of Science
Wednesday 30 May 2018, Elgar Room
John Hinton presents his new science-based family show in the Elgar Room as part of the Hall’s inaugural Festival of Science: Space. Ensonglopedia of Science sees Hinton present a song about science for every letter of the alphabet – expect atoms, big bangs, cells, DNA and plenty more. Expect the unexpected, and expect it to rhyme!
Albert's Band Presents: To Infinity and Beyond
Friday 1 June 2018, Elgar Room
Join the Royal Albert Hall’s resident Education & Outreach orchestra, Albert’s Band, as they take you on a musical journey to a galaxy far far away. Led by Kevin Hathway and his team of astro-musicians, this promises to be the perfect family friendly introduction to some of the most famous and recognised pieces of classical music in the universe! These concerts are part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Festival of Space.
Moomins and the Comet - Live Re-Score
Sunday 3 June 2018, Elgar Room
This is a rare chance for Moomins fans old and new to experience Anne Wood’s TV adaptations of Film Polski’s breathtakingly charming animations, all accompanied by a live score which mixes Casios with ocarinas and the voices of vintage synthesisers with instruments from around the world.
