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For the Time Being: Collected Journalism
essays
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 3, 2016
A collection of articles and book reviews. As always, it is a pleasure to spend time with Dirk Bogarde, and this is a lovely book, either to dip into, or to read compulsively - which is what I did!
December 14, 2023
Anyone who has read my reviews will know that I am a fan of the second-hand shelves in charity shops. Having said that, I don’t often read at random. There has to be something in the title or an author’s name to provoke interest. One started, usually I finish a book and find something positive to identify in it. I review every book I finish. One would have thought, perhaps, that a volume of someone else’s occasional reviews from a quarter of a century ago would not appeal. I was at least intrigued.
For The Time Being by Dirk Bogarde is such a book. Late in his life, the former actor (his own assessment, Shirley) took to reviewing books and having his efforts published in the Daily Telegraph. Often, Dirk Bogarde did not choose his material. His editor at the newspaper often suggested what might be read. The resulting reviews are rarely forensic and even more rarely analytical. They are impressionistic and Bogard, it has to be said, does not hesitate in letting his readers know his contempt for contemporary Britain, much pop culture, Germans, and football hooligans. But he is also often insightful, and even gentle in the way he deals with contentious issues.
He was obviously scarred by his wartime experience. He claims to have been one of the first servicemen to enter the Bergen-Belsen camp, which he accepts was not itself one of the death camps, the industrial processing plants that converted live human beings into useless over-supplies of war commodities. But it was a place where people had been left to rot, the ideological discard of an objectionable political movement. Repeatedly, Dirk Bogard refers to the Germain nation, not really having paid the price for their crime. He does refer to carpet bombing, nuclear attacks, and even cannibalism as equally repugnant and by implication perpetrated by other nations. It was, however, a matter of scale.
But most of these journalistic pieces deal with the froth of society, the biography, occasionally the novel. But near the end, when nominating a book of the century, Dirk Bogarde cites Remarque’s All quiet On The Western Front as his candidate. He writes that “no one has better explained the fate of the ordinary man engaged comprehending in the viciousness, uselessness and utter waste of war.” Scarred by war. That is the human lot. And continues to be.
His contempt for contemporary society ran deep. He describes John Osborne’s as not damning England, per se, but he does agree that the amorphous mass of the people are defeated, sullen, resentful, smearing, and bigoted. To me, these sound like stereotypical Daily Telegraph readers.
And when it comes to foreigners, and having upbraided the Germans and their like again, referring back to his experience in Bergen-Belson, he writes: “And could it happen here? In England’s green and pleasant land, we asked each other this, in the jeep bumping back from the camp, and we agreed, in 1945, that, yes it could. ‘Wembley Stadium, to start with, and then shove them all off to Catterick camp, or any other military hell-hole; you’d get all the guards you needed to beat the hell out of them and then ship them all back to where wherever they came from.” The sentiment could equally apply to the United Kingdom in 2023.
These occasional pieces are worth reading. They have a lot of their author in them, but he, as he was on film in Death In Venice, remains a rather aloof, isolated man, completely sure of his own insecure frailties.
For The Time Being by Dirk Bogarde is such a book. Late in his life, the former actor (his own assessment, Shirley) took to reviewing books and having his efforts published in the Daily Telegraph. Often, Dirk Bogarde did not choose his material. His editor at the newspaper often suggested what might be read. The resulting reviews are rarely forensic and even more rarely analytical. They are impressionistic and Bogard, it has to be said, does not hesitate in letting his readers know his contempt for contemporary Britain, much pop culture, Germans, and football hooligans. But he is also often insightful, and even gentle in the way he deals with contentious issues.
He was obviously scarred by his wartime experience. He claims to have been one of the first servicemen to enter the Bergen-Belsen camp, which he accepts was not itself one of the death camps, the industrial processing plants that converted live human beings into useless over-supplies of war commodities. But it was a place where people had been left to rot, the ideological discard of an objectionable political movement. Repeatedly, Dirk Bogard refers to the Germain nation, not really having paid the price for their crime. He does refer to carpet bombing, nuclear attacks, and even cannibalism as equally repugnant and by implication perpetrated by other nations. It was, however, a matter of scale.
But most of these journalistic pieces deal with the froth of society, the biography, occasionally the novel. But near the end, when nominating a book of the century, Dirk Bogarde cites Remarque’s All quiet On The Western Front as his candidate. He writes that “no one has better explained the fate of the ordinary man engaged comprehending in the viciousness, uselessness and utter waste of war.” Scarred by war. That is the human lot. And continues to be.
His contempt for contemporary society ran deep. He describes John Osborne’s as not damning England, per se, but he does agree that the amorphous mass of the people are defeated, sullen, resentful, smearing, and bigoted. To me, these sound like stereotypical Daily Telegraph readers.
And when it comes to foreigners, and having upbraided the Germans and their like again, referring back to his experience in Bergen-Belson, he writes: “And could it happen here? In England’s green and pleasant land, we asked each other this, in the jeep bumping back from the camp, and we agreed, in 1945, that, yes it could. ‘Wembley Stadium, to start with, and then shove them all off to Catterick camp, or any other military hell-hole; you’d get all the guards you needed to beat the hell out of them and then ship them all back to where wherever they came from.” The sentiment could equally apply to the United Kingdom in 2023.
These occasional pieces are worth reading. They have a lot of their author in them, but he, as he was on film in Death In Venice, remains a rather aloof, isolated man, completely sure of his own insecure frailties.
February 24, 2023
As explained in his March 1999 foreword to this book, Dirk Bogarde suffered a massive stroke during what should have been a routine operation, and found himself unable to write. This collection was intended as a stop-gap for his publishers before he was well enough to write a new novel, and this anthology would have to do “for the time being” (hence the name), but he died just a few months later.
It’s an assortment of his various journalistic writing; personal stories (including some war stories and the renowned “A Short Walk From Harrods”), film reminiscences (excellent pieces on Visconti and Tavernier amongst them), stories about an author’s life (public readings and recording audiobooks), obituaries, and even a few published letters to newspapers. I was initially somewhat disappointed to discover around half the collection is dedicated to his book reviews for the Telegraph in the late 80s to the late 90s, but I was wrong to be suspicious, as they are an absolute joy to read.
He tells of when he was offered the job of reviewer, and how he told the editor that he would reluctantly accept, but that he insisted he would not be “unkind”, though it must be said that some of these reviews are quite savage, including his very first review, of a book by his friend Russell Harty, who was reportedly most distressed by Bogarde’s negative comments. It actually must have been very intimidating for anyone to be reviewed by such an accomplished writer, and also someone so well-connected; there can be few reviewers who can refer to their own personal correspondence to verify an anecdote, as Bogarde does here with a story about Ingrid Bergman, or use their experiences of playing Roald Dahl in a film to inform their opinion of a new Dahl biography. More amusingly, after critically mauling two books about Madonna, Bogarde afterwards finds himself asked by her management if he’d consider appearing in her forthcoming photo-book “Sex” (he refuses…)
Sometimes Bogarde’s own prejudices come through, primarily towards the Germans and Japanese, but as an active serviceman who was on the spot at the liberation of Paris in WW2, and among the first to discover and explore the horrors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, he was surely entitled to some misgivings towards those nations.
However, this is an excellent collection of pieces full of Bogarde’s characteristic sophistication and waspishness, and it’s a fine companion to his novels and autobiographies – recommended.
It’s an assortment of his various journalistic writing; personal stories (including some war stories and the renowned “A Short Walk From Harrods”), film reminiscences (excellent pieces on Visconti and Tavernier amongst them), stories about an author’s life (public readings and recording audiobooks), obituaries, and even a few published letters to newspapers. I was initially somewhat disappointed to discover around half the collection is dedicated to his book reviews for the Telegraph in the late 80s to the late 90s, but I was wrong to be suspicious, as they are an absolute joy to read.
He tells of when he was offered the job of reviewer, and how he told the editor that he would reluctantly accept, but that he insisted he would not be “unkind”, though it must be said that some of these reviews are quite savage, including his very first review, of a book by his friend Russell Harty, who was reportedly most distressed by Bogarde’s negative comments. It actually must have been very intimidating for anyone to be reviewed by such an accomplished writer, and also someone so well-connected; there can be few reviewers who can refer to their own personal correspondence to verify an anecdote, as Bogarde does here with a story about Ingrid Bergman, or use their experiences of playing Roald Dahl in a film to inform their opinion of a new Dahl biography. More amusingly, after critically mauling two books about Madonna, Bogarde afterwards finds himself asked by her management if he’d consider appearing in her forthcoming photo-book “Sex” (he refuses…)
Sometimes Bogarde’s own prejudices come through, primarily towards the Germans and Japanese, but as an active serviceman who was on the spot at the liberation of Paris in WW2, and among the first to discover and explore the horrors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, he was surely entitled to some misgivings towards those nations.
However, this is an excellent collection of pieces full of Bogarde’s characteristic sophistication and waspishness, and it’s a fine companion to his novels and autobiographies – recommended.
December 3, 2019
My darling Dirk, who else but you would have written a letter to the editor of the Times updating them on the status of local crickets chirping in your greenhouse?
Who would search for a book by Mary Webb absolute ages ago and remember it still and relay it to me now as if I knew, and I did?
At once savage and kind and hilarious.
TELL ME THE NAME OF THE COOKBOOK, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
Loved the first half of the book, and quite liked the second, but some of the book reviews lost my interest. But I will always love Dirk. Of course we share the same favourite Greene: The End of the Affair.
Who would search for a book by Mary Webb absolute ages ago and remember it still and relay it to me now as if I knew, and I did?
At once savage and kind and hilarious.
TELL ME THE NAME OF THE COOKBOOK, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
Loved the first half of the book, and quite liked the second, but some of the book reviews lost my interest. But I will always love Dirk. Of course we share the same favourite Greene: The End of the Affair.
March 16, 2019
A Dirk Bogarde fan of some standing, I can't remember the first time I heard what a gifted writer he was. After reading For The Time Being, I feel like an utter prat for not picking up one of his books sooner.
June 1, 2017
While struggling to recover from two massive strokes in 1996, Bogarde agreed to compile for publication excerpts from his memoirs, book reviews for London newspapers and dictated essays and small articles, generally reminiscences of his acquaintance with a large number of celebrities. The result is a fascinating sampling of his writing prowess, tinged by a smoldering anger and depression at his present circumstance. His last entry was written two months before his death on May 8, 1999.
June 6, 2016
This his third book which I am reading and I love his form of writing.
Its a collection of his articles, obituaries, letters, book reviews and all penned by him for various newspapers / magazines.
He has a knack of writing and nothing from him can be boring. He brings into true life everything and with the right words.
His book reviews are amazing and brutally honest.
Hats off to him.
Its a collection of his articles, obituaries, letters, book reviews and all penned by him for various newspapers / magazines.
He has a knack of writing and nothing from him can be boring. He brings into true life everything and with the right words.
His book reviews are amazing and brutally honest.
Hats off to him.
June 9, 2014
This book contains a collection of essays / book reviews by a famous British actor and later writer.
This is an odd book as it came across (at least to me) as a series of disconnected articles / pieces some of which were really interesting but overall I found this book didn’t make much impression on me.
This is an odd book as it came across (at least to me) as a series of disconnected articles / pieces some of which were really interesting but overall I found this book didn’t make much impression on me.
September 17, 2015
Typical Bogarde Gentle,nostalgic,well written,old fashioned and very English.Many familiar stories and a collection of book reviews.I enjoyed it but it's really a book for those who remember him from the old movies and can think about how life turns out.
November 20, 2024
Always love Dirk. Most of this book is made up of his book reviews which he wrote for the telegraph....I now have an even longer reading list.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews