Reading the 20th Century discussion
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Welcome to The Midnight Bell (a virtual pub and general discussion thread) (2024)
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Yes, exactly this! I don't follow him consciously but stories about him and food always pop up in my Google feed and I can't help clicking on them. It's just worrying wondering what has happened to him.
FYI The Times paywall is down all weekend if you wanted to catch-up on any articles you wanted to read.
I'm not familiar with Micheal Mosley but it's a truly horrible situation . I have a friend whose father disappeared on Rhodes years ago and it was devastating for the family and still remaining a mystery to the present day .
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Books and Authors: A Good Read: Denise Mina and Simon Brett
Kevin Barry is also on Books and Authors: Open Read - I know that Nigeyb is a fan.
Both are on Radio 4.
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Thanks Susan
I enjoyed a short story by Camille Bordas in the 17 June edition of The New Yorker."Chicago on the Seine"
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
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Roman Clodia wrote: "I got an email from a publishers agent today asking me to review an ARC for their client: it's an airport thriller so not my thing but I couldn't help being struck by the name of the book's hero: M..."titter 🤭 😝
Ben wrote: "I enjoyed a short story by Camille Bordas in the 17 June edition of The New Yorker."Chicago on the Seine"
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20..."
I used to take the LaSalle Street bus, too. Along with the Clark Street, Broadway buses, and the red, brown and purple el lines.
One of the things that tell you you are a real New Orleans native, (Nawlinz if you please) is if you think nothing about boarding the Cemeteries BusSorta of assuming everyone knows the not entirely correct story of London's famous plumber/businessman Thomas Crapper
tried to post screen shot of https://forebears.io/surnames/crappy . Seems it's a real name. Wondered if it was some Dickensian name. There are more Crappers.I must be getting more youthful in my humour. Off to look up sex words in the dictionary.
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I've been listening to The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History which is fantastic. It's so shocking that these women were still being told in the 1960s that non-white women couldn't dance in a ballet company as their skin colour spoilt the aesthetic line.
When Ballet Russe were touring the southern states of the US, Raven Wilkinson was told to stay in her hotel room and not perform for her own safety. The KKK burned a cross under her hotel room window.
So much determination and courage in these inspirational women.
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I'm just writing a review now: I think it's a bit less politically sharp than I'd choose but I think that makes it 'friendlier' and less confrontational for a popular audience. Fantastic story, though.
Moving my election post to the pub ....I never watch the results straight through. It all goes quiet after the first exit polls and I close my eyes, but I end up waking up and checking progress throughout the night. And at some point it will be impossible for me to go back to sleep.
How large will the majority be?
What will happen in Scotland?
How many Ministers will lose their seats?
Will Truss lose hers? Will Farage become an MP, and will Corbyn remain an MP?
Will the LibDems overtake the Tories?
And later, how will the size of the majority affect the Government?
When will Sir Keir reveal his actual plan and what will it be?
Roman Clodia wrote: "Lib-Dems are centrist, Labour still has left-wing members...."That's what confuses me. On tax and environment LibDems seem more left wing. On employment issues more centrist. Labour clearly has the union ties but is more socially conservative on some issues. But are the LibDems a serious party or just opportunistic?
Locally they have a better chance to beat the Tories than Labour. They would have won in 2019 if Labour had voted tactically.
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I have the feeling any Labour majority won't be as large as is being predicted in some of the polls. I think Farage will get elected, and Corbyn will lose his seat: would love to wrong about both. I have a horrible feeling Truss could hold on. But there should be other Portillo Moments throughout the night.
And the Labour Party have laid out their plans in their manifesto! I just hope they can go further than their public caution has allowed.
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They also don't attract anything like the hostile scrutiny of the primarily Tory-supporting press and media who will crucify Labour. Hence the extremely cautious manifesto and iron discipline over messaging. They can only form a government by winning over former Tory and Leave voters.
Labour still has its left and right wings and are thus a broader party than the Lib-Dems. I don't see Labour as more socially conservative at all.
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Looking at the videos of Trump rallies, I so much prefer uninspired and unenthralled to in thrall. Happy to be here.
I tend to agree Susan although I'm a loyal Labour supporter . I can understand with my head what Starmer is doing. He is a grown up in a field of toddlers and it makes sense but it's not won many hearts . Disengagement and apathy is at large and , sadly , is the perfect substrate for populism ....hang onto your hats for the next decade .
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Yes, they're scary watching. But our voter apathy here is not good news either for a democracy. And I remain appalled at the level of disinformation that is circulating and the lies that are allowed to pass on TV and other interviews.
That nice Mr Farage is clearly a Trump Mini-me with his isolationist, climate crisis denying, regressive, pseudo-patriotic, rhetoric. I'm not sure that all his supporters are aware that he is pushing the end of a socially-funded NHS for an insurance model and yet they're voting for him.
This is why I could never be a politician: the frustration with people voting against their own, and national, interests would drive me crazy!
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www.theguardian.com/politics/article/...
Great piece. Thank you RC for highlighting it
Roman Clodia wrote: "Ben wrote: "Looking at the videos of Trump rallies, I so much prefer uninspired and unenthralled to in thrall. Happy to be here."Yes, they're scary watching. But our voter apathy here is not good..."
I'm with you all the way, fear Farage will do well - slimy toad that he is, seems to have a remarkable ability to get attention. I always think he gets more media coverage than he actually warrants. He's like a vampire, forever rising from the grave.
I'm also not sure if I could bear another term of the Tories. Have my election buddy lined up and planning to stay up and watch and hope/pray for the best!
Ben another issue about the Lib Dems is that they lack any real intellectual heft, very few interesting potential politicians beyond the leadership, and tend to be rather lame when they do achieve any kind of power. Their real strength has always tended to be in local government, great at admin not so good at policy or forward planning. But in some seats they can be worth voting for to unseat the Tory. Like R. C. I support tactical voting where necessary.
This site is good for identifying where tactical voting is the most sensible option for defeating the Tories. You simply type in your postcode:
https://tacticalvote.co.uk/
Well the day is finally upon us! I'm planning to stay up as long as I can. If anyone else is around, I'll check this thread from time to time.
Btw R. C. another friend met Starmer and said he was impressed by him, genuine and likable - and my friend's an extremely picky academic so high praise coming from him.
I recently met Anas Sarwar, leader of the Scottish Labour Party. I too was impressed with him, his friendliness and willing to engage with people.And Alwynne, I will try to stay up, or possibly watch the exit polls, get a few hours sleep and be awake for the late shift.
Stephen wrote: "I recently met Anas Sarwar, leader of the Scottish Labour Party. I too was impressed with him, his friendliness and willing to engage with people.And Alwynne, I will try to stay up, or possibly w..."
That's great. I'm planning to do the same and nap early evening, will check in with you later!
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Thinking of watching the exit polls and then having a bit of a nap before settling in for the long haul. My constituency NE Hants, one of the safest Conservative seats doesn't normally declare until after midday. I have postal voted, tactical for LibDems. There are a more orange posters around, but then I live in a town and the constituency has a lot of rural areas, so who knows. There is a chance of a swing away, especially if some of the die hard Tory vote goes to Reform. Our MP Jayawardena is local, but I am not sure how well liked he is, and he did throw his lot in with Truss.
Alwynne wrote: "Well the day is finally upon us! I'm planning to stay up as long as I can. If anyone else is around, I'll check this thread from time to time."I will watch the exit polls and go to sleep before the declarations but will wake up all night and check the count. I understand the critical point should be reached around 4 am.
In a constituency that has elected a relatively decent Tory for 19 years, but last time by just 600 votes over a well-regarded LD candidate, the FT projection is 36% LD, 28% Labour, 18% Tory and 13% Reform.Time to go and play my part.
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Where is everyone watching tonight? I think I'll be going for Clive Myrie (yay) and Laura K (boo) on the BBC (partly to see LK's face curdle, I hope) but with the C4, Sky and Guardian blogs open.
Amused to see Guardian btl discussing drinks and snacks of choice to get through the night!
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Well, I'm obviously biased but having met a few Tories through work (Tim Loughton, Nadine Dorries, Chris Skidmore, Patrick Lord Cormac, for starters) they're just not as nice on a personal level as Chris Bryant, Ed Balls, Angela Rayner, Gordon Brown. I've heard similar things from others about Keir and Wes Streeting.
I will start with Beeb, together with tablet on Sky Go alternating between Sky and Channel 4. Channel 4 introducing a bit of Googlebox into its mix should provide a bit of light relief in any quiet bits.
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Seems to me the result was determined months ago, once Boris Johnson and Liz Truss had done their worst.... Partygate and the mini-Budget their definining moments
Then again the Tories have done everything they can during the election to make sure they lose
Self-inflicted mishaps were part of Rishi Sunak’s daily routine.... abandoning D-Day commemorations, close allies gambling on the election date etc
Goodbyeeeee
My routine very similar to R. C.'s I'm a traditionalist when it comes to election coverage so mostly BBC, Guardian and also dip in and out of Channel Four. Snacks are going to be Japanese vegan dumplings, cherries and strawberries so far anyway!I get not staying up Nigey, I just love seeing people I loathe defeated in real time, schadenfreude of the most satisfying nature.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Btw R. C. another friend met Starmer and said he was impressed by him, genuine and likable - and my friend's an extremely picky academic so high praise coming from him."Well, I'm ..."
I'm glad you put in a good word for Gordon Brown always had a soft spot for him, he's great on social justice issues.
Brown has however a record of bullying staff as Prime Minister. Badly enough to cause the Head of the Civil Service to have a word with him about the way to treat staff.
Very quiet at my polling station, and the only party person checking who is voting was a LD member. I wonder whether the other parties have given up.
Rosina wrote: "Brown has however a record of bullying staff as Prime Minister. Badly enough to cause the Head of the Civil Service to have a word with him about the way to treat staff."Do you mean Gus O'Donnell? He denied raising bullying as an issue:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politic...
In fact there were enough discrepancies and inconsistencies to the bullying claims to suggest a possible smear campaign. I've no doubt that Brown is a rather passionate individual, prone to irascibility under pressure or when frustrated - then again so am I. Doesn't make his politics any less sound.
Reading the 20th Century
Books mentioned in this topic
Middlemarch (other topics)The Sea, the Sea (other topics)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (other topics)
My Name Is Red (other topics)
The Accursed (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Toni Morrison (other topics)Henry James (other topics)
Dorothy M. Richardson (other topics)
Warsan Shire (other topics)
Virginia Woolf (other topics)
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Thanks for your post, Lorna. Backlisted are doing a few live shows at Foyles if you are interested. I am going to the Agatha Christie one and looking forward to it immensely.