Book Review: Here Be Dragons by Stella Gibbons

Since first reading Westwood in 2011 (review here) I've been slowly reading the Gibbons novels I can get my hands on, savouring them in the way that I savour Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton mysteries. Both authors have the knack of distracting me from the real world and making me smile - albeit for different reasons. So when I added Here Be Dragons to my 'Women' challenge reading list this year it was inevitable that it would be one I'd make sure I read.

The novel tells the story of Nell Sely, a young woman who moves to Hampstead from Dorset following her father's lost of faith and resignation from his parish. Nell and her parents end up living in a house owned by her father's sister Lady Fairfax, a television personality, and she becomes entwined with her bohemian cousin John and his crowd. Nell's also aware she needs to start earning money to support her family and initially starts work as a secretary. However, she soon decides she'd rather be a waitress and finds she's rather good at it.

Here Be Dragons works, like other Gibbons novels, as a study of London life during the 1950s. Hampstead springs to life once more with vivid detail, particularly with the suggestions of urban change peppered throughout. One of the most interesting characters in that respect is the aristocratic Miss Lister who lives in a cottage at the bottom of Nell's garden and has an unexpected role to play in the plot.

The infatuation Nell has for John isn't something that I completely understand, due to him being a horrible character, but the act of infatuation is something infinitely relatable and it permeates the novel in various guises. Gibbons's representation of another troubled relationship in the form of Benedict and Gardis is interesting, demonstrating further the breaking down of barriers in the post-war world. However, for me the most intuitive aspects of the book came in the descriptions of the loss of Martin Sely's faith, which he cautiously comes to terms with during the novel and fashions a faith of his own. The exploration of his thoughts is one of the things that has lingered with me, along with the depictions of Hampstead and the depiction of some very unsettling relationships.

Here Be Dragons meanders a bit at times, with some characters feeling superfluous but generally making a point, and won't be to everyone's tastes but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My delight in reading a Gibbons novel apparently hasn't diminished.

This book was read as part of the 'Women' reading challenge, details here.

Book Review: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

The inspiration for the hit television series, this is the first of Jennifer Worth's books about her experiences as a midwife in 1950s London. Written in episodic chapters, this is an engrossing memoir that is informative, moving and amusing in places.

One of Worth's strengths is the ability to explain without being condescending. Yes, by the very nature of the subject matter, things do get a little gory at times, but this tempered by moments of sheer beauty. Worth manages to conjure up her youthful self brilliantly and isn't afraid to highlight her own inexperience, naivety and, occasionally, prejudice.

The tales in this book have been used to a greater or lesser extent in the television adaptation. Even so, I heartily recommend reading the book for the subtle differences that are sometimes more enjoyable for being true. Perhaps my favourite of these is Worth's recounting of how involved Sister Julienne got in trying to encourage handyman Fred's pig-breeding activities. I laughed out loud, partly from the situation that ensues and partly due to Worth's expert recounting of it.

Several tales in this book span multiple chapters, maintaining the compact feeling of the book while allowing expansion on the stories of certain people. The story of a young woman coerced into prostitution is particularly dark, fitting into a wider analysis of the trade in East London at that time. Equally, the case of Mrs Jenkins and her experiences in the workhouse is heartbreaking.

There's a reason that this book is a best-seller and has been adapted into a hugely successful television series. Quite simply, it's well-written and heartfelt and I'm looking forward to reading the next book very soon.

Classic Film Review: Hue and Cry (1947)

Hue and Cry tells the story of a group of street boys led by Joe Kirby (Harry Fowler) who realise that a comic is being used to tell a gang of thieves when, where and how they should commit their latest robbery. Joe's accusations are dismissed by the police and his boss so he and his friends decide to do some digging on their own. They first suspect the writer of the comic Felix H. Wilkinson (Alastair Sim) but then they identify the code and realise the culprit must be someone in the production process. But will anyone believe a bunch of troublesome kids?

Once this got going, I enjoyed it. The opening scenes introducing the kids are a little tricky because there are so many of them introduced in a short burst but once the focus settles more on Joe it's easier to follow. All the kids are good actors too, something I was surprised about. It's not laugh out loud comedy but there are some funny moments and some genuinely tense ones. Alastair Sim is playing his usual type of part but it's enjoyable enough in this context, especially when the boys don't know whether to trust him or not.

The ending of the film is quite fun and there is a sense of real danger, even though it's a comedy and everything should work out fine. All in all, this is a good film with some excellent performances from younger actors. I couldn't remember where I'd seen Harry Fowler before but it turns out I watched him in another Ealing production Went the Day Well? (1942, reviewed here) where he was equally as impressive. Something to look out for on a trivia level is that Fowler later married his co-star Joan Dowling, though she committed suicide after only a few years of marriage. My advice with Hue and Cry is, if you're struggling to get into it, give it a little longer to capture your attention.

Short Story Publication - Aldgate Echoes

It's nice to finally be able to share with you that I was shortlisted in Saga Magazine's ghost story competition and was then lucky enough to be one of the 15 shortlisted entries to be published in their anthology.

Like the publication of my other story this year, "Aldgate Echoes" is a piece I wrote a while ago and reworked for submission to this competition. I still have vivid recollections of the story coming to me while I was walking through a desolate London with a friend. Moments like that are moments writers wish we could bottle!

I'm very proud to be part of this anthology, though keeping the news to only a few select friends until I could be sure was tricky. I found out I'd been shortlisted while I was, ironically enough, back in London for a conference and I was on my birthday trip when I found out I was being published. I like that kind of symmetry - and so does Shamrock!

So the current price on Kindle is £0.51, not shabby for a short story collection. You can buy it here and let me know if you like it!

Theatre Review: The Pajama Game

On Monday I was lucky enough to see The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I've wanted to see a Chichester Festival Theatre transfer for quite some time and this one didn't disappoint. It tells the story of Babe Williams (Joanna Riding) and Sid Sorokin (Michael Xavier) who are on opposite sites of an industrial dispute at the factory they work in - Babe is vigorously campaigning for a raise while Sid is having to tow the line of boss Hasler (Colin Stinton). Caught between a rock and a hard place, the romance between the two falters but Sid endeavours to rescue it - and the workers' cause.

First of all, the musical numbers are fantastic. Each one, I decided, was my new favourite, until it was superseded by the next. With a little distance, I think my favourites were probably 'I'm Not at All In Love', 'I'll Never Be Jealous Again', 'Once-a-Year Day', 'There Once Was a Man' and 'Hernando's Hideaway' (yes, I'm aware that's half the score!). 'I'm Not at All in Love' is Babe trying to convince her colleagues that she doesn't have a thing for Sid, quite unsuccessfully. The camaraderie in that number is brilliant and it fully establishes Babe's character. 'I'll Never Be Jealous Again' is a duet and dance between foreman Hines (Gary Wilmott) and Mabel (Claire Machin), with her testing his resolve to be more trusting of his girlfriend Gladys (Alexis Owen-Hobbs). Honestly, this pair form a wonderful double-act with many little comedic moments throughout the show, especially when Hines can't quite get his trousers back on (long story).'Once-a-Year Day' is a production number involving the whole cast at the factory picnic and the choreography, as it is throughout the musical, is exquisite. The energy of this cast is outstanding. 'There Once Was a Man' is another energetic song with Babe and Sid expressing their love for each other while 'Hernando's Hideaway' is an ensemble number where Alexis Owen-Hobbs shines as Gladys. There's nothing substandard about the songs I haven't mentioned but this is already turning into an essay!

The cast is superb. Joanna Riding captures Babe perfectly, from the punchy and spiky factory grievance committee spokeswoman down to the heartbroken woman who sings a reprise of 'Hey There'. She irresistibly captures the eye during any scene, even when she's not speaking. Equally, her chemistry with Michael Xavier works very well, especially in 'Small Talk' and 'There Once Was a Man'. Xavier himself portrays the conflicted Sid delicately enough and the rest of the cast all have their shining moments, some of which I've mentioned above. However, for me at least, Joanna Riding stands out from the excellent crowd.

The Pajama Game concludes a limited run on 13th September. I'd highly recommend it as a fun night out at the theatre with some memorable songs. Four days later, I'm still singing 'Hernando's Hideaway'...

Book Review: London Lore by Steve Roud

London Lore is a compilation of legends and traditions stretching back centuries which make up the eclectic base of London. It includes local superstitions and rituals with a good sprinkling of ghost stories and some out-and-out craziness thrown in too. It's organised by area of London and the introduction has a nice little section on how to spot folklore, which will come in handy for anybody interested in local history of any variety. On the whole, though, this book is about the underbelly of London and there are some real gems in its pages.

I found myself interested most in the ghost stories, particularly the unusual ones, such as the novelist Winifred Graham's numerous encounters with the occult. There are many point-of-death ghost stories and some excellent tragic tales which have mostly been appropriated to fit a supposed sighting - or a supposed sighting has been appropriated to fit a tragic tale, for instance, Jane Seymour at Hampton Court Palace. The short section on Hampton Court was one of the most interesting of the book for me. What Roud does brilliantly is, wherever possible, try to track down where the rumour or traditional originated. The speculation, although often it is only that, is enjoyable and it's good to see how local lore percolates and then expands.

Throughout the book, though, I was a little vexed by the construction. Going by area effectively meant that you were flitting around all over the place thematically. That said, sorting by theme may have resulted in a stagnant book that threw huge chunks at you that you weren't interested in. At least this way, there's a little variety. I completed reading not really sure whether I was happy with the construction as it was or whether I would have preferred a thematic compilation. Nevertheless, there is a good index to help you track down individual tales.

This is certainly a book to dip in and out of when the mood takes and to consult in moments of inquisitiveness. I tried reading it through in one go and it made it a little arduous, mainly because some of the stories about grottoes, ghosts and legacies all melded into one after a while, and that's a shame. Roud is strict about naming his sources wherever possible and that makes for an informed book about a subject that is, by its very nature, based on the uninformed.

This book was read as part of the TBR Challenge 2014, details here.

Book Review: The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper

Coming in at around 270 pages, The Disgrace of Kitty Grey is deceptively short yet so much happens that it could easily be a book three times that length. Hooper economises where other writers would have expanded and, for the most part, that works very well.

Kitty Grey is a contented milkmaid in Devonshire in 1813. She has control of the model dairy, supplying milk to the household, and is being courted by the local river man, Will Villiers. However, one day he disappears leaving his five year old sister Betsy in Kitty's care. Eager to find him, when the opportunity arises to run an errand for one of the young ladies of the house, she takes it and she and Betsy travel to London. However, the moment they step off the coach, their bag is stolen...

I must admit, the novel started slowly and I wondered whether the troubles of 'the family' were really necessary. However, everything links in nicely at the end of the book, giving that sense of a whole, coherent narrative that is sometimes lacking. The plot itself is enticing once the disappearance of Will occurs. Prior to this, it all feels very idyllic and calm. Then it moves along so quickly with disaster after disaster that I didn't have a clue how it would all wrap up before the end of the short novel.

Despite the relative brevity, Hooper manages to invoke the early nineteenth century remarkably well. There are three incredible sections which I felt I was living through but, for spoiler reasons, I'd better only mention the first. The stagecoach journey from Devon to London was so richly described that I was disappointed when it ended. There are touches of that genius throughout, creating the landscape of nineteenth century life with ease yet without pushing it in the reader's face.

All in all, this is a very good piece of historical fiction that focuses on telling an interesting story rather than risk becoming a nineteenth century textbook. Kitty is a very good protagonist, mature in some ways but not completely wise to the world. The presence of Betsy throughout added an extra layer of tension. I often thought 'she could do this' but she was hampered by the child. Although the ending was a little quick for my liking I would certainly recommend The Disgrace of Kitty Grey.

London and VPFA Conference (Part 1)

I spent Tuesday to Friday last week in our over-heating capital. The purpose of my visit was the conference mentioned in the title but I also found time to do a few other things. The title of this post is a little misleading - this part will talk about London and the second part will discuss the actual conference. So...here goes.

Me being me, I got myself worked up into quite a state before I left. My first 'job' was meeting the lovely Laura (@HistorianLaura on Twitter). We had a late lunch at Pizza Express which I thoroughly enjoyed. Nice and easy conversation with someone on my wavelength - perfect! 

That evening I was fortunate enough to have a cheap theatre ticket. I've wanted to see Merrily We Roll Along since I heard Jenna Russell had been cast and Maria Friedman was directing. Thanks to a last minute deal I found myself in the second row of the stalls gaping up at the stage. What a performance! Sondheim is never easy and you really have to concentrate - especially with a show that moves backwards - but the production was gorgeous and the acting sublime. Clare Foster and Jenna Russell's versions of 'Not a Day Goes By' were probably the highlights for me but 'Old Friends' was up there too, along with 'Franklin Shepard, Inc'. Now, here's the thing. On the performance I went to the role of Charley was taken on by the understudy, Matthew Barrow. I wasn't going to comment on his performance at all because it was the embodiment of what I felt Charley should be. He was outstanding, particularly in 'Franklin Shepard, Inc', which requires energy and a certain connection with the audience. Jenna Russell's Mary also needed this and there was no doubt she succeeded. I know Sondheim isn't for everyone and the woman sat beside me asked what the hell was going on at the interval. But, for me, it was a perfect first Sondheim for me and I'm grateful I managed to land a ticket I wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford. 

On Wednesday morning I had a few hours to kill before the start of the conference. So where better to spend it than the Charles Dickens Museum on Doughty Street? I did get told off by one guide for not lingering to listen to her rehearsed introduction but, really, I knew enough about Dickens to proceed without help. It was a wonderful little house and I thoroughly enjoyed looking round. I also had an excellent chat with another guide about my PhD before I left. Then I went down to the cafe and had a cup of tea in the back garden. As you can see from the pictures it was a gorgeous day out there. 

After I'd finished my tea I inevitably stepped into the shop. As well as a keyring, I bought the book and postcards below. The postcards are just beautiful and, really, anything that mentions Wilkie Collins I can thoroughly justify...right? I do love Hesperus books - I always get the sense they're lovingly created. 

For now I'll skip over Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday and skip straight to Friday. I had to go to Foyles to pick up a Proms book for my grandmother. Naturally, with the music department being on the top floor, I got a little sidetracked as I progressed. I'm sure the saleswoman thought I was a bit mad: a Proms guide, a self-editing book, a Katharine Hepburn biography and a Stella Gibbons novel? Well, I'm certainly varied!

My next shop was The Tea House in Covent Garden. I've recently gone a little nutty on loose leaf tea so I decided to indulge my new obsession and I bought the below teas. I've tried all of them. The Moroccan Mint is luscious, light and still lovely. The Tutti Frutti smell nearly knocked my socks off but thankfully the taste is less intense. However, it's the Calming Tea that looks like wood-chip that really astonished me - because of the ginger, I think, it has a little kick to it making it, remarkably, the tastiest of the bunch. Also, the prices were extremely reasonable and they should last me a while. I've got no reason not to be relaxed with these in my possession!  

So that was the so-called 'fun' part of proceedings. I'll tell you almost all about the conference tomorrow...

Classic Film Review: Genevieve (1953)

Genevieve stars John Gregson as Alan McKim, the owner of the classic car of the title. He and his wife, Wendy (Dinah Sheridan), travel in Genevieve from London to Brighton for the antique car rally every year. This year she really doesn't want to go but relents to make him happy. Also going to the rally is Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More), their brash friend and a man Wendy dated briefly before she married Alan. Ambrose brings along trumpet-playing Rosalind Peters (Kay Kendall) for company. Once they get to Brighton, though, relations turn sour and the trip back to London becomes a race where anything goes...

This is an enjoyable little British film that doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't rely on stunts to enhance the race aspect. The situations that the two drivers get themselves into on the way back from Brighton stem from character and a desire to win. It's a gentle film but an amusing one. Although John Gregson plays the lead, I found him to be a little overshadowed by the other characters. Kenneth More's larger-than-life persona takes up a lot of screen time but the surprise of the film is Kay Kendall (I was shocked to learn she died six years after this film was made aged only 33). As Rosalind she's an excellent foil to Ambrose - along with her dog, that is. Dinah Sheridan also outshines Gregson in a quiet, undemanding way.

There are a couple of things to look out for with this one. Firstly, there's a small appearance by Joyce Grenfell as a hotel owner. Secondly, watch out for the band scene where Kay Kendall's character suddenly takes centre-stage. Finally, listen out for the incidental music which was played by the wonderful Larry Adler and fits the mood of the film perfectly.

Genevieve does meander a bit but it's not supposed to be a rip-roaring comedy. It's a nice and gentle film which had me vocally rooting for Alan and Wendy by the final ten minutes. Having said that, the ending's also a bit of a surprise. This is a perfect film for a lazy Saturday afternoon and worth it for the hotel scenes alone.

Classic Film Review: The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

The Prince and the Showgirl is, naturally, quite a fantastical film. The regent of a fictional country, Grandduke Charles (Laurence Olivier), comes to Britain for the coronation in 1911. He has one free evening in the capital and decides to see a show at the Coconut Girl Club. He takes a shine to Elsie (Marilyn Monroe) and invites her up to the embassy for a little supper. Once Elsie realises exactly what he wants from this intimate supper she tries to escape but foreign officer employee, Northbrook (Richard Wattis), persuades her to stay. The next day she overhears a conversation between the regent's son, king-in-waiting Nicolas (Jeremy Spenser) and someone he is plotting an uprising with. Of course, she sets about trying to reconcile father and son and suddenly finds herself at the coronation courtesy of the Dowager (Sybil Thorndike).

This is a rather complicated film with some over-long scenes and fragments of dialogue that don't work particularly well with the assembled cast. Taken individually, Olivier is tolerable as the regent while Monroe puts in a very inconsistent performance as Elsie. There are moments which seem specifically tailored to recapture her innocent hilarity of earlier roles but the pieces just don't seem to fit together on this one. There are some genuinely funny moments involving Monroe, though the overall effect of her charm is diluted. Thorndike is, however, superb as the Dowager and I think Richard Wattis as the dry (and very English) representative of the foreign office stole the film for me.

Implausible plots are fine if the film has enough charm to carry it off. For me, The Prince and the Showgirl failed on this point. It seemed more preoccupied with showing off the London scenery than anything else - hence the long monotonous scene of Elsie staring at the ceiling of Westminster Abbey while the coronation was going on. There was no chemistry between Olivier and Monroe that I could see, though there was definitely a spark of something else there! All in all, a passable film but not one I'd actively go out of my way to rewatch.

Book Review: The Maul and the Pear Tree by P.D. James and T.A. Critchley

This book, originally published in 1971, chronicles the real-life case of the Ratcliffe Murders of 1811 where two families were barbarously murdered in London's East End. The bare facts of the case were already familiar to me: seven victims brutally killed, a nationwide panic followed by the arrest of a sailor, John Williams, who later killed himself.  One of the most grisly parts of the famous murder case occurred afterwards, though, as Williams's corpse was paraded through the streets of London along with the murder weapons.

The central hypothesis of this book is that Williams was wrongly accused. To get to that point we're treated to a step-by-step account of the murders and investigation, pieced together as well as it can be by two writers looking at the case after a 160 year gap. The first necessity of this book is to create early nineteenth-century London in the mind of the reader and this is accomplished very well in the opening chapters, though the murders are kept in sight at all times. James and Critchley give enough information for the location to be vivid but without detracting from the case at hand. Their conversational yet analytic style makes this an easy book to read, even though it becomes extremely gruesome in parts. The macabre fascination with the brutality of these killings has lingered on through the decades, making it as compelling a mystery now as it was in 1811.

With the distance of time, however, the case can be looked at objectively. The police investigation is critiqued, along with the actions of individuals, building up as complete a body of evidence as possible for the authors to analyse. This, of course, takes much of the book. I have to admit that I was eager to get to the arguments in favour of Williams's innocence but you have to read the book carefully for the conclusions to make sense. However, they do make sense, with James and Critchley giving a plausible hypothesis for what really happened in 1811.

This is an extremely readable book which steers away from too many passages of dry, contemporary evidence in favour of a prose style which informs the reader of the evidence without boring them. When newspaper reports, letters and Hansard transcripts are used they are valuable to the book as a whole. This prevents it from becoming a stale list of he said/she said and gives James and Critchley more freedom to present the work in an accessible style. A thoroughly compelling, if grisly, account of a fascinating murder investigation.

Bedlam: London and Its Mad by Catharine Arnold

As well as focusing on 'Bedlam' itself, Catharine Arnold looks at the wider issue of madness in London and how the mentally ill were treated generally throughout the life of the hospital. This makes for a surprisingly wide-ranging book and one that doesn't become stale.

Bethlehem Hospital has been in existence since 1247, though in various locations around the capital. It survived scandals, both of cruelty and fraud, and the Great Fire of 1666 along with numerous problems surrounding the building itself. Arnold blends an ongoing narrative about the hospital with an examination of contemporary treatments of madness using primary sources wherever possible. This creates a sense of coherence, binding the hospital to wider events. One of the most interesting of these, for me, was the madness of George III which Arnold explores in chapter seven.

There are some surprisingly individual stories which appear in these pages. Perhaps my only criticism of the book is that we can't follow these people through their lives, though the author can hardly be held to blame for the shoddy record-keeping of previous centuries! I would recommend this book to anyone who would like an overview of London's record at caring for and treating mentally ill patients or a specific look at Bethlehem Hospital itself. Arnold's style is both accessible and involved, making this an easy book to digest but with many things to learn along the way. I'll leave you with a taster of it:

"The flames engulfed the wooden structure and spread swiftly to the surrounding properties, despite the efforts of two soldiers to pull them down. The screaming mob, the distant sound of gunfire, the terrified citizens running out of their houses and the sky itself, deadly red from soaring flames that produced a drift of smoky particles, created a vision of hell. To which was added an even more infernal dimension: the gutters blazed with burning alcohol. Flaming spirits ran through every crack and fissure, forming a deep pool into which people dropped down dead by the dozen. Scooping up the liquid in their bare hands, they drank until they died: husbands and wives, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, women with children in their arms and babies at their breasts. Some passed out straight away; others danced, half in triumph, half in torment, until they fell into the liquor that had killed them. Burns victims, their clothing still ablaze, mistook it for water and unwittingly hurled themselves into the lake of fire, dying in agony." (p144)

Classic Film Review: The Ladykillers (1955)

This Ealing Studios black comedy is about a group of robbers who pose as musicians to landlady, Mrs Wilberforce (Katie Johnson), while they pull off a job at Kings Cross. Their plan involves using Mrs Wilberforce to travel unknowingly with the stolen goods back to her house, foxing the police who would expect them to be taken straight out of the station by train. It's ingenious, really, but they underestimate the difficulty of working with Mrs Wilberforce. When she uncovers their plot she insists they turn themselves in - the gang know they have to act but who will get the job of keeping her quiet permanently?

The gang are 'Professor Marcus' (Alec Guinness), 'Major Courtney' (Cecil Parker), 'Mr Harvey' (Herbert Lom), 'Mr Robinson' (Peter Sellers) and 'Mr Lawson' (Danny Green). Guinness is perfect as the creepy and unnerving leader whose facial expressions are a cross between hilarious and horrific. I'm gaining quite a liking for Cecil Parker - this is the third film I've seen him in lately (the others being Indiscreet (1958) and The Admirable Crichton (1957)) - and this performance cemented it. The rest of the gang are perfect for their parts but I have to say that Katie Johnson absolutely steals the film. From her initial appearance at the police station to tell officers that her friend didn't see a spaceship after all, she is the focal point for the action. Forgetting her umbrella at the station during the transportation phase almost puts the gang's plan in jeopardy but it's her reaction when she sees a fruit seller (Frankie Howerd) trying to stop a horse eating his fruit which is the major problem - her indignation very nearly causes a riot as she attacks him with her umbrella. In addition to Mrs Wilberforce herself there are her three birds to add to the gang's problems. When General Gordon (parrot) flies off the gang have to pursue it onto the rooftop.

Mrs Wilberforce's decaying house is wonderfully portrayed. The pictures don't hang straight because of the subsidence and when you want water you have to bang on the pipe with a mallet first. Her living room is an excellent turn of the century abode and she fits in it perfectly. There is also an excellent use of music throughout the film - from both string recordings to the comic theft music that plagues the gang as they commit their robbery.

This is a dark comedy, make no mistake. If you're adverse to the kind of 'accidents' that happen on railway tracks then don't watch this but if you like your humour black then this one's for you.

 

Book Review: The London Train by Tessa Hadley

The London Train is split into two sections. The first half concentrates on Paul who has just lost his mother and travels to London from Cardiff in search of his missing eldest daughter, Pia. As soon as he finds her he realises why she's lost contact - she's pregnant. Sleeping on her sofa, Paul lingers in London when he should really be going home to his family. The second half of the novel focuses on Cora, a woman who moved from London back to her childhood home in Cardiff after the breakdown of her marriage. What forces her back to London once again is a call to say that her husband has disappeared.

I'll admit I was underwhelmed by the first half of this book. Paul is not the most likeable of characters - he's a selfish man who disappears off to London and leaves his two young children and his wife without a clue about his whereabouts. His thirst for a different life to the one he's found himself living is an understandable one and his journey is well-written but I couldn't bring myself to like him until the final pages of his story. Conversely, there were things that attracted me straight away about Cora. Working as a librarian, trying to carve out a life after being someone else for twelve years, she comes across as a woman very much living in the present and avoiding thought of the future. Her past is explored as and when it becomes pertinent and this slyly slow reveal is one of the things I most enjoyed about the book. Aside from the deliberate interweaving of the two stories, there are also deliberate touches that draw parallels between Paul and Cora, notably the death of their mothers which indirectly kick-start their stories. Paul would not have gone in search of his daughter if his mother hadn't died; Cora would not have inherited a house and moved back to it had her mother not died.

This is an atmospheric book with some vivid descriptions. A few lines about the death of Cora's mother produced a lasting effect on me, for instance, and there is a minor character (Bar, an old flame of Cora's husband) who is so unique that the novel is worth reading just for the few pages about her. My favourite passage came towards the end of the book when Cora contemplates the point of memories:

"Once, Cora had believed that living built a cumulative bank of memories, thickening and deepening as time went on, shoring you against emptiness. She had used to treasure up relics from every phase of her life as it passed, as if they were holy. Now, that seemed to her a falsely consoling model of experience. The present was always paramount, in a way that thrust you forward: empty, but also free. Whatever stories you told over to yourself and others, you were in truth exposed and naked in the present, a prow cleaving new waters; your past was insubstantial behind, it fell away, it grew into desuetude, its forms grew obsolete. The problem was, you were always still alive, until the end. You had to do something." (p312)

Book Review: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

This has been sitting on my shelf for years. So long, in fact, that the spine has been bleached horribly by the sunlight streaming in through the window. Oliver Twist was always a book I was ashamed never to have read. I'm glad I've now altered that fact.

The story of the young orphan is well known, primarily due to the stage and film musical about him. However, the book is much more than the story of the Lionel Bart musical. The humour is much more pronounced, Dickens's ability with secondary characters is brought to the fore, and the grime of Victorian London seeps into the reader's consciousness. You can replicate those things in film but I don't think a visual representation can ever have the same impact as the images conjured up by words on the page.

My favourite parts of the book revolve around lesser characters and situations. For example, I adored chapter twenty three and Mr Bumble's flirting with Mrs Corney followed by his inventory of all her possessions. Although pompous and self-righteous, Mr Bumble remains perhaps the most vivid concoction in the novel. Beside characters such as Fagin and Bill Sikes, that's quite an achievement. Lesser characters also make their impact. The doctor who attends Oliver after he's been shot, Dr Losberne, is memorable, as is Mr Grimwig with his repeated threats to eat his head. There isn't a named character in the book who can't be distinguished from the throng.

Although over 170 years old, Oliver Twist is still very readable and, I would say, a fantastic introduction to Dickens for anybody wondering where to start. I sped through it once I'd started and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. The title character is, perhaps, a little too good to be true but the novel's about much more than young Oliver. Heartily recommended, especially during this special Dickens year!

I read this book as part of A Classics Challenge hosted by November's Autumn (see sidebar for details).

Another London Trip

Last week I toddled off down to London again. I'd had everything booked for months but I wasn't expecting to be in such a precarious state when the time arrived. However, when I managed to switch my brain off from PhD worrying, I found it was quite a tonic.

The point (and highlight) of the trip was to see the fabulous Idina Menzel at the Royal Albert Hall. If the pedigree of that Broadway star wasn't enough (Wicked, Rent and Glee) then the identity of her conductor would have sealed the deal - Broadway composer Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line, They're Playing Our Song and innumerable film scores). There was such warmth between Idina and Marvin that it really impacted on the enjoyment of the evening. And, I have to say, the My Fair Lady suite that Marvin conducted during his warm-up was amazing. I can't think of a set of melodies I'd rather hear in the Royal Albert Hall.

Idina was absolutely excellent. Not a dud note as far as I'm concerned. There were so many outstanding songs that I can't list them all but my favourites were probably 'I'm Not That Girl', 'Look To The Rainbow', 'No Day But Today' and 'For Good'. The latter, from Wicked, was sung without a microphone and I can attest that she was perfectly audible from the furthest corners of the building. I'm not sure how many singers have got the vocal power for that these days. As beautiful as her singing was during that number, I was equally entranced by the stillness of the audience. Throughout the rest of the evening everyone was somewhat raucous but during that song everybody was straining to hear each note. I've never known so many people be so well-behaved at any given time. Overall, the evening was fantastic, although I was so tired that I was commenting on the corridor walls moving around as we went for the tube.

Right, what else did I get up to? Well, a little shopping, of course. I couldn't bypass the opportunity to go to the Dress Circle, my favourite London shop bar none. I did set myself a mental limit of £50 but remembered at the last minute that I hadn't got the album I went in there for - the Betty Blue Eyes cast recording. Along with that, I also bought cast albums of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be, Matilda and Merrily We Roll Along as well as the DVD of Liza With A "Z" (hugely and thankfully reduced). My favourite find of the day has to be a three disc set of songs by the marvellous Kay Thompson. For anyone who hasn't heard of her, watch Funny Face then do what I did and get absolutely obsessed with an extraordinary woman.

I went a little mad in Paperchase (two notebooks, a card, two bookmarks, a Renoir postcard and some stickers) and also made the mistake of going into Foyles. However, that was for my father's belated birthday present. The fact I walked out of there with Jackie Kay's Red Dust Road and Up and Down Stairs by Jeremy Musson is beside the point. Anyway, I think just the two books in a shop that size shows enormous self-restraint. Well, that and I got lost in there.

I also got to see the Atkinson Grimshaw exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery. For anyone unfamiliar with this Victorian artist, I can't recommend a better piece than this by @Amateur_Casual which gave me my introduction to an artist whose work I'd admired on the front cover of my copy of The Woman in White without knowing who he was. I have to thank my good friend Claire profusely for not only allowing me to drag her round there but for also not looking too bored while I did so. I talked myself into buying the catalogue of the exhibition and I can't wait for an opportunity to put my feet up and peruse it. However, knowing my luck, that chance will be some time coming!

So...that was London in October. Back in Wakefield I find the damp returning to my bedroom wall and the dog ecstatic to see me. At least I have good music, good books and good memories to keep me going!
 

Liza and London

For a person who sometimes goes into epic panics debating whether to leave the house on any given day going to our splendid yet petrifying capital city is something of a mission. However, I endured it last week for one fabulous reason - Miss Liza Minnelli.

Seeing her at the Royal Albert Hall was literally a dream come true and not something I ever expected to happen. If you're interested in a good and proper review the concert was covered by the Telegraph (here) and the Guardian (here). I'm still in the gushing and babbling about the fact I actually saw her stage of proceedings so sense may be lacking around here. Still, she was amazing. After a bit of a nervous start she relaxed and realised we were going to adore her whether she paused to take a long breath, sat down or - once, quite memorably - halted half-way through a song so she could throw down some water and then do the final notes of a song justice. My favourite numbers of the night were probably 'Liza with a Z' (try getting that out of your head once you've listened to it, I dare ya), 'New York, New York' and 'Maybe This Time'. Then again, I also loved 'What Makes a Man a Man' and 'Cabaret', not to mention her encore - 'I'll Be Seeing You' sung without accompaniment because the band had packed up. I'm grinning like an idiot just thinking about it all. Most definitely one of the most memorable evenings of my life. Now go get this stuck in your head...

And what else did I get up in London? Well, I visited my favourite shop for starters. I used the opportunity to feed my recently-acquired Stephen Sondheim obsession, buying cast recordings of Do I Hear a Waltz? and Sunday in the Park with George along with A Stephen Sondheim Evening which featured, amongst others, Angela Lansbury and George Hearn. I also bought on DVD Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall. I was dithering about it but then spotted it had Liza in it (alongside Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters) so it was a done deal. My other music purchases were a Jane Russell album and the famous Judy and Liza concert recording at the London Palladium from 1964. I didn't have it. I'm ashamed. But I've rectified the problem so shush. Oh, I also made a new friend.

Wandered around various other shops while I was down there but made sure to nip into the brilliant Quinto Books on Charing Cross Road. By restricting myself to the literary criticism section I managed to buy just the two books - one of which wasn't in that section but caught my eye as I passed. Yes, I know. Just imagine what would've happened if I'd examined every shelf in there...

So that was my Wednesday and Thursday. Very good days. Smiling even happened. Though don't tell @clairemjc about that because I'll never hear the end of it.

Book Review: Blue Guide Literary Companion London

This book was one I stumbled across due to Twitter. Clicking on links to blog posts can really help you discover great things and I'm certainly not sorry I found this little gem.

In a nutshell, compiler Robin Saikia takes you on an historical tour of the capital using extracts from numerous essays, novels, poems and even speeches. Each of the thirteen chapters is prefaced by an explanatory note highlighting important biographical information of the authors involved and including some extremely charming anecdotes. Being a Wilkie Collins fan, my personal favourite was a memory of Mrs Jane Ellis Panton about Collins and Charles Reade and their particularly see-through stage mystery.

The fantastic thing about this book is that nothing is redundant. All the extracts are intelligently selected and entertaining to read. I don't think there is one piece that I rushed over, or one chapter that I wasn't engrossed by. Two of my favourite chapters were ones I hadn't expected to love at the outset: 'Lions & Tigers, Cats & Dogs' and 'On the streets'. That said, I find it ridiculous to label any chapter my favourite since all of them captured my attention.

The extracts are well-varied. Alongside poetry from Wordsworth, Byron and Lawrence are extracts from factual books such as Henry Mayhew's famous analysis, London Labour and the London Poor. There's a speech from Prince Charles on the beauty of St. Paul's just a few pages after Joseph Conrad gives his view of the Thames. Count Dracula visits London Zoo in the same chapter that Dr Johnson's adoration of his cat is made plain. Addiction is covered by Sherlock Holmes, Dorian Gray and James Bond. The jumps in time make one thing abundantly clear: the themes are equally relevant in any era.

Practical things I appreciated about the book: it's relatively small, meaning you can pop it in a bag as you travel; most of the extracts are easily digestible and well-organised and the picture of Ludgate Hill a couple of pages in had me entranced. I've noticed criticisms elsewhere that the book doesn't really cover much 'modern' London. Well, as I said before, the themes are fairly universal anyway. Plus, the book is just the right length as it is and every extract serves a purpose: there isn't anything you could yank out to make room for more modern pieces. Besides which, I think it's perfect.

When I next go to London I'll be taking it with me. It'll be fantastic to walk into Bloomsbury and recall Edward Walford's piece on the Foundling Hospital.

Please visit Robin's blog here. I was hooked from the first post I read.

Also, take a look at his website for more information about (and praise for) his books.