Staring at God / Simon Heffer

[Steven Broomfield]

2 hours ago, Perth Digger said:

Thanks David. BTW, while I have not read Heffer's book and thus cannot comment on its merits, I do totally agree with his view on the future of cricket that he has made in the Telegraph.

 

Mike

 

I like Heffer's columns in the Tottygraph. I might not agree (on cricket I do), but they are always well-reasoned and well-argued.

23 minutes ago, phil andrade said:

 

Never  realised just how obsessed Asquith was with Venetia Stanley.

 

Bridge and booze were his other two attributes.

 

 

 

 

Phil

 

Are brifge, booze and (dare I say?) birds 'attributes'?

[phil andrade]

1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said:

 

I like Heffer's columns in the Tottygraph. I might not agree (on cricket I do), but they are always well-reasoned and well-argued.

 

Are brifge, booze and (dare I say?) birds 'attributes'?

 

Now you’ve put me on the spot there, Mr Broomfield !

 

I would say that the word “ attributes “ passes muster , but will defer to those who know better than I.

 

Phil

 

 

 

 

[Jim Clay]

5 minutes ago, phil andrade said:

 

Now you’ve put me on the spot there, Mr Broomfield !

 

I would say that the word “ attributes “ passes muster , but will defer to those who know better than I.

 

Phil

 

 

 

 

Predilections?  Idiosyncrasies?

Edited 13 October , 2019 by Jim Clay

[phil andrade]

27 minutes ago, Jim Clay said:

Predilections?  Idiosyncrasies?

 

 

“Predilection”  was the word I used for Lloyd George.  Maybe “ attributes” goes better with Asquith. I like to think that he was the more refined of the two.

 

Phil

[David Filsell]

Not quite as far through the book as Phil, but can say that so far I consider it an outstanding overview of the political and sociological scene and situation in the country during the war. Having been asking myself recently if the current parliament is the worst we have ever had, it's a fascinating account of those in the government, the military and the nation as a whole managed to deal or fail to deal with a major national problem in which people were dying.

To that I would add that the author's highly readable  authorship, his opinions and research are truly impressive and generally insightful and understanding of the problems facing the nation. I too have learned much from the book.

Edited 21 October , 2019 by David Filsell

[phil andrade]

One third of the way through now.

 

Sad to say, I keep having to re-read sentences and paragraphs, because the style demands the most strict attention to every comma and dot : if you lose concentration for a fraction of a second, the thing becomes too difficult.

 

So I’m making heavy weather of it.  My fault I’m sure.

 

It is, however, absolutely captivating : I find the depiction of Asquith’s predicament particularly poignant....here we see a man out of his depth, being badly hurt and tossed about ; he’s also head and shoulders above the rest in some respects, with a heart and soul of decency and a majestic intellect.

 

Lloyd George comes over as reptilian .

 

Churchill doesn’t come out smelling of violets .

 

There is a real power and authority in the book that compels me to stick with it.

 

Phil

[David Filsell]

Again, Phil hits the nail on the head both in regard to the individuals and the need to pay attention when reading. It's not the punctuation is incorrect, it is more that is stricter than that employed in much modern authorship. Thus far few are emerging with credit to their reputations in hugely testing times. Somehow i think the Welsh Weasel may emerge wth rather more credit than I expected from all I have read on him but I will wait and see. Nevertheless a fascinating read. Just reached a fascinating analysis of the Dublin Rising.

[phil andrade]

In heated agreement with you there, David : Heffer is a stickler for meticulous punctuation , and, sometimes, that can be a hindrance rather than a help.  I express that clumsily, and suspect that it sounds nonsensical .....but I hope pals know what I mean.

 

Phil

[Perth Digger]

Phil

Being a pedant I think that correct punctuation may indeed make a book difficult to comprehend, but incorrect, or even worse, no punctuation makes it even less likely that a reader will understand what is being said.

 

There are three commas in that sentence and I imagine that I have got at least one too many, or one in the wrong place!

 

Mike

 

[phil andrade]

Mike,

 

What is it about Heffer’s writing that confounds me ?  I did read hIs Age of Decadence ; that was a mighty struggle for me.  Every other paragraph I had to read again, and it’s an even bigger book than this one.  This time it’s easier, thank God, but I don’t find it as smooth a run as I would wish. Hastings , Beevor and the late Holmes and Keegan flowed like velvet .

 

Note that I did use a semi colon in my second sentence.  Heffer is teaching me a thing or two !

 

Phil

[Perth Digger]

Phil

No exclamation mark, please. Emojis only.

 

MIke

[David Filsell]

Personal taste, and almost certainly  as a result of more years of reading, writing and editing for a living for longer than I care to admit, I find Heffers authorship reads well and easily. He has a great ability to present sharp 'nut shells' of opinion and judgement about those (necessarily) drawn into the huge cast of the book.

Having now reached LG's "Dictatorship" Heffer's judgements on the conniving b.....d and his equally undoubted abilities I find myself highly surprised and fascinated at just how much he actually achieved. Cannot help thinking that LG's resurrection should have been organised for him to be employed in Europe during the nation's more recent forays in Europe!

PS

A justified ! beats  an emojification every time in my book Mr PD

Edited 25 October , 2019 by David Filsell

[Steven Broomfield]

I had a look through the book in Waterstone's in Winchester this morning. My first impression was that it is very heavy, both in actual terms and in intellectual terms. Neither is necessarily a bad thing.

 

That said, at £30 it was a bit steep. Howver, I see it is only £17.78 on Amazon, so I might dip my toe in the water. I am a fan of his writing in the Tottygraph so I don't find his style oppressive.

[Perth Digger]

Just a joke, David. I wouldn't use an emoji to save my life.

 

Mike

[Steven Broomfield]

[Perth Digger]

 

There, I feel much better.

[Steven Broomfield]

6 hours ago, Perth Digger said:

 

There, I feel much better.

 

You know you wanted to.

 

Back on topic, I will see if Hampshire Library Service have a copy and (more complex this) whether the ladies who run our branch library can find it somewhere. It's probably filed under 'Misery memoir' or something.

[keithfazzani]

Library?

[Steven Broomfield]

56 minutes ago, keithfazzani said:

Library?

 

Somewhere that yummy mummies take their children on a Saturday morning to annoy old people (like me)

[seaJane]

Come to my place instead. Never open on a Saturday morning.

[Gibbo]

If you register, you can read one Telegraph premium article per week free, including the review of this book.

[phil andrade]

Just finished !

 

Loathing of Lloyd George is total : the man is comprehensively excoriated.  

 

Haig is roughly treated, but has some redeeming features.

 

The militancy of workers in South Wales and Glasgow is astonishing.

 

The Irish story leaves you feeling uncomfortable .

 

The whole book has a worryingly topical feel to it.

 

Hard work, but, again, damned pleased that I managed to finish it.

 

Regards, Phil 

Edited 24 November , 2019 by phil andrade

[tootrock]

I am slowly making my way through what I find is a very detailed book.

I have however come across something I cannot understand.

Opposite page 309 there is a page of 4 portraits. One of these is a painting of Haig by Sir William Orpen. The caption to this portrait is: "Field Marshal Sir Douglas (later Earl) Haig, who committed suicide twenty-five years after his death"

Obviously some sort of misprint but I connot fathom out what meaning was intended.

Any Ideas?

Martin

[phil andrade]

Martin,

 

If memory serves me, Heffer is alluding to the claims that came out in Haig’s diaries, that were revealed twenty five years after his death, and effectively demolished his reputation, exposing him as a deluded dullard.

 

I make that statement with some diffidence : Heffer is harsh on Haig.

 

Phil

[David Filsell]

Phil,

One review of his book called Heffer - which I greatly enjoyed - an equal opportunities critic. I think that a fair comment, certainly  few emerge unscathed.

That said it be argued that while recent scholarship on Haig has offered better judgement of the Field Marshall's wartime performance it seems questionable as to whether judgement has changed much about LG.

Regards

David