Young Paul Burgin, the writer of Mars Hill, invited me to take part in his 'Twenty Questions to Fellow Bloggers' recently. My answers are here but some may be confusing to younger readers. My apologies to them.
As always any answer can be improved but it's the taking part that matters isn't it.
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16 comments:
I was interested in you saying Wilson was your inspiration. Mine as well for a number of reasons, not least due to his management of the Labour party.
One thing. I would contend that it was Macmillan who first recognised the power of television. I sight Eisenhower's visit to London just ahead of the 1959 election. I was 3 and remember it well!
You may be right it was MacMillan Howard but it was Wilson who came to mind as my first answer. As I had little interest in politics when young, it was his 'common touch' which perhaps impressed me. With hindsight his taxation policies started the brain drain of our experts.
I can't remember ever seeing a politician when I was a child, very few paid visits to Dundee. My grandmother used to relate her sightings of Churchill even when he crossed the floor. He was her hero. I really ought to find out how often he visited Dundee when he was MP but I doubt if it was often.
I would have been in 2nd year at secondary school then Howard :(
Roy Jenkins biography is the best on Churchill. I highly recommend it.
Wilson was an inspiration to me as well Subrosa. He was the first person of power I had head who didn't have a plumy accent.
SR,
Thanks for the interesting answers. I never made it to Verona, having lived in Naples for almost 3 years. However, I'm a huge fan of Italy and the simpler way of life, good points bad points and the sheer pleasure of Neapolitan driving!
CD
CD you definitely like living in the danger zone right enough. Italian driving is something else.
First time I didn't take to Verona because it was chock-a=block with the the kind of tourist who requires a guide with a megaphone to tell them what's what. But I was persuaded to return in early winter and given a list of places of interest not much visited by the masses - what a difference, just wonderful.
Scunnert that was possibly it, he lacked the 'elitism' I associated with the great and the good on radio. He sounded like my best pal's grandpa too so that would have impressed me at a very young age.
What? No mention of brownlie, Niko or me?
That'll be enough cream puffs for a high tea.
I was hoping you wouldn't notice Conan :-) Damn.
subrosa,
Good answers except for your neglect of our Niko. Personally, I would have picked Denis Canavan as "inspirational" in preference to Wilson who had dodgy connections. Dennis was a beacon of personal and political integrity in a sea of darkness.
Your "Blow the wind southerly" reminds me of my dear mum who spent many an anxious night while my dad and brothers were out at sea and would sing that song to comfort herself.
Conan,
We are non-entities with an obvious exception!
Brownlie I'm offended, sorely offended. You know I adore both your writings don't you? As for being forced to mention the young laddie well it was the truth wasn't it? He's responsible for this so I'll refer any complaints to him in future!
Howard I've seen that book in the library but read so many disappointing political biographies that I've given up. I shall make an exception thanks.
I was going back to the 60s brownlie to think of inspiration and I didn't live in Scotland much of that time. Neither parent was political so my interest was purely superficial. Perhaps if I'd been in Scotland Canavan would have sprung to mind. As scunnert says the first politician I was really aware of was MacMillan but he was very much of the 'them' type rather than the 'us' type - to a youngster in those days.
subrosa,
Hee! Hee! I didn't say who the exception was. It might have been Niko - who inspires us all!
Indeed Niko has something others don't have brownlie and I have to admit I enjoy most of his posts.
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