Letters from London, by Julian Barnes
In the early 90's, Barnes was giving a jig at New Yorker magazine as their London correspondent -- his assignment was to write essays explaining London (and England) to Americans. I am guessing this collection does not represent all of them, just the best of them. And I have to wonder if the title is a gentle nod to Helene Hanff's "Letters from New York", her collection of the 5 minute talks about life in New York that she gave on the BBC radio's "Women's Hour" some 30 years ago, or is it just an odd little co-incidence? My guess is probably just co-incidence, esp. since there's not much in common with the two collections other than the similarities of title. Among other things, Barnes' essays are far more political and far less personal.
But no less entertaining for all of that. Barnes is, above all, a witty writer, capable of making even the driest of subjects funny. In, for instance, "The Chancellor of the Exchequer Buys Some Claret", he describes the convoluted and rather silly scandal Mr. Lamont (said chancellor of the time) had gotten into while buying some wine at what sounds to me like the British version of a 7-11. Thru a number of gaffes the incident grew to include comparisons to his handling of the government budget, and questions regarding the rental of his house to a "therapist" who turned out to be more of a dominatrix. Barnes' assessment:
Mr. Lamont is currently being described as 'accident-prone' -- political shorthand for 'incompetent beyond the dreams of the Opposition' -- and is sternly announcing that he will not resign (often a prelude to resignation).
Margaret Thatcher turns up quite a bit as well in the essays, even the ones not about her. Barnes was not a fan but, like most Brits, he can't seem to not discuss her, even in a essay about Tony Blair, "Left, Right, Left, Right: The Arrival of Tony Blair":
One of the key moments for those who endured, rather than enjoyed, the Thatcher years came when the Prime Minister, late in her reign, explained to a women's magazine that 'there is no such thing as society'. It was like being in one of those dragging dreams of irrational persecution, from which you seem unable to wake, when your tormenter finally turns to you and says, 'But can't you see, it's because you're wearing a white shirt and carrying a newspaper.' Oh, now I understand, you reflect to yourself, in your new unconscious wisdom. I thought you were persecuting me because you were mad, and of course you are still mad, indeed even madder than I thought before, but at least I can follow what it is you thought you might have been up to.
Haven't we all been there with somebody, particularly somebody in the news or politics? I know I've had that moment with Fred Phelps, when he explained how protesting soldiers' funerals is an act of Christian love. OK, he's nuts, but I do now see where he thinks there's method in his madness.
Altho these essays are 20+ years old, and end before things got really exciting in England, I still found them well worth the reading, both as a lesson in recent history and for the pleasure of Julian Barnes' writing.
But no less entertaining for all of that. Barnes is, above all, a witty writer, capable of making even the driest of subjects funny. In, for instance, "The Chancellor of the Exchequer Buys Some Claret", he describes the convoluted and rather silly scandal Mr. Lamont (said chancellor of the time) had gotten into while buying some wine at what sounds to me like the British version of a 7-11. Thru a number of gaffes the incident grew to include comparisons to his handling of the government budget, and questions regarding the rental of his house to a "therapist" who turned out to be more of a dominatrix. Barnes' assessment:
Mr. Lamont is currently being described as 'accident-prone' -- political shorthand for 'incompetent beyond the dreams of the Opposition' -- and is sternly announcing that he will not resign (often a prelude to resignation).
Margaret Thatcher turns up quite a bit as well in the essays, even the ones not about her. Barnes was not a fan but, like most Brits, he can't seem to not discuss her, even in a essay about Tony Blair, "Left, Right, Left, Right: The Arrival of Tony Blair":
One of the key moments for those who endured, rather than enjoyed, the Thatcher years came when the Prime Minister, late in her reign, explained to a women's magazine that 'there is no such thing as society'. It was like being in one of those dragging dreams of irrational persecution, from which you seem unable to wake, when your tormenter finally turns to you and says, 'But can't you see, it's because you're wearing a white shirt and carrying a newspaper.' Oh, now I understand, you reflect to yourself, in your new unconscious wisdom. I thought you were persecuting me because you were mad, and of course you are still mad, indeed even madder than I thought before, but at least I can follow what it is you thought you might have been up to.
Haven't we all been there with somebody, particularly somebody in the news or politics? I know I've had that moment with Fred Phelps, when he explained how protesting soldiers' funerals is an act of Christian love. OK, he's nuts, but I do now see where he thinks there's method in his madness.
Altho these essays are 20+ years old, and end before things got really exciting in England, I still found them well worth the reading, both as a lesson in recent history and for the pleasure of Julian Barnes' writing.