Dr David Starkey on the English
Just been to see David Starkey supposedly speaking about the corination of Edgar in Bath in 973 but it was nothing so dry. Instead it was an essay on Romanish and non-Romanish (i.e anglo-germanic culture). Digs at the Archbishop of Canterbury ("sympathic to the oppressed and poor - as long they're not gay"), the EU (too numerous to mention but it's all Charlemange's fault), German history ("a catastrophy" blamed on the enlish because they converted the Saxon and then left them "soft" to be conquered by Charlemange), Richard III ("a shit"), and the history syllabus (the fault of historians like himself in the 60s who have concentrated on specific topics rather than broad sweeps). Great fun, but then he also said there no point doing anything in life that does not bring pleasure. And of course like all good speakers, he had no notes and for once, thank god, no bloody overheads.