Rock!

[menthe_reglisse]

Apparently* , the poet A. S. J. Tessimond (1902 - 1962) inherited £4000 and spent half of it on psychoanalysis and the other half on 'nightclub girls and striptease hostesses'. How cool is that?!

*According to my latest poetry-on-the-loo book Poem for the Day One. Not really working for me - I get too distracted by the biographical and 'this day in

Comments

[childeric]

How come people in the early or mid twentieth century could do that and make it sound glamorous rather than sleazy? Not fair! Does history record whether the psychoanalysis or the hostesses won out in the end?

[menthe_reglisse]

I don't know, I think it would still be pretty cool nowadays. I mean, it's not how I'd spend the money myself - I'm too sceptical about psychoanalysis - but simultaneously participating in and rejecting the psych self-improvement project is quite nifty.

His literary executor apparently thought the psychoanalysis didn't work, but that may just have been his own prejudices. History does not relate about the hostesses, oddly enough.

[skibbley]

Did they record which was of more use, or whether they combined well?

[menthe_reglisse]

Well, the notes say that his literary executor thought the psychoanalysis didn't work, so we can hope that the girls were more successful. (I want to watch more Woody Allen)

[slightlyfoxed]

That is awesome. And reminds me that I should check out what Lyle did with his money. Tate makes many anonymous donations and sets up the Tate; Lyle, I like to think, turned up to art openings clearly having blown his half on bootleg whisky, champagne and wine.

Ah. Wikipedia tells me that Abram Lyle was a deeply religious man. Sorry to jump to conclusions, Lyle.

[menthe_reglisse]

Did you know that all Tate & Lyle sugar is, or is shortly to become, fairtrade? Whenever I'm having an attack of weltschmerz I remember that and am cheered.