Vined sculpture

And the vine climbed and caressed the sleeping face
till the face was covered
and the sleep was no more.

Happy birthday Faber & Faber

The famous publishing house, that sired such names as Ezra Pound and Ted Hughes, is just about to celebrate its 80th birthday!

 

Still a privately owned company (50% by T S Eliot's wife), still in the mecca of publishing in Bloomsbury, still maintaining standards of writing that has marked the twentieth century in British publishing as epoch making.

 

For me, it is a personal kneeling at the altar because I have worshipped, Eliot, Pound, Plath, Auden, Larkin, Heaney, et al since I first worked near Faber & Faber's offices in Russell Square in the 1960s.

 

If you have not delved into the treasure trove that is F & F, do so. If you, like me, you can't get enough, go to: www.timesonline.co.uk/books

Should I stand for Parliament?

What a week it's been.

 

The great institution we call The Palace of Westminster was mired in scandal the like of which has not been seen for many a year.

 

So where do we go from here? Austin Mitchell, a well respected Labour MP, admitted that he didn't know; so may I suggest we start all over again?

 

WANTED. POTENTIAL MPs - NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED!

 

Hence, I put my hand up.

 

I've experienced the world of human experience in all it's complexities, but I've never been a politician. Even in the office I was pretty rubbish at telling tales and fiddling the expenses!

 

So vote for me, I promise to:

 

• Tell it the way it is
• Respect the privilege of being voted-in
• Represent my constituents on a Twitter basis
• Publish all my expense claims on my blog before they are claimed - you approve them, not the institution

 

Opera's loss is recital's gain

See: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/opera/article6244932.ece

 

Jose Carreras has today announced in The Times that he is retiring from Opera singing and concentrating on recitals.

 

We had the privilege in March of listening to Jose at a recital in Marin Arts Centre in California and it was wonderful.

 

I have today written to The Times sharing my experience of Jose with their readers.

 

We understand that Jose is soon to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Brits Classics; well deserved we say.