A real life Jonty or two!

[charlie_cochrane]

I ran across the most wonderful book a few months back. "Your Case is Hopeless" has been a real laugh out loud book, as well as a great research tool for getting into the minds of people either side of the turn of the century. It's the answers, published in the Boys Own Paper, to questions readers sent in. The questions themselves aren't given, which makes the contextless answers even more amusing. They prove that in many ways the past is a foreign country in that they do things differently there and in other ways the past is a foreign country in that they do things exactly the same there.

I'm sure Jonty wrote some of those letters to the editor, seeking advice or offering...something or other. "Correspondents are not expected to forward locks of their hair, even when of such a lovely golden brown as yours," surely has to be a response to Jonty getting over-enthusiastic? And, "You have no right to use a catapult in a road and the policeman was doing you a service in taking it from you" has House of Stewart written all over it. Although "We have no views on Danish butter. Is it a mystery?" just boggles the mind.

The best bits, of course, are about vaguely-alluded-to smutty thoughts/actions, including the delightful response to a question about smoking. "The worst thing a boy can do, bar one." *snigger*

Comments

[elin-gregory.livejournal.com]

I'll have to bring my copy of "Healthy Boyhood" to Bristol in June, if I can find it. That answers questions about - well, you know, - beastliness! It certainly opened my eyes a bit wide and filled me with sorrow that so many poor young lads had their heads filled with such nonsense.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

We'll do a swop. And yes, while some of the attitudes are forward thinking, most of them are quite horrendous.

Still, a boy mustn't think or do anything he couldn't discuss with his mother...

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

What a burden in must have been for boys and mothers.

I have been reading lately about the great US-ian circumcision craze which began in the 1880s. It was supposed to stop boys doing such things. That is why, to this day, most men here are. Only now it is so they don't look different.

When my son was born he was tiny and ill, and I decided not to bother. I had a nurse say to me angrily 'It is good for them-- if you don't have it done now, you'll have to do it later.' It just seemed such a horrible introduction to the world. He was the only little guy on the floor not to have it done. All the others screamed all that night. (of course she was wrong-- never had it done, and he is 22 now and presumably fine.)

Of course that line of thinking also gave us Doctor Dentons-- so that is good. They are comfy and warm, and they look adorable on little kids.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

*nods* Circumcision isn't usual over here, and it's not made any difference to our blokes.

There are many nurses in our world who could do with a good slapping.

[bigolarthurfan.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I have to make a slight and highly qualified dissent to the circumcision debate. NOT being circumcized is a fairly substantial risk factor for HIV infection in certain parts of the world, especially but not only sub-Saharan African. So adult circumcision in regions with high HIV incidence have become a major initiative to combat the AIDS pandemmic.

However, there's no question the history of circumcision in the American non-Jewish context is full of bogus nonsense.

And here I was going to just leave a pleasant note about the book. Oh well.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Informed dissent always welcome. I didn't know that, but it makes sense.

And comment as you wish, my dear. I see my LJ as being like my kitchen, everyone gathered around, having a cup of tea and chatting. :) Would you like cake with yours?

[bigolarthurfan.livejournal.com]

Actually, sometimes when I'm too lazy or tired to fully engage a new book, or feel the neeed for a pick-me-up, I'll re-read bits and pieces of a previously read favorite, maybe finding a favorite passage or just randomly picking a page. The opening three paragraphs of chapter 11 of Lessons for Survivors was just such a randon moment the other night and is really such a brilliant description of Ariadne--and you don't even include any physical description! Wow, that's writing! And a very long way round to say, I'll take a Bakewell tart. Which I had to look up, by the way, but sounds wonderful.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I do a similar thing with favourite books, like The Charioteer.

Bakewell tart is an excellent choice, much beloved of Cochranes great and small. Absolutely delicious. Like Ariadne. (Lot of me in Ariadne...)

[bigolarthurfan.livejournal.com]

I count myself as something of a foodie and was chagrined I had to look it up. As I have also had to do on some of the other sweets and candies enjoyed by the Cambridge Duo. But it's always worth it to acquire important and useful new knowledge. (I had wondered about that possibility with Ariadne, by the way.)

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

My one regret about the Cambridge boys is that the early books are too early for them to have enjoyed jelly babies.

The physical description of Ariadne (Lessons in Discovery?) could be me, as could the affinity for animals. "her beloved planarian worms, as well as other life forms—invertebrate, vertebrate, live or fossil—which she’d been inclined to go and catch, dig up, poke at or in any other way generally annoy," is me to a T. Only difference is the personal life.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I so wanted to slap her!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

That book sounds priceless! I'm curious why only the answers are published. Does the book explain what happened to the questions?!

"Correspondents are not expected to forward locks of their hair, even when of such a lovely golden brown as yours,"
*faints*

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Apparently the questions didn't appear in the paper, just the answers. I guess people had to look out for their own one (usually the name or pseudonym of the correspondent is given).

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Apparently the questions didn't appear in the paper, just the answers.
How discrete! XD

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that sounds like a splendid resource.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I can lend it you if you'd like.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Yes, please!

I have a book of yours to return too.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Spiffing. It's a deal.