CUK Book Club: Currently reading...

[DoctorStrangelove]

Next: "Code Wars: how Ultra and Magic led to Allied victory" by John Jackson.

Not stunningly inneresting considering, though it did go into slightly more detail on the Japanese codes & cyphers.

Next: Maxwell Knight, MI5's greatest spymaster.

This tome reckons he wasn't gay, unlike a previous epic of some decades ago.

[OwlHoot]

Next: Maxwell Knight, MI5's greatest spymaster.

This tome reckons he wasn't gay, unlike a previous epic of some decades ago.

In the 1930s Maxwell Knight and his wife Gladys owned and ran a pub near me, the Royal Oak in Withypool. Ian Fleming based his character "M" on Maxwell

OH in "Gricer trivia" mode

[DoctorStrangelove]

Having done with Maxwell Knight, it was on to "SOE's Secret Weapons Centre STATION 12" by Des Turner, which is made up of interviews with people who worked there back in the 40s.

Inneresting enough though a bit light on detail since the interviews were a long time ago with the Official Secrets Act being obeyed, probably for the best to avoid giving ideas to miscreants.

Next: "My life as a spy" by Leslie Woodhead, being the story of a chap who was conscripted into the RAF in the 1950s and ended up in the JSSL in some godforsaken place in Scotland (Crail) being taught Russian by the immersion process.

Doesn't sound like a bundle of fun.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Next: "My life as a spy" by Leslie Woodhead, being the story of a chap who was conscripted into the RAF in the 1950s and ended up in the JSSL in some godforsaken place in Scotland (Crail) being taught Russian by the immersion process.

Doesn't sound like a bundle of fun.

Rather inneresting in a "feck me I'm glad conscription had ended" sort of way.

Next: "Polaris the history of the UK's submarine force" by Keith Hall.

It hasn't mentioned Cobalt Thorium G yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.

[Gibbon]

Rethinking Revolutions through Ancient Greece, Cambridge. A collection of essays questioning the place of Greece in the development of the western world. Was 5th century Athens as revolutionary as the second sophists would have us believe?

[NotAllThere]

Just finished The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem. Not sure what's next...

[BR14]

just finished 'rabbits' by Terry Miles
now 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****' by mark manson, but i think i could have written this one

[ladymuck]

just finished 'rabbits' by Terry Miles
now 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****' by mark manson, but i think i could have written this one

Somehow I think your version wouldn't be 'subtle'

[NotAllThere]

Just finished The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem. Not sure what's next...

Hogarth, a Life in Progess by Jaqueline Riding

[DoctorStrangelove]

"Polaris the history of the UK's submarine force" by Keith Hall.

It hasn't mentioned Cobalt Thorium G yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.

Didn't mention it at all, which was a definite downer.

Next: "Britain on Borrowed Time" Glyn Jones and Michael Barnes, 1967.

Well it ain't changed for the better since then, just think "we" could make our very own nuclear power stations back in 1967 without being beholden to the fecking Red Chinese.

How are the mighty fallen.

Apparently the UK produced 27 million tons of steel in 1967.

2018: 7 million tons.

But never mind, "we" can always buy some of the 966 million tons of inferior grade steel produced by the Chinese.

'King 'Eck, there's a lot of names from the grave in this epic.

Ray Gunter.

I vaguely remember him.

Strewth, it's a while ago.

And the chaos that was the docks back in the day, casual work etc. that disappeared with the containers.

Apparently Felixstowe was bought by a chap out of the RAF, who started it off with 8 employees in the early 50s.

It also goes into what was termed "Treasure Island" locally: i.e. Margam Steelworks.

The inbuilt overmanning with every craftsman needing a mate to carry his tools for him, then sit around waiting for something to do.

Remarkable.

No wonder we got our arses handed to us on a plate by the Japanese, Germans, Koreans, & the Septics.

I'd forgotten about The Prices & Incomes Board, the Wages Councils, and myriad other quanqos.

One of the more eyeopening things was this little gem:

Council Storeman, late 50s.

Basic: £12/3/3d (£12 16p) per week.

Out of which:

Income tax: £1/4/0d (£1 20p)

NI: £0/13/6d (67.5p)

Pension contributions: 9/9d (48.5p)

Graduated pension contributions: 3/1d (15.5p).

Expenses per week:

Rates/lighting/coal: £1/10/0d (£1.50)

Lunches: 15/- (75p)

Food: £2/0/0 (£2)

Drink: 0

Going out: 0

Tobacco: £1/3/0d (£1 15p)

TV (on hp): 2/6d (12.5p)

Moped (tax/ins/petrol) 3s (15p)

Savings for clothes, house repair, extras: £1/10/0d (£1 50p)

Donations to charity/church: £1/0/0. (£1).

Stone me.

Things seem to have gone up a tad in the lst 55 years.