Books and Life

So Very Congenial

2010-11-07T15:05:00.001Z

So Very Congenial by Leila Burton Wells. An extract from the beginning of a risque shorty story that appeared in the, June 7, 1919, issue of John O'London's Weekly. Billy Everard was riding one of his pet hobbies. "Given two individuals with similar tastes," he said to his guests, "you could put them in any old place, on a desert island even, and they'd soon be - what we call in love. You've got

Twitter In A Nutshell

2010-11-07T12:02:00.001Z

Lesson in Using Twitter: Twitter is a place for people who like to tell other people about what they are doing. An Example: Person 1; "I'm on the bus." Person 1's Follower; "Are you?" Person 1; "Yes." Person 1's Follower; "What bus is it?" Person 1; "The 152." Person 1's Follower; "I like that bus." Person 1; "So do I."

Walking and Talking

2010-11-07T11:03:00.000Z

The Lesson As we are all aware walking is quite a difficult skill to learn, so trying to talk at the same time as walking can be an accident waiting to happen. So I would advise anyone considering attempting to walk and talk simultaneously to practice each individual skill for at least two years before doubling up.

BBC Journalist Strike

2010-11-05T09:37:00.002Z

Update: Strike now over. No further news to report. Because of the National Union of Journalists strike on today I have decided to help keep the nation informed of the major breaking news stories from around the world. I will do this for the next forty-eight hours while the strike is ongoing. I will be updating the news every hour. UK News: A Public House and Hotel just up the road from our

In Search of the Southwold Snob

2010-11-04T16:08:00.001Z

This is a short lesson in finding a Southwold Snob. Try to look in the seaside town of Southwold as this will give you a much better chance of success. The first thing you must do is walk up to a person that you suspect of being a Southwold Snob and ask them for directions to Lowestoft. If they give you directions to Lowestoft you have not found a Southwold Snob. If they deny that they have ever

Did Shakespeare Read The News?

2010-11-04T14:09:00.000Z

Of all the writers Shakespeare is the least "topical." His silence on the great figures and events of his time is weird. Yet if we know anything about him we are sure that he was a man of the world, a good "mixer," the friend of great men, a Londoner among Londoners. All that he knew about human nature he learned from the life around him. All the pulsations of his genius must have sprung from the

Lowestoft Pie

2010-11-04T13:13:00.000Z

Simple instructions on how to make a delicious Lowestoft Pie. Ingredients: 1. Large Cabbage 2. 5 Herrings Cut a large cabbage in half and lay 5 herrings on top of the flat edge of one half of the cabbage, and then place the other half of the cabbage on top so you end up with a whole cabbage once again with the tails of the herrings sticking out of one side of the cabbage, and the heads of the

The Covehithe Creature

2010-11-04T11:40:00.003Z

Legend has it that a massive sea-monster emerged from the depths of the North Sea to climb the cliffs at Covehithe in Suffolk, where it destroyed the village, eating its terrified inhabitants and pulling apart the huge church that once stood like a bastion of Christian faith against the wild and stormy seas. No evidence has ever been found to verify the existence of this terrible creature from

The Lowestoft Gold

2010-11-04T10:05:00.001Z

I have been researching the mystery of the lost 'Lowestoft Gold' for many years now, and I can now publish my findings here for the first time. In 1456 a Spanish merchant vessel was blown off course in a violent storm and sought safe harbour on the sands of North Lowestoft. This vessel was transporting gold coins from Spain to the New World. Records show that the sailors aboard the ship were

I'm Cut Off

2010-11-04T09:09:00.001Z

Deciding to live as far east as it is possible to live within the United Kingdom I do appreciate that I must expect to face some difficulties when trying to drive to anywhere else within these islands. But can someone explain to me why a journey from Lowestoft to the centre of London, which is approximately 103 miles as the crow flies should take over 3 hours. I would also love to hear from

First Ever John O'London's Weekly

2010-11-02T11:29:00.002Z

This is a very rare copy of the first ever issue of John O'London's Weekly which was published by George Newnes on Saturday, April 12, 1919. The editor was Wilfred Whitten (John O'London). The first short story was entitled Secret Service by F. Britten Austin. The feature article was written by H.G. Wells.

Jill the Reckless by P.G. Wodehouse

2010-11-02T10:14:00.000Z

P.G. Wodehouse in a nutshell. This episode of the parrot is part of the plot, and it is an injustice to seperate it from the book; and yet a small portion must be quoted. "Good-bye, boy!" said the parrot, clinging to his bars. Nelly thrust a finger into the cage, and scratched his head. "Anxious to get rid of me, aren't you? Well, so long." "Good-bye, boy!" "All right, I'm going. Be good!" "

Jack London in Prison

2010-11-02T09:17:00.001Z

This remarkable story about Jack London's time spent in an American prison was published for the first time in John O'London's Weekly on April 2, 1921. In 1894 he was convicted of sleeping in a field. One of the many vagrants who lost their liberty during the late 19th and early 20th century in the USA. This is just a short extract from the article. Jack London, marching in lock-step, went out

Though the Frost Was Cruel

2010-11-01T16:39:00.006Z

The beginning of a short story written by Joan Thompson in 1920. This appeared in John O'London's Weekly. I have been unable to find very much information about Miss Thompson. All I do know is she was born in Gloucestershire, and was living in Herefordshire at the time she wrote this story. She also wrote a novel entitled "Mary England" which was published by Methuen. Though the Frost Was Cruel

Crimefile Number 1

2010-11-01T14:49:00.001Z

Below is a scanned image of the cover of the book Crimefile Number 1: File on Bolitho Blane by Dennis Wheatley. This was a new concept in detective fiction published by William Morrow in 1936. Inside the book the clues to solve the crime are placed on the pages. For instance there is actual hair from the head of one of the victims inside an evidence bag taped in, plus numerous other items laid

Claudine Auger

2010-11-01T14:11:00.000Z

This is just one set of photographs of Claudine Auger featured in "The Dude" magazine from May, 1960. Miss Auger had been crowned Miss France in 1958, and went on to appear in the James Bond film Thunderball.

Blue Bell Wranglers

2010-11-01T13:08:00.000Z

The advert below for "Blue Bell Wranglers" is from the back cover of "The Dude" magazine published in May, 1960.

The Dude

2010-11-01T12:09:00.002Z

'The Dude' was an American top-shelf magazine that tried to distance itself from the down market glamour publications of the period. Using established writers, artists, and top photographers they attempted to appeal to the more well-heeled "gentleman," and for the first time featured articles that might attract a female readership. The pictures below come from 'The Dude' issue of May, 1960, the

Mens Magazines in the 1950s

2010-11-01T11:18:00.001Z

'For Men Only' published in America by Canam was typical of the titles available for adults only in the 1950s. This issue dates from December, 1957. They featured a mixture of topical news stories from around the world with strange tales of the more saucy variety. There was no nudity allowed unless they featured "savage tribes women" in varying degrees of undress. They were allowed to have

Mens Magazines in the 1960s

2010-10-31T18:01:00.001Z

21 Magazine. This American publication was published in 1960 by Monogram and always tried to test the patience of the censor. It would fill its pages with topless ladies, humorous articles, risque cartoons, and titillating stories.

Publishing in the Electronic Era

2010-10-29T15:13:00.001+01:00

This article was written by Iain Sproat in 1969. Published in Books and Bookmen. I predict that the most far reaching changes in publishing in the 1970s will be brought about by greatly diversified uses of electronics. And of these uses, none will more alter the face of publishing than the process known as Electronic Video Recording, or EVR for short. In case there remains anyone who does not

Jack London and Mills & Boon

2010-10-29T13:17:00.001+01:00

Whatever happened to the book publishers Mills & Boon? Here is a photograph of Jack London's 'The Jacket' which was published by Mills and Boon in 1915, followed by a photograph of one of their latest titles.

"Poet In The Boat House" Dylan Thomas

2010-10-29T10:06:00.000+01:00

This issue of John O'London's Weekly from August 7, 1953, includes a very rare interview carried out by Mimi Josephson with the welsh poet Dylan Thomas at his house in Laugharne. On the inside pages there are photographs of the house, and Dylan Thomas' children. This interview gives a great insight into the way Thomas worked and lived. Sadly the poet died 3 months after this publication was

Joseph Bato - Defiant City

2010-10-26T16:18:00.002+01:00

This wonderful drawing by Joseph Bato is just one of many from the book entitled "Defiant City" by Bato, with an introduction by J.B. Priestley. Published in 1942 it shows the devastation inflicted on London and its inhabitants during the Blitz. This drawing shows women and children from the East End sheltering in an Underground Station. Click on the image to increase the size.

The Phantom Horsewoman

2010-10-26T13:43:00.000+01:00

Queer are the ways of a man I know:He comes and standsIn a careworn craze,And looks at the sandsAnd the seaward hazeWith moveless handsAnd face and gazeThen turns to go ...And what does he see when he gazes so? They say he sees as an instant thingMore clear than to-day,A sweet soft sceneThat once was in playBy that briny green;Yes, notes alwayWarm, real, and keen,What his back years bring,A