Bright Young Things discussion

In BYT we look at the the period 1900-1945 and the writings of this period, does this influence your life.

For instance Jeeves and Wooster do you say things as part of your speech in day to day life - I refer to my employers pay section and my bank as "Aunt Agatha" in homage to Bertie's Trust Fund.

Do you choose an Art Deco hotel if given a choice, your sense of style of clothes, your musical taste. I like blues, delta blues but not often written about.

So I open this out.

Interesting questions Michael.

I find myself looking at places and trying to imagine them as they would have been in the early 20th century. For example, on Saturday morning I was driving through the Sussex countryside and was really struck by how easy it was to imagine it a hundred years ago.

I also enjoy visiting National Trust / English Heritage places and, again, generally imagine what life would have been like.

The other thing from the era that attracts me are films, art and culture. For example I plan to get along to Patrick Hamilton's newly revived play "The Duke in Darkness" at The Tabard Theatre in Chiswick, London on 11 May 2013 (the same day that I'm going to the David Bowie V&A exhibition, and then meeting some friends in a pub after Bowie (which might scupper the PH play)).

I also sometimes favour language of the era - "splendid" is a word I enjoy and overuse.

Looking forward to what other BYTers say about this intriguing discussion. Thanks Michael.

Michael wrote: "I like blues, delta blues but not often written about. "

Are there any good fictional accounts of delta blues you'd recommend? I know of quite a few factual accounts but never come across any good fiction.

The nearest I can think of are the Easy Rawlins books by Walter Mosley - which are great, well the ones I've read.

Thanks Nigeyb, I have the recordings but not the history of the whole scene and individuals save for Robert Johnson - Crossroads and all that.
Enjoy your Bowie afternoon.

Michael, have you tried The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People by Francis Davis? I picked this up some years ago when I took a vacation driving down Highway 61 and stopped offf at Clarksville, home of Muddy Waters and others.

Nigeyb wrote: "Interesting questions Michael.

I find myself looking at places and trying to imagine them as they would have been in the early 20th century. For example, on Saturday morning I was driving through..."

I can do a wicked Mr Carson from DOWNTON ABBEY - and am always calling my sister Mrs Hughes.

Jan C, some years (nearly 20 or so) me and a few friends flew to see an old school friend in SF California and we did the road trip thing, bits of Route 66. Two years later we did the same through the Southern States including Memphis and took a trip down Beale St including BB Kings club - happy days - young free and single with no mortgage!!!

As for influences etc. I'm not sure if I am drawn to that period by what I read or I am of that period but displaced in time. I think in some ways I identify with some of it and others truly not. Afterall it is a 50 year span including different countries, but I do quote from films from that era and as they are often from books the books themselves. I like Art Deco but not Nouveau.

I don't want to sound like Walter Mitty but I am drawn to middle/upper class way of life rather than the working class. I dress appropriately and certainly in the office, a windsor knot is a must along with cufflinks. I may shorts in the summer never in the office or formal occasion and always of colonial length unless playing sports. I think manners cost nothing but are worth so much more - maybe these little things are ebbing away. although morality them wasn't perfect novels or Orwell show us that and the politcal and social history of that time.

Michael wrote: "Jan C, some years (nearly 20 or so) me and a few friends flew to see an old school friend in SF California and we did the road trip thing, bits of Route 66. Two years later we did the same through ..."

Of course I grew up with the Dylan album, Highway 61 Revisited, and one day I read an artible by Jay McInerney about a yearly trip he took down Highway 61. It was spring. I needed a vacation. So I hopped in the car, drove to Memphis and found Highway 61 and drove it down to Natchez. Went to a blues museum in Clarksville, MS. I wound up going all the way down to the Gulf. I went to Vicksburg and saw the battlefield. It was wonderful.

Jan C wrote: "Of course I grew up with the Dylan album, Highway 61 Revisited, and one day I read an artible by Jay McInerney about a yearly trip he took down Highway 61. It was spring. I needed a vacation. So I hopped in the car, drove to Memphis and found Highway 61 and drove it down to Natchez. Went to a blues museum in Clarksville, MS. I wound up going all the way down to the Gulf. I went to Vicksburg and saw the battlefield. It was wonderful. "

Wonderful stuff Jan. That album would definitely be in my top 100. It would never have occurred to me to actually drive down Highway 61 (Route 66 on the other hand....).

Nigeyb wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Of course I grew up with the Dylan album, Highway 61 Revisited, and one day I read an artible by Jay McInerney about a yearly trip he took down Highway 61. It was spring. I needed a v..."

Route 66 is sometimes harder to find. I live near the start of it. Although they did have to move it when they decided to make two streets one-way downtown, one going east and the other going west. I was listening to a Robert Crais book in the car one time and heard him refer to Route 66 as being on Jackson when everyone knows (at least here) is that it is on Adams. My next trip downtown explained why, because of the one-way streets.

I know I have found myself driving down an Interstate and I'll glance over and see a little side or frontage road and it says Route 66. I think they do have an exhibit about Rte 66 at the Chicago History Museum (I think that's their new name), formerly the Chicago Historical Society.

I'm guessing its 61 then that my family took a trip down one year after going to St. Louis and Memphis. We went to Clarksville and went to the museum too. :) My dad loves old blues and jazz so it was a must. We went down to New Orleans on that trip too.

As for the question, I can't really say. I think I love it just because it seems so glamorous and everyone knew everyone else and so much happened and I love that. The only way my life reflects it is that I buy those books and go to the movies and watch the old movies. I love going to the old buildings when I can too. I love the art of the era too (nouveau more than deco :) ). But I'm not really one that dresses like they might've or talks a certain way. I just like learning all about it all.

I can't edit on my phone, sorry. I will say I'm drawn to old or old style shoes and jewelry, but not necessarily the clothes. I don't have the body type to wear a lot of the early 20th century clothing. But I love looking at it all (the old photos are wonderful). And I do love the old shoes and jewelry.

And desk items. I've been longing for a certain desk set I saw years ago at an antique show but I doubt I'd run across it again. Antique shops and shows are wonderful.

I think, being the bookworms that we all are, we cannot help but to be influenced by our reading. Reading = Education, in my opinion, whether you tend to read fiction or non-fiction. I think reading allows us to have a broader perspective on our lives, our world and the way we interact with other people.

I can't think of any examples of figures of speech that I use that I picked up from reading - I probably do use some - just can't think of them right now. My 17 year old daughter tells me that I use "antiquated Southern figures of speech that NO one uses." I have no idea what she's talking about! (ha!) We live in Alabama and all of my extended family members are also from the Southern US, so I'm willing to admit that I may be strongly influenced . . . .

On a similar topic - the book that I have always identified with the most, the book that describes my childhood in so many, many ways is "To Kill A Mockingbird". My childhood was very similar to Scout Finch's childhood. My father was very similar to Atticus Finch. It's my all time, number one, favorite book.

(Sorry for the long ramble . . . )

I love the antique shops, too, Bronwyn. I never seem to go to any at home, just when I visit people. I was just in NC and we made the obligatory trip to the antique/salvage store. They have three stories of antiques/junk. And, when I went to TX we went to one in a touristy-type town where we went to dinner. This is a shop my relatives go to a lot. It is interesting to see the difference in the junk in NC and TX. A lot more cowboy-type stuff - spurs, etc.

I guess I just like to learn about different eras. I know that for this era I primarily think about the expatriate writers all going to Paris between the wars. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, etc.

I like the art. There is currently a Picasso (possibly, .and Friends)show at the Art Institute which I am hoping to be able to get to before it leaves.

My apologies. I have no idea what this question means. I'm a writer, and have always been very closely involved with new writing -- at various times the competition and at others kindred spirits, but both liable to change my writing and with it my life. When you write the stuff, it also means you have a strong sense of how your writing reflects (or opposes) the spirit of the times, which sort of increases the intensity of your responses. As to direct engagement, the only times I have made an effort to go any place associated with writers were a visit to Zane Grey's cabin about 10 miles from where I live part time, and which has since burned down, and a visit to the Via Merulana in Rome where the murder takes place in Gadda's That Awful Mess On the Via Merulana. And then there was a walking tour of the Paris of the second generation of American expatriates, after WWII, which I planned but never had the resources to get past one route stop out of 52. That was tremendous fun. http://ocotilloarts.com/Paris%20contr... So I guess when I think about it, yes, quite a lot. So I guess I do understand.

In some respect Bronwyn I tend to agree with the glamorous element there was was more style than say fashion. Forgive me but I also felt it was the start of the body image culture certainly for ladies, but there was a distinct gender fashion too.

My earlier ramblings might have suggested I'm dressed as Bertie Wooster as I type far from it. That era usher in fashion and style we still have today with slight differences. Yes I wear cufflinks and have plenty to choose from from traditional to me Led Zeppelin (Flight of Icarus) so I am influenced by but not mirroring that era. That reminds me to source a copy of Debretts Etiqutte.

That era for me again taking only one small piece is the old hollywood films whether that be silent era, comedy classics or the thrillers.

The photograghs too of that era no matter where from are wonderful especially if you know it as it is today.

As for antique fairs and alike, yes I'll be there looking for something that catches the eye and hopefully affordable.

I think too reading reading social and political history that would without doubt have and impact on me as an individual.

I'm glad we have some good posts here, TTFN & Toodle Pip.

I don't think my reading of this time has impacted my "real" life in any meaningful ways, but I do find that I'm much more on the lookout when watching TV for issues, events, people. I knew very little about this time period before joining this group. I've always enjoyed a good mystery, particularly real ones, so I like the crime nonfiction we read. The rise of Hitler and the Nazis and the Holocaust has also always been a fascination of mine. The more I read, the more areas of interest I find, but, no, I don't incorporate any of it in my life.

Oh absolutely, Michael. The early to mid twentieth century definitely was the beginning of "body image". It is also when advertising really started and really started targeting certain groups. We read a couple books in a grad class that dealt a lot with that; one was on advertising (Advertising the American Dream) and the other on television (Make Way For TV). It's really interesting in positive and negative ways.

Jennifer, I much prefer all the non-fiction too. As much as I love a good novel, I'd much rather read about the actual things than fictionalized ones. There's a reason I studied history... :)

hmmm...I don't think my reading impacts my life so much as my life impacts my reading.

For example, some of today's news stories infuriate me...especially if its about poverty or injustice...and sometimes that makes me pick books like The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists or something by Orwell. Maybe I'm too keen to be depressed by how far we haven't come since those days! ha ha

When I posed the question I hadn't really thought what my take was, yes I had posted some thoughts but I find myself revisting them in my head.

I also didn't gift much thought as to where this may lead, just thought I'd throw it out there and let it evolve. Some people think that it doesn't impact on them and I'm a little surprised as any interaction should have an effect and thus some impact, I am minded of butterfies wings and forests here.

For me the more I read the more I learn and so each subject for whch knowledge is acquire must be re-evaulated and therefore I rect to the change even if it is small.

The most recent example is the book The Pope's Jews (which I put forward for the June non-fiction poll), this changed my understanding of the Vatican & Pope Pius XII and their roles during WWII.

And to echo Ally, when I read history the more I realise that we as a race are failing to learn the lessons from it.

Anyway on a lighter note I'll off to an antique fair to see what entices me.

Didn't know where to put this thought!!

'tis January and the post jolly season diets are starting. World War Rationing anyone??

Are there any diets fad or otherwise in the 1900 to 1945 period that might help up out. Once all our festive goodies have been eaten of course.

It is an good question Michael.
I don't know if people were worried about their weight before the 1920s and diet fads at that time would only have been for the better off, but I'm sure there were plenty of them then. Wasn't the Hay Diet from the 1920s? (It is still popular now.)
Smoking was also considered an aid to weight loss then.

As for the World War Rationing, I grow some of my own vegetables, fruit, herbs etc. and sometimes forage for mushrooms and wild plants as people did during WW2, but I don't think I would want to rely on the wartime diet. It was healthy, but monotonous and I eat far more cheese than the ration allowed.