John Major on 'Private passions'

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well, Norma Major did write the authorized biography of Joan Sutherland, didn't she ?

Oh, yes! They never invite her as a guest, do they?

[MrGongGong]

Well, Norma Major did write the authorized biography of Joan Sutherland, didn't she ?

Which to me is a link to the "music that makes you laugh" thread

[french frank]

I gave up listening to this programme when they stopped inviting guests who had a 'passion' for classical music .

Next week ... Caroline Charles (Not known. Is this the fashion designer? Yes - I've just looked up the R3 site. I'm a bit baffled by the thought "...'September' from Strauss's Four Last Songs, which Caroline has used in her shows to accompany the bridal display..." The Hesse poem seems a bit mournful for a bridal display, doesn't it?)

To me, it's either about the music or about the individual. I'm personally not interested if it's mainly about the person or if the choice of music is a mix of non-classical with a small scattering of classical pot-boilers. Back in the past, I was introduced to some works I didn't know by knowledgeable guests.

[Nick Armstrong]

I gave up listening to this programme when they stopped inviting guests who had a 'passion' for classical music .

Next week ... Caroline Charles (Not known. Is this the fashion designer? Yes - I've just looked up the R3 site. I'm a bit baffled by the thought "...'September' from Strauss's Four Last Songs, which Caroline has used in her shows to accompany the bridal display..." The Hesse poem seems a bit mournful for a bridal display, doesn't it?)

To me, it's either about the music or about the individual. I'm personally not interested if it's mainly about the person or if the choice of music is a mix of non-classical with a small scattering of classical pot-boilers. Back in the past, I was introduced to some works I didn't know by knowledgeable guests.

May I be permitted to agree with you 100%?

[amateur51]

Did Sir John, who I'm pretty sure is nowhere near the straight-forward ordinary bloke that some seem to think, mention his new book about the music halls, perchance?

[french frank]

Did Sir John, who I'm pretty sure is nowhere near the straight-forward ordinary bloke that some seem to think, mention his new book about the music halls, perchance?

The R£ - oops! R3 - site does. Just in time for Christmas. Amazon will send it gift-wrapped

[amateur51]

The R£ - oops! R3 - site does. Just in time for Christmas. Amazon will send it gift-wrapped

http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Old-Man-P...4462167&sr=1-1 - never let it be said

I was checking rather that PP was not becoming like a chat show where the 'guests' all have something to promote or sell.

Aside from self-serving autobiographies, is there another British politician of recent times aside from Major (history of cricket and the aforementioned volume) and Hurd (thrillers and a book on the Foreign Office) who have published books that they've written?

[Bax-of-Delights]

Did Sir John, who I'm pretty sure is nowhere near the straight-forward ordinary bloke that some seem to think, mention his new book about the music halls, perchance?

It was mentioned by Michael Berkeley in the context of his (Major's) father's life and JM was asked to read a rather moving blurb from the back of the book.

If - and let's just pretend for a moment eh? - you could invite a Prime Minister round to dinner which one would you choose from the last 70 years?
Macmillan
Douglas Home
Wilson
Callaghan
Thatcher
Major
Blair
Brown
Cameron

For my money I'd reckon I could quite happily share a 3-courser with John Major over and above any of the others.
Some of the others - no names, no packdrill - would have me counting the cutlery after they left.

[amateur51]

It was mentioned by Michael Berkeley in the context of his (Major's) father's life and JM was asked to read a rather moving blurb from the back of the book.

If - and let's just pretend for a moment eh? - you could invite a Prime Minister round to dinner which one would you choose from the last 70 years?
Macmillan
Douglas Home
Wilson
Callaghan
Thatcher
Major
Blair
Brown
Cameron

For my money I'd reckon I could quite happily share a 3-courser with John Major over and above any of the others.
Some of the others - no names, no packdrill - would have me counting the cutlery after they left.

I notice that you've left out Heath, the only one who might have been a member of FoR3 , and Eden

I think Macmillan and Major and salymap and french frank would make an engaging table

[aeolium]

I notice that you've left out Heath, the only one who might have been a member of FoR3 , and Eden

And Churchill and Attlee. Not much of a word in edgeways with Churchill....

[Resurrection Man]

It was mentioned by Michael Berkeley in the context of his (Major's) father's life and JM was asked to read a rather moving blurb from the back of the book.

If - and let's just pretend for a moment eh? - you could invite a Prime Minister round to dinner which one would you choose from the last 70 years?
Macmillan
Douglas Home
Wilson
Callaghan
Thatcher
Major
Blair
Brown
Cameron

For my money I'd reckon I could quite happily share a 3-courser with John Major over and above any of the others.
Some of the others - no names, no packdrill - would have me counting the cutlery after they left.

Blair...so I could punch him on the nose.

[amateur51]

And Churchill and Attlee. Not much of a word in edgeways with Churchill....

Absolutely right, aeolium.

There was a story (aprocryphal?) of someone being invited to lunch at the height of the war with the great man whom he found was already tucking into steak & kidney pie and a rather fine red burgundy when he arrived on-time.

He noticed too that Churchill was also smoking on a large cigar and nibbling on some rather good chocolate in between mouthsful of pie, all commodities in considerable shortage at the time.

[amateur51]

Blair...so I could punch him on the nose.

But it would be pleasant to read a post that didn't always have a political 'let's bash' sting-in-the-tale. It does get a tad boring.

How quickly they forget

[Bax-of-Delights]

Whoops - apologies for missing out Heath, Atlee, Churchill and Eden.

I once bumped into Heath at Glyndebourne after he left office. He looked glum.
Macmillan, who employed me for a short while when he was still head of his publishing house, was avuncular in extremis.

[subcontrabass]

One of my uncles had the unique distinction of being at school with Heath and at his Oxford college with Wilson.