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The Anthony Powell Society Newsletter The Anthony Powell Society Newsletter Issue 63, Summer 2016, ISSN 1743-0976, £3 BUMPER Upcoming Events London Summer Stroll CONFERENCE Saturday 2 July Extra London Pub Meets ISSUE Sunday 12 June & Thursday 7 July Reports: pages 3 to 17 Oxford Day Out Saturday 3 September Details: pages 20 & 21 Bookshelves overflowing? Or gaps to fill? Either way we’re having a Bring & Buy Book Sale at the AGM, 22 October Subscription due for renewal this Details: page 24 year? If so, and you’ve not renewed, this will be your last Newsletter Contents Editorials ............................................... 2 Conference Reports ............................ 3-17 Pow-ell or Pole? ............................... 18-19 Dates for Your Diary ...................... 20-21 Society News & Notices ................ 22-23 AGM Notice .......................................... 24 My Uncle Giles ................................ 25-27 AP: Creator of Dad’s Army? ............ 28-29 York, Overcoats, Unwritten Books .. 30-31 My First Time ........................................ 32 Review: Stella Gibbons, Pure Juliet ...... 33 Uncle Giles’ Corner .............................. 34 Cuttings .......................................... 35-38 Merchandise & Membership .......... 39-40 Anthony Powell Society Newsletter #63 A Letter from the Editor From the Secretary’s Desk The big story is the Well what can I say, York Conference. It other than to echo was a coup – see Stephen's words? The Michael Henle’s article conference in York was (page 4). Many thanks a triumph. I lost count to John and Christine of the number of people Roe for leading it and who said to me that it to the AP Society team was our best conference for the backup. yet. And so it was. In this issue instead of So many people the usual report card we convey the contributed – in large or small ways – to Conference Experience with the success. Prof. John Roe, of course, contributions from people who spoke and must take pride of place for putting the from those who listened. Two are by first whole event together. Without John it timers. Richard Jenkins describes just would not have happened! While I attending a conference for the first time worried about logistics, Noreen without knowing anybody and Steve masterminded and ran the conference Loveman relives the torment and ecstasy desk, helped by Prue Raper and Christine of preparing and delivering his first Roe. Christine was a tower of strength: conference talk. not just helping Noreen with the desk, but As an alternative Prue Raper describes also directing delegates, liaising with her real-life Uncle Giles (page 25) and caterers etc. Without Noreen, Christine Simon Barnes analyses, in a lightly worn and Prue nothing would have worked on post-structualist way, the interplay of the day. John Roe, Stephen and Alison Dance and Dad’s Army (page 28). And Walker and Graham Parry deftly chaired we have AP’s granddaughter, Georgia the plenary sessions, while Graham Page Powell, on the tricky pronunciation of played “bad cop” in keeping the speakers Powell (page 18). to time. And I’m sure I’ve missed others! But overcoats still seem to obsess AP We must also thank the University of Society members as Alison Walker York, and their English Department, who eruditely demonstrates. facilitated our access to King’s Manor, provided some excellent lunches and Finally we are introducing a new made a financial contribution. occasional feature “Overheard at Sillery’s Tea Party”. They took place in Oxford That leaves the most important groups, and we shall be taking tea there on without whom it would not have been an Saturday 3 September 2016 and learning event at all. So thank you to all our about AP and his Oxford Chums. Don’t keynote speakers; everyone who miss it. contributed a paper or to a discussion; and everyone who came. You all made Stephen Walker the conference into a memorable event. [email protected] Keith Marshall [email protected] 2 Anthony Powell Society Newsletter #63 York Conference: The Experience By Richard Jenkins I first encountered A Question of Upbringing over fifty years ago and have remained a keen reader of Dance and the Works. However, I have not been an active member of the Society. I decided on retirement to come to the Conference. Upstairs I found the Secretariat in welcoming control. I knew nobody but it I had failed in my preliminary task of did not take long to feel part of the group. reading Dance again. Would the Conference shatter my illusions? The balance between the enthusiasts and Revisiting the Alexandria Quartet had led the academic experts was achieved. The to a depressing examination of one’s surprise was how much both groups youthful discernment. appeared to identify with the characters, as if they really existed. An example was the In fact, the conference experience was identification of Stringham as a “rebel”. enjoyable and educative. It was intriguing to consider Didier Christine Roe pointed me to the lift and Girard’s “Shock”, identifying Jenkins – proved to be an ever helpful presence. and AP – as a voyeur. He, the author, is preoccupied with those who live by the Will and exercise power at all levels. Could one go further? Kate Bennett’s talk on John Aubrey was equally stimulating. To one who first saw Aubrey as a “Famous Gossip” there was much more to get to grips with in the future. There was much to think about in “Finding Powell’s Voice”. It reminded me that my legal judgments contained many a colon and semi-colon and hanging participles. The Voice is so distinctive. At the delightful Conference Dinner, as ll well organised as every other event, and a h the excellent trip to Castle Howard, one ars M found oneself trying to place others in the th i context of a Powellian narrative. One of my shoes squeaked loudly on graph Ke o t every surface. Was this my “overcoat”? o h P The magnificent 17th century entrance to the After all, my name is Jenkins; my brother conference venue, King’s Manor, York with the is Nick Jenkins. Resemblances end royal arms there. ■ 3 Anthony Powell Society Newsletter #63 York Conference: An Appreciation By Michael Henle The 2016 Conference of the Anthony Powell Society in York was another masterpiece of organization and arrangement, equal to, if not better than, the outstanding Venice conference. The facilities were excellent (and historical: axter Charles I slept there); the schedule was Bl hn crowded, interesting, and varied; the Jo banquet was the best of all the conferences graph o I’ve attended. t o h Let me personally express particular P Delegates gather in the splendour of York’s appreciation for the contributions to the Merchant Taylor’s Hall for the conference dinner program that were scandalous and/or outrageous. High points in this category were: By far the most sensational presence at the conference was the French connection: • Steve Loveman on Adultery Didier Girard of the University Francois- (What do Powell and Fitzgerald’s Rabelais. In his keynote (Shocking! narrators make of it?) Powell on Sade), Didier played agent • Didier Girard on the Marquis de Sade provocateur, lobbing grenade after grenade (What Powell makes of him.) at his dumbfounded audience, suggesting things I dare not write in this space. (See • Yuexi Liu on Exterior Modernists the published proceedings for details.) (Whatever this is, Powell is one!) In the question and answer session that • Nick Birns on Horatio and Hamlet followed, someone, reflecting the general (Nick is akin to both), and astonishment, asked if he understood • Robin Bynoe on Sexy Commas Didier correctly and that he [Didier] on (Whatever these may be, Powell uses purpose intended (here I paraphrase) to jolt them apparently. I want to learn how to the AP conferees out of their self- use them myself.) congratulatory atmosphere of AP adulation and hagiography. Didier replied, in effect, you understand me perfectly. Needless to say, Prof. Girard effortlessly hijacked the ensuing Proust Panel Discussion. There was nothing the other participants (Nick Birns and myself) or anyone else in the room could do to axter Bl prevent him from dominating that. I can’t hn Jo wait to see what bombshells turn up in his submitted paper. ■ graph o t o h Nick Birns discussed “Jenkins as Horatio as Hamlet” P 4 Anthony Powell Society Newsletter #63 York Conference: L’esprit de l’escalier By Philippa Fawcett Hands up anyone who disagrees that it is Widmerpool because by doing so he would hard to like Nick Jenkins. become morally active. The dance could The rafters of the Conference venue rang well go on, but it could no longer be the with affectionate references to characters meditative pavane made possible by in Dance; even the monstrous Widmerpool Nick’s stasis. was spoken of with fondness, or at least To have one staircase moment at a with a horror that was entirely pleasurable. conference is unfortunate. To have two … Nick Jenkins was a notable exception. His My second was in response to what was coldness and unresponsiveness were said about AP’s view of Anthony Trollope. criticized, as was his repeated failure to A life-long fan of AT, I nevertheless accept arrest Widmerpool’s destructive progess. that there is no point in trying to persuade Puzzled dissatisfaction was rife. someone with hostile views to like him. The puzzlement is reasonable: being the However, I do have a bone to pick with AP centre of the work, we expect Nick to and failed to take the opportunity to do so interest us, indeed charm us, at least as during the relevant discussion. It seems much as the other characters do. It was that AP considered AT couldn’t do women. stated in his defence that if he had Incomprehensible.
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