Francis King
The Nation’s Favourite Only Child
Betjeman
By A N Wilson
Hutchinson 360pp £20
Even in John Betjeman’s centenary year, journalists still constantly refer to him as ‘the nation’s teddy bear’. But, as this lively biography demonstrates, a better description would be ‘the nation’s favourite only child’. Like many an only child, Betjeman throughout his life craved to be pampered and petted and, above all, noticed. To achieve the first two of these objectives he deployed an irresistibly self-mocking charm. To achieve the third he cultivated the sort of harmless eccentricity that, even in his adult years, had him carrying around, as his inseparable companion, a teddy bear called Archie.
Betjeman’s family was prosperous. But unfortunately they were ‘in trade’ – their money coming partly from the sale of the ‘Betjemann (sic) Patent Tantalus’, designed to prevent thirsty domestics from slurping their employers’ sherry or Scotch. At that period to be in trade was a social stigma. From his early
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
Twitter Feed
Are iPhones ruining children's lives? A prominent American psychologist thinks so.
@tiffanyjenkins is not so sure:
Tiffany Jenkins - The Smartphone Pandemic
Tiffany Jenkins: The Smartphone Pandemic - The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an...
literaryreview.co.uk
India's 'festival of democracy', or general election, begins next month. Like every good festival, it looks likely to have its fair share of murders and arrests.
@OwenBennettJon probes the state of democracy in India:
Owen Bennett-Jones - New Delhi Confidential
Owen Bennett-Jones: New Delhi Confidential - The Incarcerations: BK-16 and the Search for Democracy in India by Alpa Shah
literaryreview.co.uk
Where is the world's newest narcostate and why is it thriving?
@AdamBrookesWord investigates Asia's meth mecca.
Adam Brookes - Meth Comes to Myanmar
Adam Brookes: Meth Comes to Myanmar - Narcotopia: In Search of the Asian Drug Cartel That Outwitted the CIA by Patrick Winn
literaryreview.co.uk