Montag, 11. Oktober 2010

The fascinating world of Auberon Waugh

"The world of Auberon Waugh is a coterie of reactionary fogeys centred on the Spectator and the Telegraph who affect an imaginary style of 1930's gent - Evelyn was the icon. Battered brown trilby, chalk-stripes, sit-up-and-beg bike with a basket full of books from the London Library are the accoutrements. The mind-set is all Evelyn Waugh too - the smells and bells of aristocracy and old Catholicism (recusant priest-holers only - God forbid any happy clappy stuff). Effete, drunken, snobbish, sneering, racist and sexist, [...]"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/jan/19/news.comment

Addendum: of course this article is overly polemic but not only is it -for this very reason- extremely fun to read the author also makes some good points about herself and people in general who are only able to think politically, and in no other way (mainly the off-spring of the Enlightenment). They cannot abide of ‘stupid things’ like aristocracy or religion, things that would help them to look at the world in love or not to take it overly serious or to simply enjoy life. They are modern so all they have is their ah-so-precious selves and anyone who has honestly and philosophically looked at oneself knows what a sad sight that can be- about as sad as some modern art…

3 Kommentare:

Laguna Beach Fogey hat gesagt…

Auberon Waugh, one of my favourites. Have you read, Will This Do? Recommended.

Anonym hat gesagt…

I would love a membership to the London library, it's one of my bolt holes when I feel out of sorts with the world.

v. Braun. hat gesagt…

LBF: thanks for the rec., bought it upon it!

T: I love (the aesthetics of) libraries but I love to actually *own* books, even better ;).