A recent letter by Tony Durham of Brighton passionately defends the traditional paperback format for science fiction. He writes: 'Reading science fiction in hardback just feels wrong. I miss the lurid covers, smudgy print and acidic paper that marked it out as a subversive genre.' Durham treasures his paperbacks not only for the stories but for their imaginative cover art, a sentiment echoed by many readers.
Stalking Horses and Historical Parallels
Helen Cooper from Cambridge recalls a radio commentator who described dissidents as 'waiting in the wings for a stalking horse to test the water with.' This phrase, often used in political contexts, brings a sense of nostalgia for a time when language was more colorful.
William Ward of London draws a striking historical parallel between Vladimir Putin's scaled-back Victory Day parade and Adolf Hitler's torchlight parades in Berlin. 'The appointment of Hitler as chancellor was marked every year by a torchlight parade in Berlin, until it was cancelled in 1940 because it was thought that the RAF might drop bombs on it,' he notes, highlighting the eerie echoes of history.
Opera and Age: Standing Room Only
Kerry Jones from Manchester expresses frustration over the high cost of opera tickets at Aviva Studios. 'Nearly 50 quid a ticket and it’s all standing,' she complains, noting that unlike composer Kip Williams, who was so moved by Angel's Bone that he nearly fell off his chair, audience members cannot share that experience due to the lack of seating.
Denis Beaumont of Wombourne, Staffordshire, shares a humorous anecdote about aging. He received a birthday card from his brother that asked, 'Now you are 60 will you finally accept you are middle-aged?' The inside added, 'So how many 120 year-olds do you know?' A clever reminder that age is relative.
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