Cultural Amnesia: Notes in the Margin of My Time by Clive James (Picador)

For any historian who is currently being asked what they want for Christmas, Cultural Amnesia by Clive James should be a welcome present, unless of course you've had it already -it came out in 2007.

The book is a large collection of short essays about significant figures of the twentieth century From Anna Akhamatova to Louis Armstrong, from Walter Benjamin to Jorge Luis Borges and so on through the alphabet until we get to the Z section from Aleksandr Zinoviev to Stefan Zweig(?!).

James fights cultural amnesia in two ways:
1. By taking a new look at people we thought we knew about-e.g. Mao, Satre, Tony Curtis, Norman Mailer, in several cases this left me thinking-(and James is very convincing)well if that's the case I've got some re-thinking to do. James is never happy with the popular image-but always wants to look behind the veil.

2. By reminding us of some twentieth century people who were very well known during their lives but have now become obscure-such names as Robert Brasillach and Louis Aragon.


Not only is the writer's breadth of knowledge breathtaking but it is all delivered in his inimitable witty, ultra readable style. Just the thing for after Christmas dinner.

IT'S ONLY WORDS: Tomorrow!

Dear Labbers,

Our next session this term is IT'S ONLY WORDS, and will engage with the burning question: how do you get your work published in an increasingly competitive academic market? Seeing your name in print is always an exciting occasion (unless it's on the front of a bill or a court summons), but to attain that goal can be a long, tedious, and above all, difficult process. Yet it is simply vital if you wish to have a career in academia. Even if you don't, it still looks great on your CV, and is one of the most satisfying personal achievements a historian can have. For all these reasons, it is never too early to start thinking about getting your work out there - whether you're an MA student, research student, or somebody who is plain enthusiastic about historical research.

For this session we are going straight to those with the expertise only years of experience can give you - the people who see hundreds of potential publications, and sort the good from the bad.

Simon Gunn will be known to many of you for his role as Professor of Urban History in the Centre for Urban History. He is also joint-editor of Urban History - one of the relatively few journals rated A in the influential European Reference Index for the Humanities - and so will be talking about how you can get your research in peer-reviewed historical journals.

Also joining us all the way from Manchester will be Emma Brennan, a Commissioning Editor for History, Art History and Design, and Sarah Hunt, an Assistant Editor, to tell us about the daunting process of publishing an academic monograph. Both Emma and Sarah work for Manchester University Press, an international publisher of academic books and journals, and the third biggest university press in the United Kingdom after Oxbridge - so they know their onions.

IT'S ONLY WORDS will be taking place on Friday 19th November in No. 1 Salisbury Road, with tea and cake at 430pm, and the talks to follow at 5pm. This really is one not to miss - you simply cannot get this level of quality advice anywhere else!

History and Icons: Germaine Greer

Last night Germaine Greer was in town as the star turn of Literary Leicester 2010. Her performance was both intellectually engaging and honestly funny. I was left in no doubt that she has earned a place as one of the most iconic thinkers of the last 40 years, with the roots of her commentary historically located in discussions of sexual politics and ‘second wave’ feminism.

Greer has always been at her best as an individualist and perhaps her greatest success is her construction of herself as an iconic woman. Last night, she firmly distanced herself from associations with collective organisation, women’s libbers and ‘angry feminists’. From some of her points, her message sounded like a twenty-first century version of the ‘turn on, tune in, drop out’ hippie politics of the 1960s, which could be construed as politically conservative. But to criticise her on these grounds would miss the point of her work, which has always been very simple, but yet very difficult to put in to practice. At the risk of horribly misquoting her, I think her message is this:

“Women, tell that bloke to shut up, and while you’re at it, tell him why he should shut up.”

This message applies to ‘the bloke’ in the pub trying to chat you up, ‘the bloke’ in office who tries you undermine your work and get you make his tea, and ‘him indoors’ who assumes he knows what your all about.

Behave how you want to behave, not how you’re expected to behave...something easier said than done.

Now, Greer’s comments are located in the hetro-sexual politics of relationships between women and men (and for many historically pertinent reasons, rightly so). None the less, I think everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality, can take something from this message. Greer is urging us all to fight for freedom, everyday and wherever we are, especially those who are not expected to fight.

Below I’ve summarised three of Greer’s most thought provoking points:

NEVER MIND THE (SEXUAL EQUALITY) BOLLOCKS, IT’S ABOUT FREEDOM

Greer suggested that feminism has yet to start because we haven’t decided what we want yet, and that the conflicting messages of the equality-difference debate are proof of this. What’s the point in equality if it doesn’t deliver a better life?

BARBIE IS A FASCIST ICON

The proliferation of images of flawless white female bodies across the globe has had a eugenic effect on ideas of female beauty. This has resulted in women going under the knife to change the shape of their breasts, and facial features to achieve a Western-Barbie-Doll look regardless of their ethnicity.

PORN AND THE FEMALE AUDIENCE

The porn industry is massive and rarely expresses women’s sexual fantasies. Attempts to legislate against it, or campaigns to 'shut it down' in the name of feminism miss the point. If a female readership drove newspaper sales ‘page 3 girls’ would disappear (unless, of course, an important part of female sexuality is based on exhibitionism?). Popular culture usually provides tired representations of various kinds of female sexuality-options. Don’t be one of the Spice Girls, Sex in the City gals, or Desperate Housewives. Think about it and have the kind of sex you want to have, it's an important part of being the person you want to be.

You are all very welcome to argue with me on these points. Indeed Greer herself would probably disagree with how I’ve evaluated her performance. What was great about listening to her though, was that she encouraged me to keep thinking and keep arguing, in a way few academics do. Because she’s a woman...?!