Richard Hilary - Last Enemy

Review by Maggie Perkovic on show 9th Dec 2010
THIS IS WHAT I CALL A 'RETRO' BOOK THAT IS IT WAS WRITTEN IN 1942 & REPRINTED IN THE 1950'S & 1990'S.
IT IS A RATTLING GOOD READ. THE STORY IS OF RICHARD HILLARY, A UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO JOINS THE WAR BASICALLY TO FLY, IN FACT HE ARGUES VERY FORCEFULLY WITH HIS COMPATRIOTS ABOUT THEIR SO CALLED PATRIOTISM, POINTING OUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS MORE A MATTER OF ADVENTURE THAN OF BEING A PATRIOT. HE IS A TRUE STUDENT READY TO DISCUSS AT THE DROP OF A HAT WHAT HE THINKS, FEELS, BELIEVES IN ETC. HE IS A GOOD PILOT AND SCORES WELL IN SHOOTING DOWN THE ENEMY FIGHTERS UNTIL HIS LUCK FAILS AND HE IS SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES, ENDING UP IN THE SEA ROUND MARGATE, WHERE THE LIFEBOAT RESCUES HIM AND HE ENDS UP IN THEIR HOSPITAL.
HE IS VERY BADLY BURNT, HIS EYELIDS, HIS HANDS & FACE ALL DESTROYED. HE GOES TO VARIOUS HOSPITALS, IS OPERATED ON BY IAN MACINDOE THE FAMOUS PLASTIC SURGEON AND SUFFERS INCREDIBLY, AS DO LOTS OF OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TOO.
RICHARDS ONE CONCERN IS TO GET BACK TO FLYING AND THAT IS HARD WITH THE STATE OF HIS HANDS. HE FINISHES HIS BOOK WITH A VOW TO WRITE ABOUT THE WAR, ABOUT HIS COMRADES, TO LET THE WORLD KNOW SOMETHING OF THE LIVES OF THESE MEN, THEN HE FEELS HE WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING WORTHWHILE.
SADLY HE DID GET BACK TO OPERATIONAL FLYING AND WAS SHOT DOWN NINE MONTHS LATER. THIS TIME HE DIDN'T SURVIVE.
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK, A CLEVER SUPERIOR SORT OF CHAP, HE WRITES LIKE A GENIUS.
review by Mags

FRANK SINATRA BY RICHARD HAVERS & STRICTLY COME DANCING THE ANNUAL 2010.

review by Mags Perkovic on show 4th Jan 2011
THE BOOK I APPRECIATED MOST IN 2010 WAS WOLF HALL BY HILARY MANTEL.
I HAD TWO BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS, FRANK SINATRA BY RICHARD HAVERS & STRICTLY COME DANCING THE ANNUAL 2010.
'FRANK SINATRA' IS A GREAT RECORD OF SINATRA'S LIFE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT ALSO COVERS STARS OF THAT ERA BOTH ACTING AND SINGING AND DANCING STARS & DISCUSSION OF THE FILMS.
AS WE ALL KNOW SINATRA WAS A ONE OFF. THIS AUTHOR DESCRIBES HIM AS 'GREGARIOUS, LONELY, PROFOUND, LOYAL, RUTHLESS IF CROSSED, EFFERVESCENT, OBSESSIVE, MOBSTER, COMMUNIST, CONSERVATIVE, PREJUDICED, FIGHTER FOR THE DOWNTRODDEN, INTRANSIGENT, QUICK TEMPERED, BRILLIANT, FAMILY MAN......HE WAS ALL OF THOSE THINGS, HE DECIDES, BUT ADD TO THIS HIS TALENT AS THE VOICE. HE IS THE ONLY SINGER I'VE HERD WHO COULD SING A SEMI COLON, I QUOTE, BUT ALSO WHO PUTS SUCH FEELING INTO HIS SONGS. THEY COME ALIVE!
I WAS ASKED ONCE WHY OLD CODGERS LIKE ME SO LIKE FRANKIE "HE WAS PART OF OUR COURTING" I EXPLAIN "ALL OUR BOY FRIENDS TRIED TO SING LIKE HIM AND WE DANCED TO HIM AND ALSO WE SPENT EVENINGS SMOOCHING TO HIM AS HIS VOICE SOON GOT US IN THE MOOD".
HE WAS PART OF OUR GROWING UP AND BECAME PART OF OUR YOUTH AND WE ALL STILL LOVE HIS MEMORY.
HE WAS A MAN!! NOT LIKE THE PATHETIC POP STARS THESE DAYS!!!


STRICTLY ANNUAL
THIS IS THE USUAL HIGHLY COLOURED AND INFORMATIVE COLLECTION OF NEWS ABOUT THE SHOW. YES IT IS GOOD BUT I GET REALLY UPSET AS THE TALENTED ORCHESTRA IS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL, WHILE TO ME THEY ARE THE REAL STARS!!!!!
review by Mags

show 25th June 2009

Guests today were mainly Maggie Perkovic with a little of Jeremy Pearson.
Books being reviewed were:
Wolf by Hilary Mantel, Farewell to the Eastend by Jennifer Worth &
Fooled by Randomness" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Looking at the Richard & Judy shortlisted summer reads, the winner voted for by you the public.
Also, we were being listened to by my brudder in de Emerald Isle.