Being serialised on Radio’s Four’s Woman’s Hour in 15 episodes is The Women’s Room, “recently voted in the Top Five Watershed novels” by listeners. And the book that when I read it as a 16-year-old suddenly revealed to me that I was not alone in my discontents at the life being offered to me.
(You can only listen to the last seven days – irritatingly – so you have to keep up!)
Over on My Paris Your Paris I’ve written up my visit to the Musee du quai Branly, the new “ethnographic” institution. The objects are magnificent, the curation astonishingly Neanderthal – indeed that’s being insulting to Neanderthals to suggest it. And watch out for the design – it is a model in how not to construct a public building.
(I’m afraid you’ll have to look at it in page format at the moment – having some technical issues, but hopefully it is fairly readable!)
An example of what can and should be possible, in Germany, where of course the Green Party has enjoyed a lot of influence, 14% of total roofs are “green” roofs – ie covered in vegetation, which has lots of environmental benefits.
“This technology offers us an opportunity to significantly improve not only the way our buildings operate, but to utilize wasted spaces — there are millions of square miles.”
I occasionally find myself biting my tongue when some English person excitedly tells me about their plans to emigrate to Australia. I think I should be pointing them all to this article:
More than 20 per cent of employees work 50 hours or more each week, and more than 30 per cent regularly work on weekends. When these measures of long work hours and weekend work are combined, Australia ranks as the most work-intense high income country. About 2 million people now lose at least six hours of family time to work on Sunday, and those hours are not fully compensated for during the week.
There’s very little “throw another shrimp on the barbie” going on…
Why, oh why? Life’s little mysteries can haunt you. Various sources I’ve read agree that in the 16th and probably early 17th century, drinks were served from a “sideboard” or “press cupboard”, and cups were not placed down on the table. One explanation I’ve read for this was that cups were rinsed between use, but a visit today to the Geffrye Museum came up with another – this was to protect the tablecloth. But really – does that make sense? Before the age of 18th-century politeness, wouldn’t the tablecloth have suffered anyway?
I’ve written up a substantial account of the visit on My London Your London – including a rather nice watering can used for purposes you probably wouldn’t imagine. And Pepys’ curtains.
I also enjoyed an account from Cesar de Saussure in 1726, exclaiming about the cleanliness of London houses, which were washed from top to bottom at least twice a week. And, he noted, kitchen utensils kept scrupolously clean – which does make you wonder what the French were doing at the time. (You can also read his account of highwaymen.)
Interesting other snippet: Between 1709 and 1831, candles were taxed.
The only interior in the building that survives in reasonably original condition is the chapel, which boasts this fine memorial:
The Britblog roundup has gone on a long roadtrip – which hopefully won’t end the same way as Thelma and Louise’s. It will be stopping by here next month, but today getting the engine running smoothly it’s Mr Eugenides, who manages a rather nice Iceland link in there – perhaps a Britblog first?
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