Toronto is often considered one of the most exciting metropolitan cities in Canada. Consequently, finding cheap hotels in Toronto can be a difficult task. Tourists and visitors from across the nation come to the city in order to take part in this vibrant atmosphere. The city houses the Toronto Stock Exchange, which in turn influences the financial status of the entire country. The Toronto International Film Festival attracts the most glamorous North American and International celebrities. The multiculturalism of the city also allows for one of the most diverse culinary and artistic experiences in any international city. Because there is so much variety in Toronto, there are hotels that can be found at a reasonable price. Here are some ways to find cheap accommodations in the city.

For those who are students or are travelling on a budget, a hostel is an excellent option. Most people who stay in Toronto are not interested in staying in their rooms the entire time. They are looking for clean and sanitary accommodations that will house their luggage and provide them with a good night’s rest. This is why staying at cheap hotels in Toronto is so ideal. Hostels are usually a very safe place to store one’s valuables. For those who are sharing suites, there are normally lockers that are made available for a small price. The rates at these facilities are often extremely economical, with some places charging as low at $15 per evening. Staying at cheap hotels in Toronto also allows people to spend more on food and shopping during their trip.

A person should also look at the internet when searching for reasonable accommodations. Many cheap hotels in Toronto will have official websites that list the types of rooms available and the rates charged per night. Most of these websites will also list the location’s proximity to the main attractions in the city. Generally, the closer a hotel is to downtown, the more expensive the nightly rates will be. Many cheap hotels in Toronto will offer deals and discounts to people who book online in order to attract more customers. This is a great way to find cheap rates on good accommodations.

Finding reasonable rates in one of Canada’s epicenters is therefore very possible. A person needs to look at all of the options that are available in order to find cheap hotels in Toronto. A person can either look at youth hostels or at deals that are available online. Finding a location that is outside of downtown is also very ideal. A terrific vacation awaits for those people who are willing to put in the effort to find excellently priced accommodations.

If you are looking to travel to an exotic country rich in history and culture, Italy is one destination you won’t want to miss. Never before has a culture so influenced mankind all over the world. All you have to do is look at Leonardo Da Vinci and the Sistine chapel, or take a bite of pasta or pizza made with rich Italian olive oil, or just glance up at the Roman ruins, a vestige of the great Roman empire to see what a fantastic travel destination Italy truly is. After all, how can you go wrong with the birthplace of the Renaissance? If you haven’t yet visited Italy, it’s probably because you think a vacation like that would be too expensive. That’s not the case, however, when you know how to find cheap hotels in Italy that will allow you to save your hard earned money to better enjoy yourself when you finally get there.

Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy filled with culture, heritage and architecture that will stun and mesmerize any visitor. There is the Colosseum to see where the gladiators fought, the Trevi Fountain to make your wish come true, the Pantheon to see the temple built for the pagan gods, the Vatican Museums to see the Sistine Chapel, and so much more! So why waste your money on an expensive hotel when you could be buying souvenirs or going on tours? There is the Melia Roma Aurelia Antica, the Hotel Bolivar, and The Bailey’s Hotel, all between 50 and 75 Euros a night if you use Trav.com! This is a great deal for good quality, cheap hotels in Italy!

Venice is also one of those cities that will absolutely take your breath away. Visitors can take a gondola trip down the famous Grand Canal or walk through St. Mark’s Square to see the center of the city or to feed the many pigeons that occupy the area. There are so many activities to do once you are in Venice that you want to save all the money you can so that you can do as many of them as possible. So as far as cheap hotels in Italy go, there is the Hotel La Meridiana, the Hotel Villa Odino, and the Elite Hotel Residence, all for under 50 Euros a night with Trav.com. Any of these hotels would easily fit into a budget holiday to Italy and would provide comfort and relaxation after a long day of sightseeing.

No one can go to Italy and not visit the beautiful and historical city of Florence. It is steeped in history and architecture that you have to see to believe. While there, any visitor has to see Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in Italy, and to pay respects at Michelangelo’s and Dante’s tomb. Visitors should also the Baptistery of John the Baptist and the Piazza della Signoria, the most famous square in Florence, to see a copy of Michelangelo’s David. When there are such stunning places to visit, the last thing a tourist should worry about if finding a quality, cheap hotel in Italy. To help with a budget friendly trip, there is the Hotel Il Cigno, the Hotel Ritz, and the Best Western Hotel Palazzo Ognissanti, for under 50 Euros a night! These are great places to find cheap hotels in Italy!

So if you are going to Italy soon and do not want to throw away your money on expensive hotels, then check out any of the cheap hotels in Italy that will fit right into your budget holiday!

A cheap hotel is not necessarily a bad hotel, and sometimes a traveler can find a great bargain on a hotel that is one of the best in town. Many travelers get on a train, plane or bus for business, education or romance. Some people are great tourists who want to see as much of the world as possible. Most of the people in need of a hotel are looking for a comfortable place to stay while away from home. These people do not usually pick a hotel because it is expensive. They pick their hotel because they expect that it will have comfortable beds and good restaurants.

Almost everyone looks for a hotel that is reasonably priced, and most travelers are quite happy if they can find a cheap hotel. The number one reason that people pick a hotel is for cleanliness. They do not want to use a toilet that is not clean because other people that they do not know have used it. They want a hotel that has clean linens and carpeting on the floor. If travelers can find cheap hotels that are clean and tidy, the travelers will probably have a much better time on their trip.

Some Hotel Chains Are Known for their Cheap Hotels

Some hotel chains are successful because they provide cheap hotels that are clean and tidy. The travelers know the reputations of the hotel chains, and they tend to book rooms with a chain of hotels because they know that the prices are good and the places are clean. These chains that provide cheap hotels know that they will lose customers if people find out that they have dirty accommodations. The cheap hotel chains usually have a string of hotels across the country and around the world.

Travelers can stay at a cheap hotel from a certain chain in London or Los Angeles. They know that this chain of hotels has a reputation, and that they will probably live up to this reputation whether the hotel is in Paris or Phoenix. The cheap hotels are usually quite comfortable although they are not luxurious. The hotels have beds that are comfortable and restaurants with great food. Cheap hotels can be booked through a travel agency. There are several online services that can provide rates from several cheap hotels in one city for comparison. These services often have accurate photos of the facilities on the website.


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The Black Prince (disambiguation)

Black Prince or The Black Prince may refer to:

Personal nicknames
 Edward, the Black Prince, English prince in the Middle Ages
 Naresuan, King of Siam
 Junio Valerio Borghese, Italian noble and military leader
 Kostas Davourlis, Greek footballer
 Robby Robinson (bodybuilder)
 Peter Jackson (boxer), 19th century bare-knuckle boxer
 Radu Negru, a legendary Romanian ruler also known as Negru Vodă (“Black Prince”)
 Charles Haughey, former Taoiseach of Ireland was known as "The Black Prince of Irish politics"

In the military
 HMS Black Prince, various ships of the Royal Navy
 , a class of 4 sailing ships of the Royal Navy
 The British merchantman Black Prince, converted to the man-of-war USS Alfred (1774)
 Black Prince, original name of the USS Warrick (AKA-89), an attack cargo ship
 Black Prince (tank), a development of the Churchill tank

Vehicles
 Black Prince, a GWR 3031 Class Great Western Railway locomotive between 1891 and 1915
 Black Prince, a Standard Class 9F steam locomotive built for British Rail in 1959, named after preservation in 1967
 Black Prince, a Standard Class 7 steam locomotive built for British Railways in April 1951
 Black Prince, British proposed civilian rocket
 Black Prince (ship), Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship
 Black Prince (car), British cyclecar made only in 1920
 Black Prince, car made in small numbers by Invicta (car) between 1946 and 1950
 Vincent Black Prince, British motorcycle

In entertainment
 The Black Prince (play), English Restoration era historical tragedy
 The Dark Avenger (1955 film), where Errol Flynn plays Edward, the Black Prince
 The Black Prince (novel), by Iris Murdoch
 The Black Prince (film), a 2017 film
 Alias of Lelouch Lamperouge, a character in the anime Code Geass
 In the musical Elisabeth, the song "Black Prince" (Schwarzer Prinz) is sung by the character of Elisabeth, in reference to Death (Der Tod), after he spares her life when Elisabeth suffers a fatal accident

Other uses
 Black Prince Mountain, in Canada
 Mount Black Prince (disambiguation), two mountains, one in Canada, the other in Antarctica
 Psaltoda plaga, Australian species of cicada
 Rohana parisatis, Asian species of butterfly
 Cinsaut, a red wine grape also known as Black Prince
 Trollinger, a German/Italian wine grape that is also known as Black Prince
 Black Prince, a common cultivar of heirloom tomato
 Black Prince Buses, a former bus operating company in England
 Black Prince, Bexley, a hotel and former live music venue in the London Borough of Bexley
 De Swarte Prinsch (), a windmill in Tytsjerk, Friesland, the Netherlands

See also
 Alphonse Gangitano, Italian-Australian gangster nicknamed the "Black Prince of Lygon Street"
 Maharaja Dalip Singh, nicknamed "Black Prince of Perthshire" during his exile in Britain


While injuries were making it difficult for the U.S. men's basketball team to set its roster, the rest of the medal hopeful countries began playing tournament games or otherwise preparing for pool play.

The final teams were placed via the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and the pool summaries were updated as winners advanced.

None of these teams figure to survive to the medal games, but they will make pool play interesting.

The other big question from the international teams was the status of Tony Parker. He was cleared to join Team France for the Olympics.

Almost anything can happen once play begins, but with rosters determined, it is time to predict the outcome of pool play and the medal winners.

Pool A

This pool is definitely the most competitive. It features three medal favorites in the U.S., France and Argentina, along with a decent Tunisia club.

Pool A also houses the top two qualifiers from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Nigeria and Lituania. One of those is likely to advance beyond pool play, and figures to be Lithuania despite a loss to Nigeria in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Some have called this an unfortunate draw for the American entry, but there is another perspective.

The U.S. team is just being finalized and will come out of its camp with very little experience as a unit in international competition. Tough matchups in their pool will help the Americans prepare for the finals bracket.

There is virtually no risk that Team USA won't survive pool play. Even if it falters in pool play, it will have a decent seed in the medal brackets. The improved competition will make the team more battle-tested and should have it playing better basketball when the games that matter begin.

Pool B

While not nearly as dominant as the other pool, there are still a few quality teams in Pool B. Spain was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and should breeze through pool play.

The group also includes China, less the retired Yao Ming, and an Australian team that will be hobbled without Andrew Bogut, who is recovering from ankle surgery. Great Britain could advance to the medal bracket.

Pool B was an ideal spot for a team from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament to sneak into the bracket rounds. Expect Russia to be competitive.

Projected Standings

Pool A

W-L

Pool B

W-L

USA

5-0

Spain

5-0

France

4-1

Australia

3-2

Argentina

3-2

Brazil

3-2

Lituania

2-3

Russia

2-3

Nigeria

1-4

Great Britain

2-3

Tunisia

0-5

China

0-5

The top four teams in each pool qualify for the medals bracket. Expectations place three Pool A teams into the semifinals, with Spain the only surviving team from Pool B.

This would set up matches between the USA and Argentina in one semifinal, with France and Spain playing in the other.

The two winners meet and play for gold and silver, while the two teams that lose the semifinal matchups will compete in the bronze medal game.

UPDATE

As projected, Russia and Lithuania won their semifinal games. Russia was fortunate to be placed in Pool B, with Nigeria and Lithuania being placed in Pool A. This will make for a very challenging schedule headed into bracket play.

Bronze Medal Game: Argentina vs. Spain

Spain will have too much for Argentina in this matchup. They will pair Pau and Marc Gasol with other NBA greats, such as Serge Ibaka, Rudy Fernández and José Calderón.

Manu Ginóbili and Andrés Nocioni won't have the defense or firepower to keep them in this game. It won't be a blowout, but Argentina won't be able to challenge them, either.

Gold Medal Game: USA vs. France

The semifinal matchup between France and Spain could be one of the best in the tournament. While tough to call, the nod will go to Parker and his French teammates. The aforementioned quality of Pool A will better prepared them for the medal round and give them one more shot at the U.S.

Team USA will simply be too deep for France, though. The Americans are assembling an all-star cast despite injury issues, and the best chance for an international team to beat a U.S. team led by coach Mike Krzyzewski is to assemble a group of international all-stars.

Gone are the days of Americans overlooking their competition and being more concerned with their hotel rooms than their play. They will play a disciplined game in London and repeat as Olympic champions.


Business, adventure, culture, and food are a few of the top reasons to plan your next trip to London. The magical and charming London is home to various top hotels that will make your stay comforting so you could enjoy your journey in the best possible way.

If you are looking for cheap hotels in London or Heathrow, we at hotel4u will help you find the best one that suits your requirements. From exclusive deals and offers to discount, we have got you all covered. Hotel4u also includes the best hotels in Heathrow, quickly book your favorite hotel, and enjoy your trip!


New Sunday service between Leeds Bradford and Glasgow Airport

Flybe franchise partner Loganair to launch new Sunday service between Leeds Bradford and Glasgow Airport

Scotland’s airline Loganair will launch the first Sunday service between Leeds Bradford and Glasgow International Airport this weekend.

The Glasgow-based airline, which celebrates 50 years of business in 2012, currently operates a twice a day service, Monday through Friday, between Leeds Bradford Airport and Glasgow.

Flybe franchise partner Loganair took over the Leeds Bradford to Glasgow route from BMI Regional in May this year, and the service is proving to be extremely popular with business users travelling in both directions.

Loganair’s Sunday service will not only give business users the option of travelling well in advance of a busy working week, it is hoped the flights will also be used by leisure customers looking for a weekend get-away in Leeds or Glasgow.

Phil Preston, Loganair chief operating officer, said:

We are delighted to be able to add an additional Sunday service on the Leeds Bradford to Glasgow route.

We have been really impressed with our passenger numbers since we took over the original weekday services earlier this year, and decided to introduce the additional Sunday flights to offer both our business and leisure users even greater connectivity from two of Britain’s most popular gateway destinations.

The Sunday service, operated by one of Loganair’s 34-seat Saab 340 aircraft, will depart from Glasgow at 5.15pm, arriving at Leeds Bradford Airport at 6.20pm. The flight from Leeds Bradford will leave at 6.50pm and land in Glasgow at 7.55pm.

Glasgow is also billed as Britain’s top shopping destination outside London’s West End and features some of the best restaurants and hotels in the country. The city also hosts premier events annually including Piping Live, the Glasgow Comedy Festival and world-famous Celtic Connections.

Tony Hallwood, Leeds Bradford Airport’s commercial director, said:

I am delighted that the schedule is already proving attractive to both business and leisure traffic and that a new Sunday service is therefore being introduced.

It is important that business links between these regions are maintained and developed.

For those passengers flying to West Yorkshire, there is an equally diverse array of attractions and events on offer on the other side of the border.

The Sunday service will also allow ramblers from both areas to enjoy the great outdoors at two of Europe’s most visited national parks in the Yorkshire Dales and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.


A new wave of apartment blocks is springing up in the UK with shared facilities for renters. Is the future build-to-rent hotel-style housing?

For millennials struggling to get on the housing ladder, is this the shape of living in the future? Developers across the UK are building “co-living” blocks for rental only, promising fully-furnished apartments, a “professional” landlord, and round-the-clock concierges.

Many have spacious communal lounges, rooftop gardens and gyms. Angus Dodd, the chief executive of Quintain, which is behind a project in Wembley, north-west London, says: “It is a hotel-style service for long-term renters.”

Usually the rent includes utility bills and wifi, and many of the rental management companies have scrapped letting fees and deposits. In total, the number of new-build rental units completed or under construction is 50,000 across the UK.

For many, it will be the next logical step from a university hall of residence as they settle into their first job. For the companies behind it – such as pensions firm Legal & General – it promises safe and steady returns for their investors.

But there are drawbacks. The rents, while all inclusive, are often high, especially in London. Would you pay £1,200 to £1,400 a month for a studio flat in outer London? While living in these apartments, many millennials are likely to find it tough to save for a deposit on a house purchase while paying such high rents.

Many people will love the concept of co-living, but others might see it as a “kidult” community of young adults not properly growing up.

Simon Nosworthy, the head of residential property at Osbornes Law, is sceptical that co-living will necessarily foster a genuine community spirit. “It could be a soulless co-living space and may feel like living in a hostel or hotel rather than a home – a transient space where people are going to be passing in and out.”

So what’s on offer in the new world of corporate-built co-living spaces?

Wembley Park, London

The UK’s biggest build-to-rent development, with 5,000 rental homes managed by Tipi, is Wembley Park, beside Wembley stadium in north-west London. The newest building, Landsby, features Scandinavian-style interiors kitted out by Samsung and John Lewis.

The apartments are reasonably sized, from 39 sq metres for a studio and 52 sq metres for a one-bed flat to 90 sq metres for a three-bed. Monthly rents in the Landsby building start at £1,450 for a studio and £1,590 for a one-bedroom flat, and go up to £2,200 for a two-bed and £3,000 for a three-bed.

Slate Yard, Salford

Built by the insurance firm Legal & General, Slate Yard in Salford has 225 rental homes of good sizes, from 41.8 sq metres to 86 sq metres. Rents range from £895 a month for a one-bed to £1,800 for a three-bed.

The residents lounge offers free coffee and tenants are encouraged to paint their flats. Slate Yard along with L&G’s 10 other developments around the country offer six-month to five-year leases with annual CPI inflation-linked rental increases capped at 5%.

East Village and Elephant Central, London

East Village in Stratford, east London, is the former Olympic athletes’ quarters, which were turned into 2,800 homes. Rents range from £1,690 for a one-bed with an average size of 40.8 sq metres to £2,686 for a 92.4 sq metre three-bed. At Elephant Central, there are 374 flats across three buildings where rents start at £1,820 for a one-bed, £2,231 for a two-bed and £3,683 for a three-bed.

Skyline II, Manchester

Skyline II in Manchester boasts a 20m rooftop swimming pool, Jacuzzi and winter garden. The company behind it, the property asset manager Long Harbour, claims its 129 apartments offer the standard of a five-star hotel.

One-bed flats cost between £950 and £1,050 to rent, while two-beds are between £1,150 and £1,350.

Lansdowne, Birmingham

Long Harbour’s other developments, The Lansdowne in Birmingham with 206 rental homes and The Wullcomb in Leicester with 297 flats, are due to open next year. Rents at the Lansdowne range from £855 for a one-bed flat to £1,200 for a two-bed. The Wullcomb will be cheaper at £700 for a one-bed to £1,000 for a two-bed.

Vivahouse modules

Rajdeep Gahir, a former banker who used to work for the US shared workspace firm WeWork, has teamed up with the architect Dara Huang to set up Vivahouse. They have designed room modules whose panels fit in a lift and can be put together within hours in existing spaces, such as empty office buildings.

The rooms will measure just 8.5 sq metres to 12 sq metres, but Gahir says they have been cleverly designed to accommodate a flip double bed, desk and wardrobe and have been sound-proofed. Residents – typically 20- to-30-year-old graduates – will share bathrooms, kitchens and lounges in a 30-room Vivahouse.

Rooms can be rented from one night up to three months, for £900-plus a month. “This is for generation move,” says Gahir.


I’ve always assumed that Putin’s KGB (now called the FSB) killed Alexander Litvinenko.

But today’s announcement by the British that Putin “probably” approved Litvinenko’s murder made me curious enough to take a look for myself.

Initially, Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium as he sipped tea in an upscale London hotel. The report makes it sound like only Russia had access to polonium, but it’s actually available online to anyone.

Antiwar notes:

If the Russians wanted to off Litvinenko, why would they poison him with a substance that left a radioactive trail traceable from Germany to Heathrow airport – and, in the process, contaminating scores of hotel rooms, offices, planes, restaurants, and homes? Why not just put a bullet through his head? It makes no sense. But then conspiracy theories don’t have to make sense: they just have to take certain assumptions all the way to their implausible conclusions. If one starts with the premise that Putin and the Russians are a Satanic force capable of anything, and incompetent to boot, then it’s all perfectly “logical” – in the Bizarro World, at any rate. The idea that Litvinenko was a dangerous opponent of the Russian government who had to be killed because he posed a credible threat to the existence of the regime is laughable: practically no one inside Russia knew anything about him, and as for his crackpot “truther” theories about how Putin was behind every terrorist attack ever carried out within Russia’s borders – to assert that they had any credence outside of the Western media echo chamber is a joke. *** The meat of the matter – the real “evidence” – is hidden behind a veil of secrecy. Lord Owen’s inquiry was for the most part conducted in secret closed hearings, with testimony given by anonymous witnesses, and this is central to the “evidence” that is supposed to convict Kovtun, Lugovoy, and the Russian government. Lord Owen, explains it this way: “Put very shortly, the closed evidence consists of evidence that is relevant to the Inquiry, but which has been assessed as being too sensitive to put into the public domain. The assessment that the material is sufficiently sensitive to warrant being treated as closed evidence in these proceedings has been made not by me, but by the Home Secretary. She has given effect to this decision by issuing a number of Restriction Notices, which is a procedure specified in section 19 of the Inquiries Act 2005. The Restriction Notices themselves, although not, of course, the sensitive documents appended to them, are public documents. They have been published on the Inquiry website and are also to be found at Appendix 7 to this Report.” In other words, the “evidence” is not for us ordinary mortals to see. We just have to take His Lordship’s word for it that the Russian government embarked on an improbable assassination mission against a marginal figure that reads like something Ian Fleming might have written under a pseudonym.

So who killed Litvinenko ?

Well, Mario Scaramella met with Litvinenko during the meal when Litvinenko was poisoned. Scaramella didn’t eat or drink a thing during the lunch, and then himself came down with a mild case of polonium poisoning.

La Republica (one of Italy’s largest newspapers) wrote in 2006 (English translation) that Scaramella was a bad guy who may have worked with the CIA:

Mario Scaramella is suspected of arms trafficking. Earlier this year, the public prosecutor of Naples has written for this offense to the docket and, soon after, had to stop the investigation. [He was convicted in Italy for selling arms (original Italian).] *** Sources found to be very credible by the prosecutor recalled that investigators suspected that Scaramella was actually in close relationship, if not actually working for, the CIA and that his ECPP could be a front company of the agency’s Langley.

Antiwar notes:

As I pointed out here: “Litvinenko was an employee of exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky – whose ill-gotten empire included a Russian syndicate of car-dealerships that had more than a nodding acquaintance with the Chechen Mafia – but was being slowly cut out of the money pipeline. Big-hearted Boris, who had initially put him on the payroll as anti-Putin propagandist, was evidently getting sick of him, and the out-of-work “dissident” was reportedly desperate for money. Litvinenko had several “ business meetings ” with Lugovoi in the months prior to his death, and, according to this report , he hatched a blackmail scheme targeting several well-known Russian tycoons and government officials.” Indeed, Litvinenko, in the months before his death, had targeted several well-known members of the Russian Mafia with his blackmail scheme. That they would take umbrage at this is hardly shocking.

Alternatively, Litvinenko may actually have accidentally poisoned himself. Antiwar again:


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London has been ranked the number one destination on earth, ahead of rivals such as New York, Paris and Rome, by the world’s biggest travel website.

The sought-after top rating on Trip-Advisor was awarded after analysis of millions of visitor reviews of restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions.

The capital jumped from sixth place in previous years and is above, in order of rank, Istanbul, Marrakech and Paris. New York, the city London is most often compared with, came ninth.

It is now the first destination to have been top-ranked twice on TripAdvisor, having also led the list in 2012.

The number of overseas visitors to the capital has soared since the 2012 Olympics, reaching a record 17.4 million in 2014, making it the city most visited by international travellers.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: “London is undoubtedly the cultural capital of the world thanks to our iconic attractions, buzzing entertainment scene and amazing museums and galleries.

“Coupled with our abundance of top-notch hotels and restaurants offering every cuisine one’s taste buds could desire, it is no wonder London has been named the best travel destination.

It is an incredibly dynamic city with something for everyone.” The TripAdvisor figures, for 2015, also showed the capital was the most searched for destination on the site.

Scenic London 8 show all Scenic London 1/8 Central London is viewed from Richmond Park, some eight miles away Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 2/8 The sun rises over London pictured from a snow-dusted Alexandra Palace Paul Gilham/Getty Images 3/8 The Houses of Parliament and the London Eye squeeze themselves into this iconic snap of central London Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 4/8 South London's Brockwell Park offers a lesser known perspective on the towering skysrapers of Canary Wharf Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 5/8 The green of Primrose Hill blends into London's eve-changing skyline Warrick Page/Getty Images 6/8 Red London buses trundle across Waterloo Bridge Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images 7/8 Rewarding views are gained from one of the capital's latest transport innovations, the Emirates Air Line cable car Scott Heavey/Getty Images 8/8 Lush green on the undulating slopes of Richmond Hill foregrounds perhaps London's most bucolic scene Heathcliff O'Malley/REX 1/8 Central London is viewed from Richmond Park, some eight miles away Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 2/8 The sun rises over London pictured from a snow-dusted Alexandra Palace Paul Gilham/Getty Images 3/8 The Houses of Parliament and the London Eye squeeze themselves into this iconic snap of central London Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 4/8 South London's Brockwell Park offers a lesser known perspective on the towering skysrapers of Canary Wharf Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 5/8 The green of Primrose Hill blends into London's eve-changing skyline Warrick Page/Getty Images 6/8 Red London buses trundle across Waterloo Bridge Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images 7/8 Rewarding views are gained from one of the capital's latest transport innovations, the Emirates Air Line cable car Scott Heavey/Getty Images 8/8 Lush green on the undulating slopes of Richmond Hill foregrounds perhaps London's most bucolic scene Heathcliff O'Malley/REX

It attracted far more reviews than anywhere else, with just over one million, up 43 per cent on 2014.

New York received just over 680,000 reviews. The average rating for London hotels was 3.996 out of 5, while for restaurants it was 4.013 and for attractions 4.404.

Belgravia had the highest average Trip- Advisor rating for restaurants, Spitalfields for attractions, and Westminster for hotels.

Top-rated restaurant was The Five Fields in Chelsea and number-one attraction was the London Eye.

The top ten London Istanbul Marrakech Paris New York Siem Reap Prague Rome Hanoi Ubud

Jonathan Raggett, managing director of Red Carnation, which owns top-rated boutique Hotel 41 near Buckingham Palace, said: “Doing well on TripAdvisor is the ultimate accolade because it’s based on people spending their own money and giving their opinion on how we’re taking care of them.”

He said London’s great strength was its ability to constantly reinvent itself, and 2016 already was shaping up to be a bumper year, with major exhibitions planned at cultural venues such as the V&A and British Museum.

Hannah Boulton, spokeswoman for the British Museum, said visitor numbers were running ahead of last year, when a record of 6.9 million was set.

London’s profile was boosted last year by the birth of Princess Charlotte, the Rugby World Cup and blockbuster shows such as Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, the most successful exhibition in the history of the V&A.

Visitor numbers are expected to hit another high this year with events such as the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations and West End show Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.

TripAdvisor’s top 10 was rounded off by Siem Reap, near Angkor Wat in Cambodia (number five), Prague (six), Rome (seven), Hanoi (eight), and Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali (10).


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Ask HN: Please review Twollars - eisokant

Dear HN Members,
I've been here on HN for almost a year now and time and time again I see the most valuable comments come by on Ask HN Review posts. To be honest, they are by far my favorites.
I am very happy to now be posting my own. Last month my co-founder and I launched Twollars. Twollars is a Twitter thank you currency. Simply by tweeting "Give 5 Twollars @username" - there is no registration - you can send Twollars to someone. (You can also use any of the other commands - here is a list on our Wiki with all the commands we are experimenting with: http://thinktank.twollars.com/wiki/71163)
Where we hope to do a lot of good is by allowing people to donate their Twollars to a charity. The charity in turn is sponsored by a company who pledges to donate the real amount in hard currency.
We are also very close to launching multi-currencies. Which will allow anyone on Twitter to start their own currency. The thoughts behind this are to allow people to setup their own community currency (similar to many open money concepts that are being tried).
URL: http://Twollars.com
Any feedback is really appreciated!
Thank you so much,
Eiso & Mac
======
SingAlong
Eiso,

Twollars is a cool idea. How do you bridge the thing? Real money vs Twollar
money. I mean, do you actually donate money when someone donates money? or is
it just a service where you allow others collect donations?

P.S: I've been noticing you've been using using Twollars a lot yourself. Did
you launch it from a cafe? I think I saw a pic of you in a green shirt and a
laptop :) I've been spying on Twollars for a while LOL :)

~~~
eisokant
Hey Akash,

The way it works is that companies who are interested in donation money to a
charity and getting visibility on Twitter can chose to sponsor a charity. So
then if for example a 1000 Twollars are donated, the company sponsoring the
charity will donate a $1000 Dollars.

Yup, I had launched it from a netbook in a hotel lobby/restaurant in London
since I was traveling at the time and we really wanted to get it out there
(someone posted a Twitpic of that). It was a great experience and got to meet
up with some great people via Twitter. One guy even found a problem in the
code and averted disaster.

All the best,

Eiso

~~~
Angostura
OK, so the actual transaction here, isn't Twitter users donating to the
charity, it's Twitter users donating publicity to a company which is donating
to charity - correct?

------
Tichy
Cool - I recently thought about the same thing, when I wondered what happened
to "kudos". Hope it works out for you - the idea with the charities is great!

------
michaelfidler
Eiso mentioned you but I never made the connection. It's a great idea! I work
with a few charities who are looking to leverage social media to help them
through these tough times. I need to talk with one of you about this more. BTW
I know I don't comment here often, but I read you posts regularly and share
your link's as well. Congrats, I have a feeling this is going to take off.

~~~
eisokant
Sounds great! Just drop me a mail at eiso@twollars.com

~~~
michaelfidler
I will in a couple of days. I would love to be able to mention it at their
next meeting. I'll fill you in with all the details! BTW, I love this blog

------
vaksel
whats stopping the Charity-Water to make a fake twitter account and do Give
1000000 Twollars @username.

Also, you need to give an incentive for the businesses to use this, instead of
sending the $$$ directly. For that you'll need to build up your core group of
users, and then tweet stuff like "IBM has donated $15,000USD to _____ Charity
thanks to your efforts"

~~~
eisokant
Every Twitter account has a starting balance of 50 Twollars. So if you would
tweet that - you would get a message saying you don't have sufficient balance.

The incentive for the businesses is exactly what you're mentioning - the
visibility on Twitter.

------
chiffonade
You're using the @ symbol incorrectly.


LONDON (Reuters) - Some of the biggest names in rock have banded together to form a new supergroup. They call it Chickenfoot, a name they readily admit is “silly.”

Chickenfoot band members (L-R) Chad Smith, Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony pose for photographs at the Metrapolitan hotel in London June 25, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

While the name may not be to everyone’s taste, Van Halen veterans Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani rose high in the U.S. charts with their eponymous debut album this month.

“We called ourselves Chickenfoot as a kind of a joke, and people started digging it, and so Chad’s going, ‘Let’s start a real band’,” Hagar said during a boisterous interview with the band in London, where they performed during a European tour.

“Joe had a band called the Squares -- all of a sudden Chickenfoot sounded like a really good name,” Hagar joked.

Hagar and Anthony used to jam together at Hagar’s club in Mexico, and when Smith joined them, they gelled. Smith, who still plays for the Chili Peppers, suggested forming a group, and Satriani was invited as the final piece in the jigsaw.

The four members of Chickenfoot have sold tens of millions of records and played thousands of gigs between them over the years, but the childlike enthusiasm for their latest venture comes from starting all over again.

“We’re a new band, even though we’ve got names, we’ve all been in other bands,” Hagar told Reuters. “So we have to kind of let the world know who Chickenfoot is, I think.”

Bass player Anthony added that he took exception to the term “supergroup.”

“For me, when I hear the name supergroup I think of some pre-fab type of thing ... If the chemistry is not there you can be the best musicians, best players there are, it’s not going to come out the way I think this came out.

Slideshow ( 2 images )

“This was born out of friendship, it was more organic in that sense.”

The band has played a series of small gigs in the United States before flying to Europe for a tour, and returns to North America winding up its travels at the end of September.

“We’re a new band and when you’re a new band you start and play clubs and you play to your fans,” said Smith. “We’re not playing stuff from Van Halen, or Joe, or Chili Peppers, we’re just playing Chickenfoot.”

CHART SUCCESS

Chickenfoot’s debut album, released earlier in June, opened at No. 4 in the U.S. pop chart and No. 1 in the independent music chart. It maintained its position in the main chart the following week before slipping to No. 7 in the latest list.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been up in that territory, above the clouds,” said Satriani, who is embroiled in a copyright infringement suit with British band Coldplay over its hit single “Viva La Vida.”

According to band manager Mick Brigden, U.S. album sales totaled around 180,000 in the first three weeks, around one quarter of which were bought digitally, suggesting a younger, technology-savvie audience.

“A lot of times, before a record comes out, there are projections about who your audience is and where you’re going to see sales, so that was a great surprise because it means that we are appealing to truly a broad audience,” said Smith.

The quartet confirmed that it planned to tour and record together again in the future, although Smith would have to juggle Chickenfoot and Chili Peppers commitments.

“I am in this other group called the Red Hot Chili Peppers, great band, love ‘em, nice bunch of fellas’, play some good music. So I’m going to go back and do that.”


7th Empire Awards

The 7th Empire Awards ceremony, presented by the British film magazine Empire, honored the best films of 2001 and took place on 5 February 2002 at The Dorchester Hotel in London, England. During the ceremony, Empire presented Empire Awards in eight categories as well as three honorary awards. The honorary Independent Spirit Award was first introduced this year. English comedian Phill Jupitus hosted the show for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Moulin Rouge! were tied for most awards won with three awards apiece. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring won the award for Best Film, while Moulin Rouge! won the award for Best Director for Baz Luhrmann. Other winners included Bridget Jones's Diary who won the award for Best British Film and Enigma with one award apiece. Michael Mann received the Empire Inspiration Award, Christopher Lee received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Alejandro Amenábar received the Independent Spirit Award for The Others.

Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Multiple awards
The following two films received multiple awards:

Multiple nominations
The following 11 films received multiple nominations:

References

External links

Category:Empire Award ceremonies
Category:2001 film awards
Category:2002 in British cinema
Category:2002 in London
Category:February 2002 events in the United Kingdom
Category:2000s in the City of Westminster


• Bellew: ‘He wants to punch every single tooth out of my head’ • Haye: ‘The pressure has got to him – he’s starting to crack’

Away from their ritual pre-fight shove for the TV cameras at a London hotel on Thursday, a more considered Tony Bellew paused to observe that, for all the insults and mind games, he expects David Haye to “go down swinging” when they meet again on Saturday night.

Bellew, a slight favourite, does not like the one-time playboy, of whom he says: “I just don’t like the look of him, I just want to punch him in the face and he wants to punch every single tooth out of my head.”

He also recognises beating Haye again will be every bit as tough as it was in March last year, “because he’s a fighter at heart”.

David Haye has one last chance to win back fans against Tony Bellew | Kevin Mitchell Read more

That might have been the extent of the public respect between the Liverpudlian, who is happy to lampoon himself as “the big, fat Scouser”, and the unusually subdued Haye but they know their return to the O2 Arena could be hellish for both of them.

Bellew, two years younger at 35, capitalised on Haye’s snapped achilles in the first fight, leaving him tangled and incapacitated on the bottom rung in the 11th round, a sight disturbing enough for Shane McGuigan, his trainer of only three fights, to throw in the towel.

Haye and McGuigan split soon afterwards and he has been training for several months with the revered Cuban Ismael Salas, who guided Félix Savón Jr to the pinnacle of the amateur game.

As for their post-interview spat, when Bellew shoved Haye in the face‑off – and the promoter, Eddie Hearn, even looked as if he were about to get involved – Haye said: “I’ve looked at the video of it and he’s got his head in my face and then he pushed me in the neck.

“The pressure has got to him. I think he’s starting to crack. He wasn’t getting what he wanted from his verbal assaults, arguing over the most trivial things that have got no bearing on a boxing match. He was just saying stuff to try to wind me up. He’s a strange fella.”

Bellew, an artfully argumentative character, saw the handbaggery differently, of course. “He just got too close to me,” he said. “He put his forehead on me and, if I’d stayed where I was, we would have kissed. It’s not that kind of party.

“Once I felt his breath on me, I had to remove him from the area. Listen, it was a shove. Don’t make a big deal out of it. The only thing he will have learned from that is, don’t get too close to me.”

They will get uncomfortably close in the ring, with a lot of unfinished business to attend to. They should have met in December but Haye fell down some stairs and injured himself for the umpteenth time away from the ring in a career bedevilled by such incidents. Bellew, whose brother-in-law had died shortly beforehand, described the year as “the worst of my life”.

So each arrives with baggage and they displayed much of it in their final press conference before a fight Haye has to win to stay in boxing and Bellew promises will be “a war”.

There is hardly a heavyweight bout in history that has not been burdened with that sort of rhetoric but the signals this time are confused.

For weeks Haye has toned down his language and posturing, which once were his trademarks, while Bellew, garrulous to a fault, has pecked away at him, almost bullying the bully, and hoping to make him crack.

talkSPORT 📻 (@talkSPORT) WOW 😮😮

Tony Bellew shoves David Haye as the #BellewHaye2 presser kicks off! 🥊 pic.twitter.com/4wBSLiOdNK

When it came to shove, there was no pushback, though. Haye stayed cool and much of that will be owing to his new partnership with Salas, a short, barrel-chested man with a big smile and an impressive cv. On Wednesday, he was filmed wearing shoes with outrageous platforms to lift him to within his fighter’s eyeline, as Haye hit the mitts and body bag.

Proceedings were briefly lightened when “Jay” from The Inbetweeners – James Buckley – sauntered to the stage to banter with Bellew on behalf of Haye. Salas, though, is no straight-man in a comedy act. He is a serious player in the fight game, mentor to a string of world champions, including Jorge Linares, who takes on the best pure boxer, Vasyl Lomachenko, in Madison Square Garden on 12 May.

Salas has instructed Haye to “sit down more” on his punches and the fighter has acknowledged the fine-tuning he has done, particularly his footwork, which has let him down in recent fights.

Bellew has been equally meticulous. “What I didn’t prepare for last time was an injured David Haye sitting on the ropes, waiting to counter with a big right hand,” he said. “I just didn’t see that coming but I’ve even prepared for that in this fight, with a man lying on the ropes looking for a big right-hand counter.

“Once I’m into the later rounds in sparring, I’ve had a fresh sparring partner come in, who’s very good on defence, and just looks for one big shot.”

There are likely to be more of them this time than in last year’s fight. This time, the stakes are higher, especially for Haye, who will have nowhere to go if he loses.


Dining

At this Hotel

Dining Services

Local restaurant dinner delivery

Room service

Sundry/Convenience store

Breakfast

Buffet breakfast, fee from 28.00 USD

Continental breakfast, fee from 19.00 USD

American

Rockwood Grill

Serving delicious American-style cuisine made from local ingredients, the Rockwood Grill has become a Palm Desert favorite. Enjoy the beautiful garden setting while savoring the breakfast buffet or our hearty and healthy lunch and dinner options.

Mikado Japanese Steakhouse

Sample the savory fare at Mikado Japanese Steakhouse at our Palm Desert Resort. Using traditional methods to create an innovative menu, the restaurant uses only the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients, creating a profound dining experience.

Aquifer65 and The Sushi Bar

Whether you are in the mood for a handcrafted cocktail or classic Japanese cuisine, you can find it in the lobby of our Palm Desert resort. Here, The Lobby Bar or The Sushi Bar will satisfy your epicurean cravings in a sophisticated yet welcoming setting.

Open for dinnerDress code: CasualPhone: +1 760-341-2211

American

Oasis Poolside Bar & Grille

Sample casual American cuisine at the Oasis Bar & Grille. Our poolside dining option offers light fare and tasty libations all while you bask in the Palm Desert sunshine.

Open for lunchDress code: CasualPhone: +1 760-341-2211

Other

Costas Nightclub

Step inside our resort's 21-and-over Costa's Nightclub for a thrilling evening of beats and treats. Our Palm Desert nightclub is known for its vibrant atmosphere and DJ. For night's filled with live music, there may be a cover charge.

Dress code: No Bathing SuitsPhone: +1 760-341-1795

California

Blue Star Lounge

Bask in the beauty of our Palm Desert resort's stunning views while you dine at the Blue Star Lounge. Welcoming fire pits bring a warm glow over the space, as delicious California fare is offered for lunch and dinner.

Open for lunch and dinnerDress code: Casual

American

Starbucks®

Our hotel Starbucks® is an ideal spot to get your morning moving. Pick up a large cup of specialty coffee or tea and a pastry before the start of a busy day. The coffee shop's fresh sandwiches and snacks also make for appealing on-the-go dining options.

Open for breakfast and lunchDress code: CasualPhone: +1 760-341-2211

Seafood

Fisherman's Landing

Perfectly prepared seafood, locally-sourced ingredients and tempting desserts are on order at Fisherman's Landing. This award-winning Palm Desert restaurant features a casual atmosphere and delicious cuisine which has people returning again and again.

Marriott For:

Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. Guarantee does not apply to Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, Ritz-Carlton Residences®, and Starwood-Branded Hotels, including Four Points Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Aloft Hotels, W Hotels, Le Meridien Hotels, Luxury Collection Hotels, Element Hotels, Westin Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Tribute Portfolio Hotels and Design Hotels. Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® members (“Rewards Members”) who book rooms through a Marriott® Direct Booking Channel, authorized travel agents or select corporate travel partners ("Eligible Channels") at hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty programs will receive an exclusive, preferred rate (“Marriott Rewards Member Rate”). Member Rates are available globally at all hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards Exclusions apply. See our Terms & Conditions for additional details related to our Best Available Rate Guarantee and Marriott Rewards Member Rate. Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates.


Notes from Underwater

In the two-hundred-metre individual medley this year, in London, Michael Phelps beat his rival and fellow-American Ryan Lochte to win his sixteenth gold medal. The race was wonderful to watch, not only for the rivalry but for the camera work and for the swimmers’ extraordinary physiques. We’re practically in the pool with them as their monstrous shoulders fling arms over the surface and their smooth torsos and legs ripple through an underwater flutter kick. Watching Lochte and Phelps travel impossible distances with each stroke, I thought of the poet Maxine Kumin’s description of a swimmer racing. “Thrift is his wonderful secret; he has schooled out all extravagance.”

Like running, swimming is a sport but not a game. Nor does it involve much strategy. It comes down to technique, speed, strength, will. Uncommon physical characteristics help. Phelps, who has now won more Olympic medals (twenty-two) than any athlete in history, has a wingspan that is four inches longer than his height (six-foot-four), and his ankles are double-jointed. Lynne Cox, a marathon swimmer who has crossed the Bering Strait in only a Speedo, has an unusually even and thick layer of fat, like a seal—some thirty-five per cent of her body weight. There is also something mysterious that great swimmers have, “a ‘feel’ for the water,” as Leanne Shapton writes in her new book, “Swimming Studies.” What this means is both self-evident and indefinable. It just is.

Shapton, best known as an illustrator, swam competitively in her youth in Ontario, Canada, racing her way as far as the Olympic trials. Her book is a meditation on the gruelling years of training, the ways swimming is refracted through her memory now, and the places where she has swum as an adult. Its brief chapters are mini-essays with titles like “Doughnuts,” “Studebakers,” “Size,” “Goggles,” and “Piña Colada.” She’s not interested in the champion’s trajectory. She concentrates on the quiet rituals, the moments of ambivalence.

I was a competitive swimmer, and I have never read anything that captured the sport so well. Shapton knows just the details to include: the double steel doors that the coach opens during practice, and the clouds of chlorinated steam that puff out into the winter night; the way you rub your hands across a starting block’s rough surface to make them “raw and more sensitive in the water”; her coach’s soggy gray socks and deck sandals (you are always looking up at your coach); and racers’ dives: “a tiny midair push-up, followed by a small flex at their hips.” She describes and re-describes her inevitable obsession with time, with “the ability to make still lifes out of tenths of seconds.”

Diana Nyad, another marathon swimmer, says swimming is “the loneliest sport in the world.” In a pool, you’re staring at a line on the bottom; in open water, you’re mostly staring into a murky, hallucinatory vastness. In either place, you’re alone with your thoughts, and your pain, submerged for long periods. I had a coach, Kip, who said that good swimmers must be smart. What he meant was that they must be comfortable in their heads; they must be able to withstand, even enjoy, long stretches of conversation with themselves.

Shapton’s book captures the mental state that is unique to the monotony of laps in a pool. Thoughts have an unmoored, weightless quality. They drift, circle, repeat, and weave together according to a rhythm maintained by counted breaths (I alternate sides, breathing every three strokes) and punctuated by flip turns like cymbal flourishes. You never know quite where Shapton is going with an anecdote. It’s like one of the pleasures of swimming—the unexpected places that the mind will wander.

The second half of her book is full of scenes from her worldly, lush adulthood: visiting the Peter Zumthor-designed pools of the Hotel Therme Vals, in Switzerland; chatting with Lucian Freud about her drawings and the pool in the London hotel where she was staying. Remarkably, the contrast between these luxurious adventures and her ascetic, middle-class adolescence with the Etobicoke Swim Club is not particularly stark. Both eras are recounted with equal delicacy and acuity. What could get tiresome—her jet-setting, design-blog-ready depictions of watery encounters—is instead a pleasure because we know her from the pool--from her vivid, gentle account of those rubber-cap days. Her sparse, satisfying prose is your guide, and you’re glad to get to swim beside her.

***

“I believed, for a while, in the aphrodisiacal qualities of my swimming,” Shapton writes. Sex and swimming go way back. The first swimmer in Western literature was Leander. He swam a mile across the Hellespont each night to see his lover, Hero. She guided him into port with a torch. Then, one night, storm winds blew out the torch and Leander drowned. Hero, devastated, flung herself into the sea. Lord Byron swam the Hellespont, in 1810, and found it tough going, “so much so, that I doubt whether Leander’s conjugal powers must not have been exhausted in his passage to Paradise.” (Shapton’s belief did not survive her experience, either. After watching one of her swim meets, her husband was “like a man who has just sat through an interesting lecture and is now peckish.”)

Nothing daunted, D. H. Lawrence considered, in “Women in Love,” a swimming man, watched by women, to embody a kind of sexual ideal. “The whole otherworld, wet and remote, he had to himself…. The sisters stood watching the swimmer move further into the grey, moist, full space of the water, pulsing with his own small, invading motion…. He loved his own vigorous, thrusting motion, and the violent impulse of the very cold water against his limbs, buoying him up.” The women are moved. One says, “It is one of the impossibilities of life, for me to take my clothes off now and jump in.” The other observes, “It’s so wet,” plainly meaning, in context, the lake.

New England (and English) witch trials, with their subtext of sexual judgment, sometimes included a swimming test. A bound suspect thrown in the water would, under one theory, be buoyed up, if innocent, by the hand of God. Under another theory, those who floated were being rejected by the water, which represented baptism, and were therefore witches, while those who sank (and sometimes drowned) were innocent. Benjamin Franklin wrote a newspaper story about a witch trial in New Jersey in which two women flunked the swimming test, floating guiltily. But then, according to Franklin, the community realized that it might have been the shifts they were allowed to wear buoying them up, and it was decided to wait for warmer weather, when the women could be re-tested nude. (There is no evidence that this trial actually happened. Franklin was probably just having a laugh at lascivious witch hunters.)

Long before bikinis, Annette Kellerman, an Australian silent-film star and professional swimmer—she was the first woman to attempt to swim the English Channel, in 1905—became an international sex symbol by fighting for the right to wear a head-to-toe one-piece bathing suit. She was arrested for indecency, in 1907, on Revere Beach, Massachusetts, for wearing a suit that ended at her thighs. In 1916, she became the first major actress to appear fully nude in a film. Her book, “How to Swim,” published in 1918, got a good review in the Times.

John Cheever gave the world its dripping antihero, Neddy Merrill, in his story “The Swimmer,” which appeared in this magazine in 1964. Merrill, a hard-drinking suburbanite, decides to leave a party and go home the hard way, swimming through a long chain of Westchester County pools. “To be embraced and sustained by the light green water was less a pleasure, it seemed, than the resumption of a natural condition, and he would have liked to swim without trunks, but this was not possible, considering his project.” Merrill’s journey turns dark, his anxiety thickens, and his body grows weary and sore. Time warps. He loses his mistress, his wife and children, his social confidence, and, when he finally arrives home, his house is dark and abandoned. Swimming, submersion, offer no salvation from age and ruin in Cheever country.

What we can know through swimming is not ecstatic release but what Leanne Shapton calls “the life of the body.” She describes swimming in London, in the freezing Hampstead Heath Ladies’ Pond: “I circle again and my body feels warm, but it is the warmth of a slap: blood rushing the flesh.” Swimming becomes, with the years, a kind of athlete’s madeleine. “When I swim now, I step into the water as though absentmindedly touching a scar.”


A Conspiracy of Friends Chapter 8: A Designer with an Eye

A Conspiracy of Friends is the third novel in Alexander McCall Smith's
Corduroy Mansions series, exclusive to Telegraph.co.uk.

Photo: IAIN MCINTOSH

By Alexander McCall Smith

9:28AM BST 22 Sep 2010

Merle said nothing. It was not that she had failed to hear Eddie, who often mumbled, running his words together in the way of some speakers of Estuary English; she had heard his proposal perfectly well. Consequently this was not one of those embarrassing cases where the person to whom the question is popped has to say: ‘Sorry, I didn’t quite get that. Are you asking me to marry you?’ There have been many such cases, including some where the proposer, embarrassed by the incredulity to which his question has given rise, has replied: ‘No, of course not.’ And this has been followed by awkward silence, sometimes heralding the end of the relationship in question.

Eddie’s question was followed by silence because Merle was thinking. She was pleased that Eddie had asked her to marry him, as she had entertained thoughts of marriage from the age of eighteen onwards and had been waiting for a man to propose. None had, or not until now, and it was inconceivable that she would turn down this offer. And yet there was something within her that prompted her to caution. It was not that she had her doubts about Eddie in particular – he was, as far as she was concerned, almost perfect – it was just that she had recently heard a disturbing statistic about the brevity of marriages entered into without a period of reflection beforehand.

So when at last she answered – about five minutes after Eddie’s question had been posed – it was with a counter-proposal. ‘Let’s get engaged,’ she said. ‘That gives us a bit of time.’

‘Oh I know, Eddie. You’re really wonderful. It’s just that it’s best to wait a few months. Then we’ll really know.’

Eddie shrugged. ‘So we get engaged. OK, if that’s what you want. We get engaged, and then we get married. Suits me.’

Merle leaned forwards and planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘What about the ring?’

Eddie nodded vaguely. ‘Yeah, a ring.’

‘Shall we go and choose one?’

Again, Eddie shrugged. ‘Whatever.’

Merle had hoped for a more romantic response but it was not to materialise, and they moved on to the next subject without further discussion of the ring. This conversation had taken place in the middle of a wider discussion of what to do about the house on St Lucia. The marina and chandlery were doing well and needed no decisions taken; the house, though, required attention, or at least some view to be adopted as to its fate. Eddie had suggested turning it into a hotel, an idea Merle had originally greeted unenthusiastically but which she was now beginning to find more attractive.

‘A hotel’s the answer,’ said Eddie. ‘But we should keep a few rooms for ourselves – a flat at the back maybe, or in the grounds. Get somebody in to run it. A manager.’

Merle liked the sound of a manager. ‘A manager,’ she said, savouring the reassuring qualities of the word. ‘Yes. Like the man who looks after the marina. A manager would be a good idea.’

Eddie expanded upon this. ‘He can manage the place, you see.’

Merle nodded. ‘That would be good.’

‘Hire the staff. Pay the bills. That sort of stuff.’

‘Important,’ said Merle.

‘Yeah. And then we can check up that he’s managing right.’

‘We’d have to do that,’ agreed Merle. ‘You want a good manager.’

‘We’d get the best,’ said Eddie.

The management structure having been decided, they passed on to the issue of décor and ambience.

‘It should be classy,’ said Eddie.

‘Of course not.’

‘If it’s classy,’ Eddie went on, ‘then you get the right sort of people staying there. No rubbish.’

Already Eddie had an idea. ‘We need an angle,’ he said. ‘We need to get somebody to tell us what people are looking for, know what I mean? If we know what people are looking for, then . . .’

‘Then we can give it to them,’ supplied Merle.

‘Yeah. So we need to get a—’

Merle was thinking ahead. ‘A designer. I read an article in one of the mags about this guy who designs restaurants and hotels. It said he was the best there is. And he’s here in London, I think. We could ask him. I’ve still got the mag.’

She fetched the magazine – a bulky, glossily printed publication with advertisements for perfumes and fashion – and paged through it.

‘Do you like this?’ she said, holding up a picture of a large diamond ring. ‘Only joking!’

‘One thing at a time,’ muttered Eddie. ‘This designer guy . . .’

The article was located. It was an interview with a man called Cosmo Bartonette, described at the head of the page as London’s sharpest design eye. ‘I call myself a design eye rather than a designer,’ said Cosmo. ‘It sounds the same when you say it but the difference stresses the true nature of my calling. You have to have an eye for design.’

Merle read this out to Eddie. ‘You see?

‘Yeah,’ said Eddie. ‘Carry on.’

‘ “I start from the basic premise that there is nothing there,” continued Cosmo Bartonette. “I look at a space and then I subtract. I call this the cleansing process – rather like eating a trou normand before the meal begins, rather than halfway through. I cleanse my palate, so to speak. I exclude the items that the client already has – because they clutter the room. Then I allow an alternative to emerge – organically.

‘ “People have said to me,” he went on, “that the hallmark of my approach is to allow the space itself to do the work. And I think that’s a good way of putting it. It’s as if I interrogate the space and get it to tell me what it wants to have within it. Spaces are not inert. They breathe. They have their dreams. They have a destiny which their proportions, the materials they are made of, their positioning all point towards. I simply unlock it for them. I open a door that would otherwise be closed by the preconceptions of the owner, or the designer for that matter. And it’s extraordinary how many spaces give a shout of joy when this happens. Look! they exclaim. Look! This is what I want to be! This is me! C’est moi!”’

The group allows you to write your own blogs and start discussion topics with other readers about Corduroy Mansions and other works by Alexander McCall Smith. You can also connect with other readers on our Facebook page, or by following our Corduroy Mansions Twitter account.


Sir Chris Hoy is Britain’s most illustrious Olympian and the country’s best
advertisement for mass participation in sport. The story starts, improbably,
in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

“There’s people like my great uncle. He didn’t go on to be an Olympian but he was a world-class mile runner who came back from being a prisoner of the Japanese not the same as when he went out there,” Hoy begins. “Then he started an athletics club in Carnoustie and inspired people to get into sport. He’s lived the life he’s had - an amazing life - because of sport, and he’s taken a lot of his enjoyment from seeing other people enjoy it too.”

Two days after he collected a sixth Olympic gold and wept on the medal podium, Hoy’s eyes were still red as he spoke to Telegraph Sport about the epiphany and its aftermath. “I put everything I possibly had into it. It drained me hugely,” he said. But the pace of the Olympics narrative was already forcing him on to speak about school sport, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Dave Brailsford’s future at British Cycling.

The subtext to our conversation on the roof of a London hotel was the need to maintain the momentum of the past fortnight, in schools and at grassroots level. Hoy is no proselytiser but has a history of involvement with the Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week. Cycling, he maintains, has already removed the gap between Olympic sport and kids venturing into a velodrome for the first time.

“Cycling can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be. In Manchester the sessions are booked out from 8am to 10pm seven days a week,” he says. “Not many other sports have this. There’ll be school groups coming on from 1pm to 2pm - kids having their first go ever on a track, as part of their PR lesson - then they get off their bikes and the Olympic cycling team get on straight after them.

“That’s normal to us. In other sports it probably doesn’t happen that way. They’ve just been on the track themselves and then they get to watch us for 15 minutes and appreciate what it’s all about.

“I think it costs about £10 to hire the bike for an hour. You get a bike, helmet, shoes and a coach to run the session. Ten pounds isn’t cheap for an hour, but if you get to do that once a week for an hour you don’t have to spend thousands of pounds on a bike. You can do it on a shoestring budget by joining a club and coming down to free events.

“There are velodromes now in Glasgow, Newport, Manchester and London. Geographically, you see within an hour’s travel how many people that reaches out to. And obviously people riding on the streets and on BMX.”

Hoy’s tenacity, longevity and charm would qualify him as his own GCSE subject. “It’s about making sport part of your life and realising the benefits it can give you,” he says. “For social reasons, for fun, for fitness, for your health.”

In his own life he is in that shadowland between national adoration, the come-down period and the void of the future, which he may fill one day in a tracksuit role. “Coaching is something I’d be very motivated by, but when you actually look at what they do, they’re as committed as the athletes, possibly even more so. They’ll be there almost all the time, seven days a week.

“They travel to every race. I wouldn’t travel to all the World Cups – but obviously the coaches go to all the tournaments. So they probably spend more time out of the country than the athletes. It’s a huge commitment. It’s almost what I’m looking to step back from. So coaching is not something for the near future but it is something that would be very rewarding to do.”

The suggestion that Dave Brailsford, British Cycling’s mastermind, will vacate the velodrome to concentrate on Team Sky’s road-racing odyssey could point to Hoy’s immediate elevation to supremo, but he believes Brailsford will stay on: “There’s no sign he is going to leave. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. He’s done a great job of having this amazing success with Team Sky and the GB cycling team. I hope they want to keep hold of Dave and that he wants to stay.” If the worst does come to pass, Hoy is sure GB Cycling will not implode.

“He’s a huge personality and he’s been instrumental in everything that’s happened. He set it up so well. The team doesn’t quite run itself - that would be disrespectful to what Dave does - but he’s appointed so many fantastic people in the positions underneath him. It’s almost as if he’s got it up and running and can hand it across if he wants to. There are a lot of people working in the background who don’t get the credit they deserve. We are so fortunate as riders to have these people above us, making sure we don’t have to worry about anything except riding bikes.”

At the heart of Hoy’s great career was not only a scorching urge to win but also a more complex refusal to lose: an inability to countenance surrender. His nod suggests he agrees: “It’s almost a desire to do yourself and your coaches and everyone that’s helped you justice. You reflect just before your race on what you’ve gone through to get here. You’re not willing, having made all those sacrifices, to let it disappear.

“You’re not willing to be overawed by it, or feel fear. If you get beaten you get beaten and you accept it. It’s not like I haven’t been beaten in my career. I’ve been beaten many times. In the keirin [on Tuesday night], whether I won or lost I just wasn’t going to back off. I saw him [the German, Max Levy] coming past with a hundred metres to go and I thought, ‘It’s everything you’ve got’.

“It’s not conscious thought. It’s instinctive. It’s, ‘I’m not going to shift here. I’m not going to lose my line’. If he’d got ahead of me he could have come down on top and it would have been all over. So the determination was to keep the line, hold him and get that inside advantage on the bend. It was quite a last 100 metres.”

Visual impressions were correct. Hoy, 36, was more shattered than at any time in his Olympic journey. He says: “When I sat down afterwards it was so hot in there. This time round before the medal ceremony they made us wear tracksuits on the podium. So you put on these tracksuits that aren’t very breathable. And it hits you, what you’ve just achieved. The relief that it’s worked out and the delight that it’s worked out, but suddenly you’re physically and emotionally drained.”

With all this pouring out, the idea of two more years’ hard labour sounds impossible. Of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow he says: “If everything works out I’d love to be there. It’s more about whether I can do it, not whether I want to; physically, whether I’m able to train on at this level for two years, at this intensity. I wouldn’t want to just be there to get the T-shirt. I’d want to be going there to compete.” He knows no other way.

Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week is using the inspiration of London 2012 to encourage school sport participation across the UK, www.lloydstsb.com/london2012


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We always make sure to offer you the best rate available when you book through our website. In the unlikely event that you do find a lower rate on a travel partner website, we will match the rate and give you free mini-bar during your stay.

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Enjoy a free HANDY smartphone during your stay when YOU book direct! Our smartphones offer free local and international calls to selected countries and unlimited mobile Internet. They can also be used when travelling around London.

London meets Paris at Eccleston Square Hotel. Our Parisian style afternoon tea offers sweet and savoury treats from a selection of sandwiches to cakes, French patisseries and scones, as well as a great choice of loose teas.

Eccleston Square Hotel was the former royal residence of Princess Victoria, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter. Queen Victoria visited her granddaughter over afternoon tea at 37 Eccleston Square. It is most likely that 37 Eccleston Square, was the first place apart from the Royal Residences to have served English afternoon tea, which to this day it is still a regular feature at the hotel.

Afternoon tea is served Saturday and Sundays from 12.30pm-3pm

MEETINGS

Eccleston Square Hotel is the perfect venue for a business meeting. Our lounge can seat up to 14 guests and is equipped with the latest technology including 103" LED TV, complimentary Wi-fi and more.

For more information please contact stay@ecclestonsquarehotel.com or call us on +44 (0) 203 489 1000

ROOM SERVICE

Eccleston Square Hotel does not have a fully serviced restaurant in the afternoon and evenings, however we work with local restaurants and delivery services to offer you the best and varied dining experience whilst in London.


Max Jaffa

Max Jaffa OBE (28 December 1911 – 30 July 1991) was a British light orchestral violinist and bandleader. He is best remembered as the leader of the Palm Court Orchestra and trio, with Jack Byfield (piano) and Reginald Kilbey (cello), which broadcast on BBC Radio. His career lasted 70 years, before retiring in 1990.

Early life and education
He was born in London, England, the first child of Israel and Milly Jaffa who were Russian immigrants. After making his solo debut in a concert at the Brighton Palace Pier Theatre at the age of nine, he played in the pit of a silent cinema orchestra, to furnish background and atmosphere for silent films, while still at school. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and won the Gold Medal. While he was playing at the Piccadilly Hotel, London, he was offered the job of leader of the Scottish Symphony Orchestra, at the age of 17. In World War II, he originally served as Gunner Jaffa in the Royal Artillery, but subsequently joined the Royal Air Force and became a pilot in RAF Bomber Command.

Career
Jaffa was a versatile and accomplished musician, a favourite of Sir Landon Ronald at the Guildhall School. From 1956 until 1986, his concerts from The Spa, Scarborough, were frequently featured on BBC Radio.
Jaffa recorded the violin and orchestra version of "Dark Eyes", written by Adalgiso Ferraris. His collaboration with Ferraris included other songs, such as "Souvenir d'Ukraine" and "Gipsy Idylle".

His autobiography, A Life on the Fiddle, was published by Hodder and Stoughton shortly before his death in 1991.  Jaffa is cited as a member of the eclectic (and fictional) "orchestra" in The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's recording, The Intro and the Outro.

References

External links

Category:1911 births
Category:1991 deaths
Category:English violinists
Category:British male violinists
Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Category:People from the Borough of Scarborough
Category:20th-century violinists
Category:20th-century English musicians
Category:20th-century British male musicians


Pete Townshend’s War

I first met Pete Townshend fifteen years ago in a modest London hotel suite. I was there with my friend Larry David Smith to interview Townshend for Smith’s book, “The Minstrel’s Dilemma.” We were already seated inside when I looked out the first-floor window and saw Townshend pulling into the parking lot.

He arrived alone, sans entourage or fanfare, driving himself in a gray Mercedes station wagon. Minutes later, the knob on the suite door rattled and shook. I stood, thinking that it might be a member of the hotel staff and wondering if I should turn the knob from our side. There was a pause, then more rattling, then the door swung open and Townshend burst through, eyes wide with exertion. He had apparently been trying to pull when he should have pushed.

We were scheduled to meet for two hours, but Townshend was unstoppable, regaling us not with stories of rock debauchery, but a stream of complex, sometimes half-formed ideas about popular culture, history, and human psychology. We were told not to ask him about his failing marriage; he immediately addressed it, confessing to a jolt of sadness while shaving that morning. “Don’t mention Keith Moon,” wrote his personal assistant via fax. “I never properly mourned for Keith,” he soon said, unprompted, and through tears.

After a long lunch and even longer afternoon, Townshend finally departed just before 8 P.M. to pick up his son. “If you have any burning questions,” he said on his way out the troublesome door, “call my office. I can be back in about an hour.” We didn’t call.

Much of what we talked about that day in 1997 was connected to the Second World War, Townshend’s father’s generation and his own, and the postwar trauma that he saw as the driving force behind rock music. His father, Cliff, had been a saxophonist in the Royal Squadronaires, an Air Force band employed to entertain British troops at home and abroad. I knew this, but didn’t know how much it meant to the guitarist and songwriter for the Who, who seemed to me beyond, above, and dismissive of all that.

“Trauma is passed from generation to generation,” he said, waving his arms emphatically, his crossed legs bouncing. “I’ve unwittingly inherited what my father experienced.”

In his new memoir, “Who I Am,” Townshend elaborates in a voice that is calm, frank, and willfully exacting, like someone carefully extracting clarity from the past’s haze. “So many children had lived through terrible trauma in the immediate postwar years in Britain,” he writes, “that it was quite common to come across deeply confused young people. Shame led to secrecy; secrecy led to alienation. For me these feelings coalesced in a conviction that the collateral damage done to all of us who had grown up amid the aftermath of war had to be confronted and expressed in all popular art—not just literature, poetry or Picasso’s Guernica. Music, too. All good art cannot help but confront denial on its way to the truth.”

In retrospect, Townshend’s violent and somewhat awkward hotel-suite entry seems entirely apt. His onstage persona epitomized frustration writ large, with an array of shadowboxing gestures to compensate for inadequacies, perceived or real. His windmill style of slashing at his guitar strings signaled a failure to pick them fluidly, even if it made him shed blood and fingernails in the process (and it did). His scissor kicks and crouching leaps into the air merely brought him back down again, stomping on invisible enemies, or, as Townshend himself would write in one of his songs, “pounding stages like a clown.” He jumped, bounced, shook and swayed from side to side, but he never really danced, nothing so sexy or elegant for the gangly, slightly stooped and narrow-eyed guitar player with the impossibly large nose.

For Townshend, music is physical. As a child he was awakened by the late-night swing jam sessions of his father and friends, whose beats and crescendos thrilled even as they stole sleep. His devotion to a career in music was sealed while he was watching his father perform on stage. As a pre-teen seated next to two female fans, he overheard one of them gushing over his father’s sexual desirability.

Townshend would eventually tower over rock music, which he helped to create, successful in no small part because he smashed his instrument in an act of “auto-destructive art,” a concept championed by his former teacher, Gustav Metzger. But for Townshend, the guitar was not trashed, it was remade, transformed. “I haven’t smashed it,” he recalls in his memoir of his first unwitting stage act, prompted by a potentially embarrassing physical gesture that broke the guitar’s neck. “I’ve sculpted it for them…. I stumbled upon something more powerful than words, far more emotive than my white-boy attempts to play the blues.”

Visually, the members of the Who formed a kind of collective sculpted destruction. Their movements were tight, jerky, and erratic. Drummer Keith Moon, the inspiration for the character Animal in the Muppets, rocked in his seat, distended his arms, mouth agape as if he wanted to eat his drums whole. Singer Roger Daltrey stomped around in circles like an imprisoned convict, swinging his microphone (taped to its cable like a hockey-stick blade), wanting to hit someone hard, though only hinting at it, because he couldn’t, not in this jail. Bassist John Entwistle stood still but looked and sounded loud and angry, stewing in his corner.

And Townshend was in a fight. In his so-called “windmill” move, he could well be swinging a machete or turning a helicopter prop on its side. He leapt and slid on his knees across the stage, not in ecstasy, but in anger. He banged his guitar against his head, hating and hurting himself in equal parts, implicating the audience. At times, he strummed staccato hard and aimed his guitar at the audience, mowing them down with an aural machine gun.

It was never friendly or pretty. There were many rock stars singing about war, and the British experience of it in particular (Roger Waters and Pink Floyd adhered to this theme). But no one but Townshend and his band seemed in songs and onstage to be reenacting war, in all its rage, pathos, stupidity, and barbarism. “I was a yobbo [hooligan],” Townshend repeats throughout his book, “who desired respect and affirmation.”

I discovered Townshend’s music as a teen-ager. I soon realized that most of the rock music I’d liked before I heard him paled next to what he was producing. His music was demanding, you either listened to it or passed, because the music was played angrily, loudly, and menacingly, and then switched into passages of plaintive loneliness and humiliation. Several girls I was trying to woo hated it. Who wants to rock out and be humiliated?

If Led Zeppelin made you want to boogie, and the Rolling Stones and the Doors made you want sex, Townshend and the Who made you want to smash something up, maybe even yourself, and survive the assault. I didn’t understand the power of Townshend’s songs then, but now that I have known and spoken with him for several years, the map is clearer. Townshend was writing about the fallout from two world wars, and I’ve only experienced “war” as an abstraction. What would it mean, like Townsend in post-war England, to know that everyone you know has suffered and survived, but not without questions?

For Townshend, abstract suffering made his art sting—and, as is clear in our conversations and his memoir, he always wanted to make art with a capital “a.” This desire is equal parts plaintive and pathetic in his memoir. Older, consecrated artists like Leonard Bernstein grip him by the shoulders to tell him that his rock opera, “Tommy,” is momentous, a new form of art injecting blood into a tired medium. He nods appreciatively, and doesn’t believe them.

In the years since our first encounter in London, I have met Townshend on several occasions in New York and Tokyo. Each time, we have talked about war—what it means to him, and to me, twenty-plus years his junior. When I published my first book, “Japanamerica,” about the odd synchronicity between two societies, Japanese and American, at once at great odds and suddenly allies, my publisher asked me to send the book to Townshend. He had asked for it, why not give it to him? I was apprehensive. What if he didn’t like it, or worse, ignored it?

Instead he wrote the following: ”Japan’s holocaust was equally traumatic to the ones experienced by many Americans, and perhaps more sudden, more extreme and more focused. This story shows how today we all use movies, comics, music, art and advertising to face our past and its traumas, rather than to escape.” Now that I have read his memoir, I think what Townshend understood was my attempt to draw a parallel between what British musicians of his generation—beaten down by war, nuclear disaster, and identity crises—shared with Japanese artists, whose backgrounds and fierce artistry were shaped by the horrors of apocalypse, the bomb that can end everything as we know it. In contrast to all that was American whimsicality in the face of disaster. Japanese manga and anime artists created new visions out of the rubble of humiliation. They couldn’t fight, per se, but they could rattle the door and re-invent themselves, bursting through, tears and all.


Cliveden House

About the hotel

We are delighted to share the good news that Cliveden, one of the world most impressive hotels, is now fully restored to its former glory and is welcoming guests back into its luxurious embrace. Over the past sixteen months a programme of restoration has been undertaken, which has seen the remarkable transformation of public spaces, suites and bedrooms. Behind its imposing period facade; this grand 17th century stately home boasts interiors brimming with English charm.

Exquisite antique furniture and oil paintings contribute to creating a warm and very intimate ambiance. Not surprising that it has hosted many famous names throughout its history; and some of them; such as Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill; have even lent their names to rooms. Cliveden House; in the heart of Berkshire; a few kilometres from Heathrow Airport; is also renowned for its magnificent gardens overlooking the River Thames- copses; parterres; sculptures and topiary create a memorable setting offering perfect peace and quiet; just outside London. . CLUB 5C- Hotel welcomes Relais and Chateaux Club 5C members with a VIP Welcome and a Discovery Privilege. Please indicate the Club 5C membership number in the reservation and please- show your Club 5C membership card on arrival.

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19/03/2012 to 31/03/2021 - A charge of £12 per guest is made by the National Trust.The price shown is based on the occupancy and dates you have searched for. Prices and availability are subject to change based on the arrival date, number of nights and occupancy searched for. All prices are inclusive of all local taxes.

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About Book

Kingsley Amis, John Osborne, John Braine, Colin Wilson, John Wain - five names instantly redolent of the 1950s and the Angry Young Men phenomenon. However, as Humphrey Carpenter explores with relish, the suggestion that these and other writers, tagged in the same way, formed a homogeneous cadre of rebellion is false and is much more the product of media myth-making than anything else. Indeed, the Angry Young Men could hardly have been a more diverse group, sundered by ability, achievement, beliefs and outlook.

This was the sort of book Humphrey Carpenter excelled at, with The Inklings, Secret Gardens, Geniuses Together,The Brideshead Generation and The Angry Young Men almost making the category of group literary biography his own. This was his last in the idiom and probably the funniest.

Kingsley Amis, John Osborne, John Braine, Colin Wilson, John Wain - five names instantly redolent of the 1950s and the Angry Young Men phenomenon. However, as Humphrey Carpenter explores with relish, the suggestion that these and other writers, tagged in the same way, formed a homogeneous cadre of rebellion is false and is much more the product of media myth-making than anything else. Indeed, the Angry Young Men could hardly have been a more diverse group, sundered by ability, achievement, beliefs and outlook.This was the sort of book Humphrey Carpenter excelled at, with The Inklings, Secret Gardens, Geniuses Together, The Brideshead Generation and The Angry Young Men almost making the category of group literary biography his own. This was his last in the idiom and probably the funniest.

About Humphrey Carpenter

Humphrey Carpenter was born and educated in Oxford, and attended the Dragon School and Keble College. He was a well-known biographer and children's writer, and worked previously as a producer at the BBC. He wrote biographies of J. R. R. Tolkien, W. H. Auden, Benjamin Britten, Ezra Pound, C. S. Lewis and Dennis Potter. Among his many books for children were the best-selling Mr Majeika series. He also wrote several plays for the theatre and radio. A keen musician, he was a member of a 1930s-style jazz band, Vile Bodies, which was resident at the Ritz Hotel in London for a number of years. He died in 2005.

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