Random Jottings

The Diaries of Chips Channon - edited by Simon Heffer

Being a diarist is a dangerous thing to be. If a  novelist you can hide behind your characters and assume ideas and thoughts that are purely fictitious. But when you write a diary no matter how hard you try the real you creeps into the narrative. There is no getting away with it.

To be fair I do not think that Chips Channon makes any attempt to deceive or hide, in fact there were occasions, many of them, when I wished he would be less open and revealing.  I am referring mainly to his sexual encounters, of which there were many, and his descriptions of his erotic dreams about his various men friends which pepper these pages.  Too much information.  I have recently read a review of these Diaries when he was described as a “gay” MP but it is clear he is bisexual with perhaps a leaning towards loving men more.

(Incidentally, the word “gay” is used a lot by Chips and in the original meaning. Simon Heffer, the editor has to point this out to the reader so entrenched has the alternative use of this word become).

When the diaries start in 1918 Chips is living in Paris, at the Ritz naturally, and volunteering for the Red Cross though he seems to spend most of his time going to Deauville for the weekend and mixing with high society, the higher the better.  In Paris he meets Proust “venomous, predatory and a slob”. Like I said, Chips does not hold back.

What palled after a while with these diaries is the endless list of parties, lunches, dinners, banquets and balls that he seemed to have spent most of his adult life attending. Just reading about them wearied me and filled me with awe at his stamina and the total emptiness of it all.

“Lunched with Paul of Greece and his sister in law, Marina who is a large, voluptuous girl with one leg shorter than the other. She would be good in bed”

“Dinner at the Obolenskys. I fell asleep during the Russian ballet. Onto the Spanish embassy… all the world in tiaras and diamonds”

“… the Sutherland’s ball.  The Prince of Wales and his brother disguised at Eton boys, rather grubby ones. Lady Portia Stanley was dressed as a letter box”

“I had a row with the smelly slimy Duchess of Athol who looks like an under stuffed crocodile and has the manners of a downtrodden governess”

And so on and so on.  There were many occasions when I wanted to hurl this book across the room but as it is over 900 pages long and weighs 3lb this was a trifle difficult to do so I ended up dumping it while I chuntered into the kitchen to make tea.   I have got through a lot of tea bags…..

BUT and here is the BUT – he can write. Boy can he write. I gather he attempted a novel or two which were not particularly good but as a diarist he is simply superb - whether you like him or not is irrelevant. I have to admire the sheer stamina of the pages he has written through the years and the discipline required to do this day after day. There are the odd gaps but the entries are nearly continuous.

Of course the part of these diaries that attract the most interest, for me anyway, is his take on the Abdication and here he is clear sighted and to the point.  He admires and likes Mrs Simpson who he thinks has had a good influence on the Prince of Wales before he ascended to the throne and there are mentions of nice, charming and thoughtful gestures from the King that were instigated by Mrs Simpson.  It is made very clear that she did her best to stop him from abdicating, pleading and begging with him not to do it and her offer of withdrawing from the situation was very real.  She was petrified of the consequences but as we all know the King refused to listen so obsessed was he.

(Of course being Chips he was worried that the new Court would ostracise him and that he would lose his place in society as he had made his admiration of Mrs Simpson clear). 

There are two appendices at the end of the diaries – Channon’s memorandum on the Abdication written in January 1937 and these are a masterly summing up of the event and its protagonists which is worth the entire diaries alone.

So what to make of him?

I found him snobbish “I am only really happy with royalty” and a contempt for what he called the hoi polloi which really sticks in the gullet “one so sympathises with the poor people until they say something to stupid, so tactless and so ill informed that one suddenly hates them”

And then I come to the section of the diaries when he talks about his son Paul who he clearly adores. “I stole up to Paul’s room, he was asleep. After I had tiptoed out he called ‘Find daddy’. I crept in again and he threw his little arms around me. ‘Darling daddy’ and hugged me and I kissed his soft scone smelling cheeks. Then I left him and went to my room and cried like a child. I was so happy to have him with me again and he is so adorable”

So there you have it. I found myself veering wildly from loathing him and to then feeling rather sorry for him as his wife Honor was unfaithful and this clearly hurt deeply.  She was an uninvolved mother and cut off conjugal relations with Chips which also hurt as he would have liked more children.  He understands her fragile mental state and takes care of her with a tenderness that I did not expect. I gather that the marriage failed ultimately because of his infidelity, but his entries regarding Honor are thoughtful and kind, and as I have mentioned his love for his son was deep and real.

In the end, warts and all, I found these diaries totally fascinating, intriguing and irritating all at the same time.  His entries when he entered the House of Commons are the best written, probably because he was concentrating on serious matters and did not fully adopt the vicious tone of earlier entries though he still likes to put the knife in when he feels like it. At one stage while reading I thought that enough was enough and that I would not read any more of the diaries when they are published, but on reflection I think that I will as the next volume will cover the second World War.

When I was a little girl I kept a diary. It was pink and fluffy with a lock and a key, easily broken if anybody had wished to read my entries.  Probably not as they mainly consisted of “got up. Got dressed. Went to school. I hate the teachers. Came home. Had tea, bath and then went to bed”

I think I can safely say that Chips is a darn sight more interesting…..

2021 Reading - Part Two and Book of the Year

As I mentioned in my earlier post on 2021 reading my non-fiction this year has been pretty low as I have sought reading matter that has not tested the little grey cells to any extent. Just getting by was my mantra over the last twelve months.

But though they may be few, I have enjoyed them so here they are and those I have reviewed I have linked to my posts.

Traitor King - Andrew Lownie.  The author disagreed with me on my view, ie that though the Duke of Windsor is, by all criteria, a traitor he did not think so. Too selfish and egotistical to think that he had done anything wrong. We had a lively twitter exchange.

Faber & Faber by Toby Faber - this history of the publishing house is sheer delight and it was lovely to meet Toby who came to the Felixstowe Book Festival in 2021 and gave a witty and amusing talk.

George V - Jane Ridley.   Having loved her biography of Edward VII I could not wait to get my mitts on this and gosh it was good.  A simply excellent portrait of a king who most people view as dull and stupid.  I became really fond of him after reading this. A good man in all.

Diaries of Chips Channon - Volume 1.  I am currently working my way through Volume 2 though heaven knows when I will review it as it is over 800 pages and I am only up to page 350... Superbly edited by Simon Heffer.

Other non fiction enjoyed but not reviewed.

Elizabeth and Margaret - Andrew Morton. A chatty gossipy book about the relationship between Her Maj and her sister who I have always felt got a vicious beating in the press.  Despite all the ups and downs their relationship was strong and Margaret was intensely loyal to her sister.  I always rather liked the way she thought Oh sod the lot of you.

Nureyev - Juliet Kavanagh. A re-read of this after seeing the film based on his life, White Crow.  I remember thinking what an utter shit he was after my first read and I see no reason to change that opinion.

Only Happiness here - Gabrielle Carey. A "biography" of Elizabeth von Arnim which I found rather tiresome as the author made it all about her and her depression and struggles and linked it with EVA. It went to the charity shop.

Kaiser Wilhelm John Rohl  I wanted a life of the Kaiser but rather balked at The One recommended which is two volums and massive so I read this instead.  Concise and interesting. I will try The One sometime. I think.

The Artful Dickens - John Mullan.  A super book. I love Dickens but despite reading biographies and essays on the author, this book shows up just how much subtlety and wit the reader misses.  I read the blurb, see below, and knew I had to have it.

From Pickwick to Scrooge, Copperfield to Twist, how did Dickens find the perfect names for his characters?

What was Dickens's favourite way of killing his characters?

When is a Dickens character most likely to see a ghost?

Sheer fun.

Princess Mary: the first modern princess - Elizabeth Batsford.   A biography of the only daughter of George V and Queen Mary.  A portrait of a thoroughly nice woman, hard working and dutiful but, I have to be honest, I found this biography incredibly dull. Not sure whether it is the subject or the writing.

I have no guilt about the ratio of fiction to non-fiction. When I first started this blog I was frightfully ernest and made lists of Books I WIll Read and Write About.  I also took up Book Challenges set by other bloggers and got into a fearful flap if I failed to meet the target.  So now I think oh to hell with it, I will read just what I like.   If all my readers come to Random Jottings for erudite and intellectual reviews I am pretty sure by now you have realised you ain't going to get any.

What you will get is a chatty dissertation on books I have thoroughly enjoyed.  On checking my list I have read over 190 books this year.  I am a very quick reader and can read two books in a day if I put my mind to it - which I frequently do.

My book of the year was, until a few weeks ago, the history of Faber & Faber but then along came the Jane Ridley biography of George V and pipped it to the post.  Loved every minute of it.

Reading pleasures lined up

Just a quick post today as I am hitting the North Circular in an hour or two and joining up with the Other Grandparents to look after the girls over the weekend.   I always take a book with me, force of habit, but never have a chance to open it. Not complaining though. Time with grandchildren is precious.

I have quite a few books lined up on my TBR pile and future purchases to look forward to and here are just a selection.

Yesterday there was a knock on the door and my postie was clutching a parcel. "Blimey what have you got in here" was his cry and I guessed straight away what it contained. Yes and I was right. Volume 2 of the Chips Channon diaries covering the years 1938 to 1943. Over 800 pages and weighing in at 4 lb (out of interest I put the book on my bathroom scales) this is going to keep me busy for a while.  I really enjoyed Volume 1 after a sticky start when I tired of his endless descriptions of high society but once he was in Parliament his insight was fascinating. And at the end of Volume 1 was a memorandum he had written on the Abdication which made for a compelling read.

These cover the war years jup to 1943 and the only way to tackle this is to read one year at a time which I have already started to do. I am keeping a note book by me to jot down references and thoughts. If I start with post it notes the book will be bristling with them.  Will review in due course but "I may be gone some time..."

Another title on my list is George V by Jane Ridley.   A couple of years ago I read her biography of Edward VII which I loved. Insightful and full of interest the author has a knack of bringing her subjects alive and I ended up loving Bertie warts and all.   I have been lucky to receive an advanced reading copy but it is not due to be published until 4 November and I await that date to review.   Again, I have copious notes already taken and I am thoroughly enjoying it. A full review will be written in due course but I can already say it is excellent and I can recommend its purchase.  Nothing to stop you pre-ordering...

I have already mentioned Val McDermid.   I have her latest by my side entitled 1979 which gives a clue to its time and setting lest you be in any doubt. I have read all her Carol and Tony Hill books and think that she was right to finish them as not sure their tale could have been taken any further, but pleased that she is still going to continue with the Pirie series.  Saving this up which sounds daft but just knowing it is waiting for me is a nice feeling.

You know when you log onto Amazon and they come up with recommendations based on your previous reading? Most of the time I skim through but now and then I spot something that I think might be interesting and the other day picked up on one they thought I might like. Mr Finchley Discovers his England by Victor Canning. I know of this author mainly through my teenage years spent shelving books when I worked in the library service but know nothing about him. I will be honest and say the reason I bought this was I loved the cover and thought that looks fun.

"Mr Edgar Finchley, unmarried clerk, aged 45, is told to take a holiday for the first time in his life. He decides to go to the seaside. But Fate has other plans in store. From his abduction by a cheerful crook, to his smuggling escapade off the south coast, the timid but plucky Mr Finchley is plunged into a series of the most astonishing and extraordinary adventures"

I mean how could I resist?

And with the knowledge of a reboot of the series The Darling Buds of May based on the novels of H E Bates which I loved, the Pop Larkin books are now also awaiting my attention. I have a feeling Mr Finchley and Pop will provide a balance to the hefty tomes sitting on my table as I write.

Happy reading everyone.