The Reverend Dr James Woodward
Books reviewed by James Woodward
Christmas Holiday Books 2003
My first for a deeper insight into modern British politics has certainly been satisfied by reading the mammoth 752 pages of Tony Benn's last volume of diaries (Free at Last!: Diaries 1991 - 2001).
This volume brings Tony Benn's diaries right up to date, covering events from the Gulf War to the rise of New Labour, the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the war in Afghanistan. He covers British politics during three wars, five party leaders and two Prime Ministers. He is the longest serving MP in the history of the Labour Party and left Parliament in 2001, after more than half a century in the House of Commons. It occurs to me that one of the lessons, the reality of the sheer creativity and energy here in Benn's life is that to be on the edge, on the margins offers unique opportunities to engage, be open and maintain integrity and honesty about oneself, one's motivations and one's work. There is a humanity about Benn and he is prepared to reveal his own contradictions and oddities in a refreshing way.
Tony Benn's account of the emergence of New Labour is well documented, formidable and principled. One doesn't have to wait long for a comment, an opinion to respond to, some humour or a sparkling pen-portrait of a politician on either side of the political divides. The narrative is also broader and more revealing of day to day political life. Benn is especially interesting talking about many aspects normally disregarded by political biographers and lobby correspondence, relating to the work of the constituency and especially the MP's work in advice surgeries.
In this volume, Benn experiences both the death of this mother and his wife. Caroline' Benn's illness and death overshadow the latter part of the diary and Benn movingly relates some of his struggles with relationships and family life. He is also interesting on the Church and Church figures in and around Westminster.
Tony Benn may not be your cup of tea, but I warmly recommend this volume to see you into spring! It is an excellent read. All diarist take note: this is how it should be done.
I was at university in the late 70's and one of my memories is of the almost constant playing of the pop band Police's music from the speakers scattered across the bar. This music reminds me of those wonderful days as a young student. I was intrigued and interested, therefore, to pick up a copy of Sting's autobiography, Broken Music: Memoirs (Sting was the lead singer in Police before he went solo and has become famous for many things including as a campaigner for the environment - my apologies to those of you who needed no explanation!)
Sting explores specific moments of his life, mainly his upbringing on Tyneside and the years he spent playing his musical dues in numerous bingo hall jazz combos across the North East and beyond. Gordon Sumner (his real name) writes with painful honesty and real insight about life, its relationships and pains. There is a kind of humanistic spirituality here which springs from enormous pain and sadness at his relationship with his parents and his inability to attend either of their funerals. In that sense that book is a kind of therapy - an explanation of the journey he has travelled and, in some respects, a plea for understanding and forgiveness.
What moved me, sometimes to tears, was his thoughtfulness and honesty about the strengths and failings of both his parents and himself. He leaves very little to the reader's speculation - he is enormously sympathetic about his first wife and the tragic break-up of their relationship and brutally honest about how much happiness money, wealth and fame can bring.
This is a book that I shall want to pick up and read again. Sting's search for meaning and a purpose and truth is intriguing. Like so many others in his generation and mine it is true that meaning and spiritual purpose are discovered outside the Church and certainly not within it. Is there any possibility of our being able to speak afresh to some of the profound experiences articulated in these pages?
On a human and personal level, Sting reminds us all that we become the choices the make. Perhaps our humanity and understanding is deepened if we develop within ourselves a critical reflectiveness which can embrace our hopes and fears, our loves and hates, our securities and insecurities. Of course, Sting is human just like the rest of us - one of the questions left by this book is what kind of human being do we wish to become? Not an easy read, but a very rewarding one.
James Woodward
