The Peak of Mathematics

Everybody loves maths don't they? The sheer naked panic of just not getting it as a child? The embarassed, snorting bluster when someone asks you "Go on then, what are seven eights?" Well lets hope this post brings back those long-buried feelings of childhood inadequacy, as we enter the world of Nelson's Peak Mathematics 1 (Alan Bridgehouse, David Godber and Peter Patilla 1981). The art design is by Sharon Lovett and Michael Kaufmann, and the snaps are by Chris Ridgers (the South African Chris Rodgers), Dawson Strange (yes!) and Janine Wiedel.

Perhaps the panda represents the advances the ancient Chinese made in the field of mathematics: perhaps the entwining of the branches is a visual pun on the pyramid logo in the top left. Whatever - it's a panda up a tree and it's time to open your exercise book.

Typical - you wait ages and then nine turn... sorry.

Some great snack action here. Old school white Smarties and a Toblerone, washed down with a tin of Humbrol enamel paint.

No Rola Cola or Top Deck to feed the fantasies of cheap nostalgists here - we're showing the kids Coke and that's that. If I was Mary I'd just pick up the shades and the cool, swimming frog.

The spirit of dark and lonely ice cream vans.

Don't bother asking John - it's marbles all the way. Those long, early spring afternoons on the tarmac have marked me indelibly (especially around the knee area). That's it - I'm off to revise graphs and recite 'Got, got, need, need ..' over a Panini Football 85. Bye!

The Art of Harry Wingfield

Hello. It's been a while (again) so I thought I'd put up some slightly crooked scans from a rather lovely old Ladybird book 'talkabout shopping'. The illustrations are by Harry Wingfield, who illustrated prolifically for Ladybird for over 20 years. There's a lovely crispness to them I think you'll agree.

It's not a covered market but it'll do...

I dunno man ... how many eggs?

Ok, let's talk about the pet shop. I think it's an ideal companion piece to this:

Black and White World

Hello. Today we will be without the usual Kodachrome faded browns and mustards and will concentrate instead on the pin-sharp blacks, whites and, er, greys of this little collection. I don't know where the locations are, except that they are our favourite sixites and seventies shopping precincts and covered markets.

Quite a nicely composed image this - varnished roof panelling and spotlighting. Maybe not a shopping centre at all. I'm thinking a magistrates office. Perhaps the two ladies pictured are discussing their recent acquittals?

"I see thin people."

That bunting really picks the place up - gives it a lift. Know what I mean?

Perhaps this is Redditch again - those stalagtites and stalagmites look familiar. Wimpy peeps out through the stairs as Tesco shows us some nice corporate art and depresses us in equal measure with a 'Back to school' ad campaign.

It's getting busy here - one of the twins from The Shining meets a friend in the foreground, as a droid seeks to loosen its restraining bolt and shuffle away from the Jawas in Currys.

This Is England? Thankfully no - instead we have what seems to be Bruce Foxton and two ladies hangin' around outside the public toilets. A cast-iron bicycle is docked imposingly in the foreground, whilst amid the concrete and painted girders in the background we glance some classic between channels graffitti tags. A shout goes out to Biff, Hettie, Rozz, Caz and Korky, and to pre-internet nicknames in general!

A shout also goes out (albeit in a very polite and restrained way) to The Atlantic Cities, who did rather a nice piece here. More soon, mind how you go!

Science - from the Beginning

Hello. Time for my bi-annual update. These edifying and educational pages are taken from the titular textbook published by Oliver & Boyd in 1960. The illustrations are by one C.S. Macdonald, although I like the font used for the large, shouty labels.

There aren't enough spindles in science textbooks these days.

The Polar Bear looks merry. The squirrel looks positively satanic.

C.S. Macdonald can even draw sad goldfish.

Kitchen Sink Science 101.

What does a dog eat that was never alive? Answers on a 60p e-postcard to the usual address. I'm away to Belgium to loiter in Flemish charity shops. Tot ziens!

Old Graffiti

Evening all. Aside from chanelling the spirit of PC George Dixon, I've been examining illegal daubs and smears throughout the ages. Here's some underneath this very paragraph.

Playgrounds = perfectly fine to hang around in when you should be at school. I love the carefree white fluffy clouds scudding gaily across the sky, whilst some Mad Max-esque poles loom menacingly over the world's ugliest wall. PS - Question: What is pain? Answer: Falling off that cast-iron see-saw.

I'll take mine with a red wedge. Powerful stuff, although it does look like it was sprayed on the door of one of the generators you find round the back of blocks of flats.

How shall we see this? The rise of a new youth culture eclipsing the old? The arrival of a fresh, vibrant youth culture that the previous generation could not possibly own? Or that despite having any number of fresh and vibrant youth cultures, we will always have someone called 'Nidge' writing on walls? Reader, you are the ref.

Try googling 'Techno Force'. You ain't gonna find what they were graffiting about. Or perhaps the artists were a group of young, urban gunslingers who were proper into evaporators and driers? I don't know. Let's all just google 'Nidge'. Be seeing you!

Devon Folklore Tapes

This is a very interesting project (and if you're reading this then the chances are you will agree) that is well worth a look. A handmade package consisting of Devonian folklore and a cassette of spectral, field recording-style folk, it's just the sort of thing that I would pop on the shelf (much to the distress of Mrs. BC).

I couldn't put it any better than the folks responsible for it all, so here's a link to their site plus another to the soundcloud page where it can be aurally perused. I hope you like it, I certainly do.

Samuel Youd, 1922-2012

Samuel Youd, better known as the writer John Christopher, passed away on the 3rd. Writer of numerous brit sci-fi classics, I always enjoyed his books and will now hunt down my copy of 'The Death of Grass' by way of tribute. I may also hunt down a copy of the 1970 film adaptation 'No Blade of Grass', starring Nigel Davenport and directed by Cornel Wilde. The main theme is apparently by Roger Whittaker.

Although many of his books are out of print there are plenty to look for; Youd / Christopher wrote prolifically under several aliases including Stanley Winchester, Hilary Ford and Peter Graaf. 'The World in Winter' is great, as are 'The Guardians' and 'The Possessors'. 'The Long Voyage' would have made a great obscure mid-sixties thriller and is very entertaining. But I'm sure you know all this already. Here's to a writer who will be remembered for his very plausible (and peculiarly British) science fiction.