Cecil Roberts (1892-1976) was an English novelist, poet and dramatist. He was a prolific writer and his novels were very popular in his lifetime. He is now almost forgotten. His books include A Terrace in the Sun and the Pilgrim Cottage trilogy.
During my teens, I read and enjoyed many of his novels, in particular, A Terrace in the Sun, a novel which introduced me to the idea of the past returning to haunt or delight us in the present. I find his novels interesting today because they are, in a sense, a commentary on a society which was on the brink of great change. It was the 1940s and 1950s he wrote about and I have included him in my blog because he is a product of the first half of the 20th century - a very different society from that in which we live today. Here is an extract from the fifth book in his autobiography – The Pleasant Years (1974).
I was back in New York at the end of April. I dined with Mrs Cartwright at her Fifth Avenue apartment. One of the guests was Mrs Dorothy Caruso, her cousin. She was very surprised when I recalled that in 1924 she had given me and my travelling companion, Armand de la Rochefoucauld, her box at the Metropolitan Opera House, and we had taken with us the two Mdivani brothers, Prince Serge and Prince Alexis, then in poor lodgings in New York. She had married Caruso a few years before his death. They had one child, Gloria, whom he adored. I said I remembered that she had told me Caruso would not allow any birds to be shot on his Italian estate near Florence, unlike other Italians. “What an incredible memory you have!” she exclaimed, “He loathed ‘other singers’ being shot.”
In a sense, Roberts was simply writing about what interested readers of his day. Apart from style, is there really a difference between his writing and the reports on celebrities we read today? Have a look at the following report from a UK newspaper concerning a celebrity party. The article also drops names - but the style is very different.
While Lauren Goodger still may have looked all glammed up, she was feeling souped up and sassy as she flipped the bird to fans on her way out - seemingly proud as punch of her nude manicure and wanting to show it off for all to see. Pulling an emotive grimace, the former-TOWIE beauty also toted the exclusive gift bag, no doubt filled to the brim with a bunch of luxurious goodies. Sarah Harding clutched a massive gift bag as the Girls Aloud star held onto a pal's friend on the way out. While Jess Shears and Dom Lever were on their very own Love Island as the brunette beauty jumped a ride on her boyfriend’s back as he carried her out of the event and into the cab line.
Nicely, even acutely observed - could you develop this theme somehow? I ask because the idea is itchy (as Rasma would say) - catchy.
Posted by: Christopher Goddard | 11/30/2017 at 07:41 AM
Thanks, Chris. Just an idea, but it would be great if you posted your own thoughts on this if you have time otherwise the blog becomes a vehicle for only my views and opinions. Another voice might make the blog more interesting and interactive.
Posted by: Robert John Goddard | 11/30/2017 at 08:30 AM