Polly Toynbee: what my privileged start in life taught me about the British class system

It wasn’t just luck that steered the Guardian columnist to Oxford and into a media career ... She reflects on the subtle mechanics of class (and an early encounter with a naked future PM)Children know. They breathe it in early, for there’s no unknowing the difference between nannies, cleaners, below-stairs people and the family upstairs. Children are the go-betweens, one foot in each world, and yet they know very well from the earliest age where they belong, where their destiny lies or, to put it crudely, who pays whom. Tiny hands are steeped young in the essence of class and caste. In nursery school, in reception they see the Harry Potter sorting hat at work. They know. And all through school those fine gradations grow clearer, more precise, more consciously knowing, more shaming, more frightening. Good liberal parents teach their children to check their privilege – useful modern phrase – but it swells up like a bubo on the nose. There’s no hiding it.I can summon up the childhood shame at class embarrassments. Aged seven like me, Maureen, with her hair pinned sideways in a pink slide, lived in a pebble-dashed council house by the water tower. They were at the other end of Lindsey, more hamlet than village, half a mile down the road from my father’s pink thatched cottage set in the flat prairie lands of Suffolk, where I spent half my time, the other half in London, shuttling between divorced parents. I envied Maureen for what looked to me like a cheerful large family... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-20 12:00:56 UTC ]
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WIRED Book Club: Loved Arrival? Check Out Ted Chiang’s ‘Story of Your Life’

Now that Ted Chiang is super hot, let's read some of his short fiction for the month of February. The post WIRED Book Club: Loved Arrival? Check Out Ted Chiang's 'Story of Your Life' appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2017-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For Librarians, 2017 Is Off to a Rough Start

Low attendance at ALA Midwinter, and thorny questions about the fate of libraries under Trump. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DC Universe Rebirth breathes new life and fun into classic comic storylines

New Graphic Novels collect the relaunched Superman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Batman comics. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Cold Start to the Year for Poland’s Publishers: Waiting for Regulatory Help

In Poland, publishing stakeholders stay the need for protective regulation—liked fixed book prices—and IP protection are needed to curb declining book sales. The post A Cold Start to the Year for Poland’s Publishers: Waiting for Regulatory Help appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Long-Lost Soul Food Cookbook Finds New Life

'Princess Pamela's Soul Food Cookbook,' Pamela Strobel's collection of soul food recipes, is coming back after being out of print for 40 years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joe Wicks's Lean in 15 books earn fattest sales of any British diet plan

In 18 months, the Instagram star’s three titles have sold more books than any other UK weight-loss title since records beganInstagrammer turned publishing sensation Joe Wicks is now the author of the UK’s biggest-selling diet books since records began.The Body Coach’s three Lean in 15 books have... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British music writer Mark Fisher dies aged 48

British music writer and political theorist Mark Fisher, also known as K-Punk, has died, aged 48. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Best of the week: Publishers weigh in on mid-roll Facebook ads and earlier start times

A roundup of some of our best stories this week: We spoke with publishers about reports that Facebook will start showing ads in the middle of videos. And we spoke with publishers who insist their reporters get an earlier start to their days. Publishers have also found a way to frack more traffic... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bertelsmann acquires Indian analytics start-up Ramyam

Bertelsmann division Arvato has acquired India-based IT analytics start-up Ramyam to expand its footprint in India. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Future House Publishing: A Young Press Off to a Bright Start

After only two years of publishing, Utah’s Future House Publishing has seen a fair amount of success. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New British books prize for BAME authors unveils inaugural longlist

The Jhalak prize lines up 12 titles – taking in fiction, history, politics and YA fantasy – showcasing ‘the strength, range and promise’ of UK writers of colour A debut novel about inherited identity, a dystopian fantasy from a former children’s laureate, a study of Indian healthcare and radical... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BrandPost: In the New Year, Use Tech to Live Life to the Fullest

It seems like every new year brings the same old batch of resolutions: lose weight, join a gym, organize that closet once and for all. But according to consumer research firm Nielsen, there’s another self-improvement pledge that’s nearly as popular as fitness: “Enjoy life to the fullest.”That... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber wins nine-way auction for 'fascinating' story of British Isles

Faber & Faber has acquired The City That Fell of a Cliff by historian Matthew Green following a "heated" nine-way auction.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Holiday Whodunnits for Book Lovers: The British Library’s Crime Classics

A hit two holiday seasons ago has spawned a cozy cottage industry in a vaunted setting: The British Library is ready to stuff your stockings with crime. The post Holiday Whodunnits for Book Lovers: The British Library’s Crime Classics appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Caitlyn Jenner's memoir 'The Secrets of My Life' will be published in April

Caitlyn Jenner, the Olympic legend turned reality television star who came out as transgender last year, has revealed the title of her upcoming memoir: “The Secrets of My Life.” In a Twitter post Monday, Jenner shared an image showing the title of the book and its publication date of April 25,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spread the Word launches new Life Writing Prize

Writer development organisation Spread the Word is launching a new nationwide Life Writing Prize, thanks to a donation from writer Joanna Munro and partnership support from Goldsmiths Writers’ Centre, the Royal Society of Literature and Arvon. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Ranking: Child's school top of the class

Lee Child has thundered into the Weekly E-Book Ranking, earning his first number one in the list with his Jack Reacher title Night School. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Six start-ups shortlisted for EdTech pitch-off

Start-ups behind the world’s largest video library for education, an online classroom wall, and an online tutoring resource, are among the six businesses that will take part in a live pitch off at the EdTech for Publishers Conference. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Singh slams 'pathetic' British publishers for lack of submissions to BAME prize

Sunny Singh, author and chair of judges for the Jhalak Prize, has called the efforts of British publishers "pathetic" due to the "shockingly low" submissions to the prize created to celebrate British BAME writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kohler and Stanley win 2017 Eccles British Library Writer’s Award

Novelist Hannah Kohler and the writer and film producer Bob Stanley, also a member of the Mercury-nominated pop group Saint Etienne, have been named the joint winners of the 2017 Eccles British Library Writer’s Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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