Clockwise from bottom left: A pony ema at the Kanda shrine; the “hair shrine” ema; lunar new year emas for sale; the “doomed lovers” ema at the Ohatsu Tenjin shrine
The design of most modern ema though will be related to something the shrine is known for. Take heartshaped ema. If you’re travelling around Japan and spot one, it’s likely that you’re at a love shrine like Osaka’s Ohatsu Tenjin, famous for the tragic love story between a courtesan and the son of a rich merchant, who, when they couldn’t be together, killed themselves at the shrine. The heartshaped ema for sale here contain a drawing of the doomed couple sitting under a cherry blossom tree. One of the most unusual shapes I spotted on my last trip to Japan was at Kyoto’s Kawai Shrine. Not many tourists come here, but if you’re (Top) Lion ema at the Namba Yasaka shrine; (Middle) The “breast” ema; (Bottom) The “face” ema at the Kawai shrine
R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T OCTOBER 2023 • 101 looking for unusual ema it’s a must stop as the plaques are shaped like mirrors with eyes, nose and a mouth drawn on one side. Women visiting the shrine colour the features in with make-up or crayons to wish for beauty, inside and out. Other shrines will base their design on their own appearance—some ema at Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha, for example, are shaped like the thousands of scarlet torii gates that it’s most famous for, while at Osaka’s Namba Shrine the ema painted with a lion’s head reflect the 12-metre-high lion’s head that holds the altar in its mouth, and swallows evil spirits that might negatively affect the worshipers below. People come here to pray for good luck at school and business. Praying for good health is another common reason to write upon ema— but because it’s hard to draw illness, symbolism is often used instead. One Japanese folk tale says that if you drop a nashi pear into the river and promise not to eat one for a year, your tooth pain will be cured—so, ema related to dental health often contain the image of a pear. Other designs include tortoises for longevity. Admittedly, some shrines are more literal; wander into Nagoya’s Mama Kannon temple and you’ll be confronted by breast-shaped ema. Legend has it that a woman unable to breastfeed brought her baby to the shrine and immediately started to lactate. The shrine now sees many women coming to pray for a successful pregnancy. “The exact designs of ema change as the needs of society change,” says Professor Reader. “For example, ema based around education became more common in post-war Japan as more people sought to go to university. Today you find more ema relating to pets and pet health as pet ownership grows in Japan. Fandom has also become a part of ema-writing now. People will sometimes put up ema asking to get tickets to a favourite band’s concert, or requesting victories for their favourite baseball team.” You don’t have to be Shinto, Buddhist or Japanese to fill in an ema—if you visit a shrine that has a theme that speaks to you, then you can simply visit the shrine shop, purchase a plaque of your own, write on the back and affix it to the dedication area reserved for tying the plaques. Before this, though, it’s good etiquette to carry out the purification ritual of washing your hands and rinsing your mouth from the water trough you find in every shrine. But be warned—if you decide to tie your ema at Mikane-jinja, Kyoto’s money shrine, you might need to make some room. It has more ema than I think I’ve ever seen at a shrine. It seems a lot of people want to speak to the gods about their cash flow! Q
102 • OCTOBER 2023 FULL STEAM AHEAD! I GOT THE CHANCE TO DRIVE THE WORLD’S LAST SCHEDULED STEAM TRAIN BY Martin Fletcher FROM THE FINANCIAL TIMES TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Standing in Wolsztyn Station, the OL49-69 steam locomotive
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARTIN FLETCHER 104 • OCTOBER 2023 F U L L S T E A M A H E A D t is 5.20am, and I’m sound asleep in a guest house in Wolsztyn, a small town in western Poland. The light snaps on outside my room. I hear Howard Jones, my host, shout: “It’s working! It’s working!”. It takes me a second to register what’s happening, then I leap from my bed and quickly dress. Thirty minutes later, Jones and I reach the train station. It is cold, dark and raining, but sure enough there’s a huge black steam engine standing at the platform with smoke billowing from its chimney. We climb up into the cab, where Andrzej and Marcin, the driver and fireman (or engine stoker) are waiting in their grimy clothes and baseball caps. At precisely 6.03am, the great steel monster pulls out of the station, clanking and creaking, huffing and puffing as it slowly gathers pace. Thus, the world’s last scheduled standard-gauge steam-train service, the last one primarily for regular passengers, not tourists, begins its morning journey. It is also the last one on which novices like me can learn to drive. But I’m getting ahead of myself. it was four years ago that a friend of a friend, who was a steam-train lover, told me about Wolsztyn’s steam engines and of Howard Jones, the curious Englishman who had done so much to keep them going by setting up courses for people who longed to drive steam trains. Intrigued, I contacted Jones, who invited me to visit in February 2020. I booked my flights, but the day before my departure he called to say that none of the three trains were working. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns. I resurrected my plans in early 2022 and booked a flight for a three-day visit to Poland. There, I met Peter Lockley, a railway enthusiast—more commonly known as a “gricer.” The retired solicitor from Leamington Spa, in central England, now travels the world photographing steam engines for fun, and, like me, he wanted a crack at driving one. But when I arrived in Wolsztyn, Jones broke the news that just one of the locomotives was actually working. The steam train from Wolsztyn to Leszno, almost 28 miles away, runs twice daily on weekdays most of the year, at 6.03am and 11.41am. After arriving in Wolsztyn late, I opted to sleep in and take the second run. That was a mistake. The train developed a fault in its brake pump on the early run, so the later run was cancelled. That gave me time, at least, to be inducted into the strange and secret fraternity of gricers—most of them old enough to recall Britain’s steam trains. They were raised on Thomas the Tank Engine books, and films like Brief Encounter and The Railway Children. The guest house where Jones
OCTOBER 2023 • 105 R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T accommodates visitors is full of steamengine memorabilia: signals, ticketcollectors’ caps, guards’ lamps, platform signs, model trains, railway DVDs and photos. Lockley and I explored the Wolsztyn engine “shed,” a depot where there is a splendid old “roundhouse,” a railway turntable of a sort I had not seen since childhood. There were also 18 steam engines in various states of repair. Lockley knew them all. “That,” he’d say, “is a Pm36-2, built in Poland in 1937 and the last of its kind in the world.” Over a lunch of wild-mushroom soup and venison in a pre-war aristocrat’s country mansion, Jones, now silver-haired and 70, told me his story. Born and raised in London, his father took him to see a rare Clan Stewart steam locomotive at Liverpool Street Station when he was five. He would sneak into train sheds like Cricklewood, Neasden and Old Oak Common to admire the engines. “In the summer it was trainspotting, and on the dour winter days it was a model railway in the bedroom,” he said. When the last regular steam-train passenger service ended in Britain in 1968, “It was almost like losing a close friend,” said Jones. He left school as the era of cheap package holidays began. He worked for travel agencies, and later set up a company that organised weekend trips for British gricers to heritage railways in Germany and Poland. That was how he discovered the Wolsztyn depot. Steam trains had survived longer in Communist Poland than elsewhere because it produced lots of cheap coal, and diesel replacements were expensive. Steam engines were still common in the 1980s, and three or four working sheds survived until 1990, but by 1994, Wolsztyn’s was the last one left. “It was just clinging on,” Jones told me. By then, Jones’s company—and his marriage—were in trouble, so he followed his heart. In 1997, he moved from England to Poland to try to save Wolsztyn and its steam trains. “It was a eureka moment. Someone said, ‘You’ll never get beyond five years.’ That was a bit of a kick in the backside. And here we are 25 years later.” He promised to raise funds for the shed if the state railway company kept running the trains. He tapped into the Marcin, the stoker, in the locomotive’s cab, among the array of levers and handles for driving the train
F U L L S T E A M A H E A D large community of British train lovers. He persuaded 40 gricers to invest £2,000 each, and in return they could spend one week a year for the next five years learning to drive the trains. He settled in Wolsztyn and organised steam-train trips around Poland. By the early 2000s he was contributing about £50,000 a year to Wolsztyn’s shed and attracting visitors from around the world. In 2006, he was awarded the Member of the British Empire for his contribution to BritishPolish relations. “I felt like a bit of a fraud because all I’d done is play trains,” said Jones. Today the Wolsztynto-Leszno service carries around 50,000 passengers a year, of which only about 5,000 are tourists. I asked Jones what he found so fascinating about steam engines. “They are the closest thing in machinery to being alive—like breathing dragons,” he explained. “No two are alike. You have to learn how each one handles. You call them ‘she,’ and you swear at them. It requires a lot of skill to drive a steam engine, but any idiot can drive a diesel or an electric.” Jones, incidentally, can drive a steam engine but not a car. onmy second morning the brake pump was still broken. I was due to fly home the next day. An employee was sent on an 11-hour, over 600-mile round-trip to a railway museum to get a part. When he returned, the pump was mended, and at 5.20am on my third and final day, Jones woke me. Over the next three hours I began to understand why gricers are gricers. Railway workers in Wolsztyn trying to repair the steam locomotive’s faulty brake pump
OCTOBER 2023 • 107 R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T Dressed in a boiler suit, I climbed two metres of metal steps to the cab of the engine, an OL49-69 built in the early 1950s. It has wooden floorboards, and doors and windows held together by wire. In front of me, over the firebox, is a bewildering bank of levers, wheels and dials. Behind is the coal tender. Every surface is oily, black and grimy. There is a strong smell of sulphur. Jones shows me the regulator (a steel lever that serves as the accelerator), the reverser (a wheel that determines direction of travel) and a brake handle. Then we’re off—140 tonnes of steel rumbling into the darkness amid steam and smoke. It’s thrilling, but alarming, too. We can barely see the tracks because of the loco’s long boiler. Andrzej, a 67-year-old who is a 48-year veteran of the railways, relies almost entirely on his intimate knowledge of the track to know when to accelerate and when to stop. He could navigate it blindfolded. Leszno is 28 miles, or 83 minutes, away. En route we stop at 11 village stations. Normally there would be lots of schoolchildren and students waiting on the platforms, but it is a school break, so today we pick up just a few commuters. They are blithely unaware that they have a beginner helping in the engine room, pulling levers and turning handles as Andrzej barks instructions in broken English. I’m told to blow the whistle as we approach crossings. I shovel chunks of coal into the blazing firebox, filling the cab with an orange glow and blast of hot air each time we open its steel doors to expose the red-hot furnace. At times we reach 37 miles per hour and the whole loco is vibrating, but somehow we make inch-perfect stops at every station. Approaching Leszno, our branch line merges with a dozen others. An unseen signalman guides us through the tangle, and we grind to a halt in a crescendo of noise and smoke. Diesel and electric trains glide in and out almost silently, but steam engines are prima donnas—a statement. A dozen passengers get off, and scarcely 20 minutes later we set off back to Wolsztyn. This time the loco is at the end; we are going in reverse. We pass factories, warehouses and modern houses as we leave Leszno. We thunder through rich farmland, then forests of pine and silver birch, scattering deer. We pick up shoppers heading to Wolsztyn’s market, and night workers going home, 38 passengers in all, before we return. It is 9.07am. Elated, I thank Andrzej and Marcin, pull off my boiler suit and sprint to a waiting car, my hands and face black and filthy. I should make it to my plane on time. Jones tells me: “You’re one of perhaps 2,000 people who have helped drive a steam locomotive on a main line this century.” Q © MARTIN FLETCHER 2022 DRIVING EUROPE’S LAST STEAM TRAIN FINANCIAL TIMES / FT.COM 14 FEBRUARY USED UNDER LICENSE FROM THE FINANCIAL TIMES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PARTNERSHIP PROMOTION At Citalia, we have been helping our guests discover the very best of Italy for over 90 years. Our experience and expertise, together with our attention to detail and personal touch, really does make us the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialist. Our history in rail travel and relationships with trusted hotel partners mean we can build every aspect of your trip, so everything is taken care of before you even pack your bags. Whether you’re looking for an authentic city break in Rome, an architectural escape to Florence or a serene trip down Venice’s Grand Canal, we take the time to handcraft an Italian adventure bespoke to you. To start planning your Italian adventure today, call one of our Personal Travel Planners on 01293 900 643 www.citalia.com
The Italian cities offer a captivating blend of history, art, culture, and stunning scenery. Each with their own charm, they come alive with energy and culinary excellence. Find a hidden gem around every corner and soak up the local traditions. Italy has so much to offer, and we can’t wait to share some of our must visit cities with you. Andiamo! VENICE Italy’s floating city, Venice, is enchanting and unique. Built on a series of islands, it’s renowned for its network of canals and historic architecture. Explore the city by water onboard a gondola or get lost in the side streets stopping off at the little boutiques. Cross Rialto Bridge, the symbol of Venice and enjoy the panoramic city views. Be sure to try Venetian tapas, also known as cicchetti, bite-sized dishes that are popular among the locals. Or take a boat trip to Murano, an island famous for its glassmaking, to see this art in practice. SAVE THE DATE: VENICE CARNIVAL Enjoy the festivities of the iconic Venice Carnival which takes place annually in the weeks leading up to Lent. The streets come alive as the locals dress up in elaborate masks and colourful costumes to enjoy the masquerade balls, street performances and music. TOP TIP Did you know Verona is just over an hour away by train from Venice? You could combine these two cities and discover more of the real Italy in one trip. Citalia’s Guide To Italy’s Cities
FLORENCE The heart of Italy, Florence is filled with artistic treasures like the Uffizi Gallery and the magnificent cathedral with its iconic, red-tiled dome. The Ponte Vecchio stands proud across the Arno River and has been a symbol of the city for centuries. Lined with jewellery stores, they have a long history and some still even manufacture their jewels inside the ancient workshops today. Another hidden gem is the wine windows of Florence which were a safe way for shopkeepers to sell wine and food during the bubonic plague in the 1600s. Today, there are around 285 windows scattered around the Old Town. ROME Italy’s capital, Rome, is a timeless city that holds thousands of years of history and culture. The heart of the Roman Empire, the Eternal City is home to iconic landmarks like the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Roman Forum. Wander around the streets and get a glimpse into the grandeur of the past. Stop off at one of the many piazzas and enjoy watching the world go by with a glass of wine in hand. A bustling city, filled with life, Rome’s unparalleled combination of ancient history and dynamic atmosphere make it a captivating destination that should not be missed.
FOR MORE ITALIAN INSPIRATION AND EXCLUSIVE OFFERS, SIGN UP TO OUR EMAILS! www.citalia.com NAPLES Vibrant and energetic, Naples brings a unique spirit to southern Italy. Known for its rich history and delicious cuisine, Naples is the birthplace of pizza bringing fresh ingredients to plates across the city. Home to architectural marvels with Baroque and Neoclassical influences, it’s one of Italy’s oldest inhabited cities. The Bay of Naples delights with its picturesque views while the historic city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site worth exploring. Ancient Pompeii sits just outside of Naples and invites you to step into the past. Naples is the gateway to the Amalfi Coast and nearby islands like Capri and Ischia. MILAN Located in the north of Italy, the cosmopolitan fashion capital of Milan is home to high-end boutiques and luxury brands. Gaze in awe at the intricate details of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or admire the sensational views from the top of the stunning Gothic Duomo. You could even take a day trip to nearby Lake Como to enjoy a peaceful retreat on the glistening shores. A dynamic hub of modernity and culture with a rich historical backdrop, add Milan to your Italy bucket list. CITALIA’S CHOICE: FLORENCE, ROME & NAPLES Struggling to decide between cities? Why not combine them on a multicentre adventure and discover more of the real Italy? Blend the Renaissance charms of Florence, the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome and the cultural city of Naples in one single trip, making memories to last a lifetime.
112 • OCTOBER 2023 What adventure could I go on to celebrate my 60th birthday? My first cruise and being chauffeured around the volcanoes of Tenerife on a “boom trike” sounded pretty much perfect. On the largest of the Canary Islands, a pre-booked taxi met us at the port and drove us 40 minutes to the west coast of the island, where we were met by Ian and his magnificent, shiny, yellow boom trike. We had been looking forward to this for such a long time, and we weren’t disappointed when we saw what was to be our mode of transportation for the next three hours. It was so thrilling to be on the bike as we rode through the old Our reader Lynn Chapman goes on a thrilling bike ride around the biggest of the Canary Islands Zooming Around Tenerife My Great Escape: fishing village of Puerto de Santiago, with locals and tourists alike turning their heads towards us as we rode along in the warm sunshine. Ian was very knowledgeable about the history of the island and showed us points of interest on the journey, including the very exclusive RitzCarlton Abama Hotel, set in a stunning 400-acre site. Past guests include Bill Clinton, Penélope Cruz and Stephen Hawking. We stopped at a place called Mirador Archipenque, from where you had a magnificent view of the Los Gigantes cliffs, which rise over 500 metres above the sea. There was a lovely marina here too, as well as souvenir shops, little cafes and beautiful beaches. From there we drove further up into the mountains, which was at times a bit hair-raising as some of the TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
113 On the return ride to our drop-off point, we were completely in awe of the history that surrounded us. Eroded rocks, lava flows, craters, black volcanic ash and the splash of greenery made for a landscape that looked like the set of a sciencefiction film. A quick photo stop at the Hard Rock Hotel brought us back to reality and we were soon in our taxi heading back to the ship. It was an unforgettable experience and a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday. Tenerife is a beautiful island, with stunning scenery and over 200 volcanoes. We had the best views because there were no obstructions on the bike, and it also felt perfectly safe. After such a thrilling day, the evening was more sedentary, spent over a quiet meal, vowing to go back to Tenerife for another trip on one of those awesome machines—what a way to travel! Q Tell us about your favourite holiday (send a photo too) and if we print it, we’ll pay £50. Email [email protected] bends were a little tight. There were houses dotted about and I wondered what it would be like to live there; it looked very tranquil. There was a lovely breeze while riding, but when we arrived at the next look-out point, we could feel the heat as soon as we got off the bike. Luckily, Ian was well prepared and had ice-cold bottles of water in the back box. There were only a handful of people there, but they all took selfies with the big yellow trike. This was also our opportunity to sit at the front for photos. It felt great holding the handlebars and “being in charge” of this formidable machine, but I could never imagine taking it out on the road for real. Needless to say, Ian kept the ignition key in his pocket! The views were magnificent as we stood 1,300 metres above sea level, looking down on the very pretty village of Masca, populated by around 90 people. In the opposite direction was the imposing site of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest mountain at over 3,700 metres, and an active volcano that last erupted in November 1909.
114 THE SHELL GROTTO with 2,000 square feet of mosaic patterns, 4.6 million seashells and 70 feet of tunnels, the Shell Grotto is a mysterious and impressive sight hidden away below the streets of the seaside town of Margate. Discovered by chance in the mid1830s, when a gentleman bought the cottage that stood above and removed the stone covering the entrance, debate has raged about the origins of the underground grotto ever since. There are theories that this unusual, yet strangely captivating tourist attraction was once a place of worship or an ancient temple, a meeting place for a secret sect, a smuggler’s cave or an extravagant, wealthy man’s folly. We all love a mystery. Descending the chalk stairway to the cold tunnels and examining the Grotto in person will not provide much certainty, but it’s certainly fun to decide which theory you believe. Exploring the decorative shells adorning every inch of the curved, thick walls and ceiling will prove that this artwork was made by a dedicated and skilled person or people. Patterns made from native cockles, whelks, mussels and oysters are fashioned into beautiful, intricate swirls, while other symbols appear to show everything from trees of life and phalluses to gods, goddesses and an altar. However, an “altar room” also includes exotic shells, such as Caribbean queen conches, in the corners. What we do know is that the formerly secret Shell Grotto was first opened to paying customers in 1838. The museum room you enter before the Grotto explains the conservation work that has been done to preserve the Grade I listed site (the altar room was damaged by a Luftwaffe bomb in 1940) and why the delicate shells should not be touched, as well as revealing the bright colours the Grotto would have been when it was first made. Unfortunately, as the Grotto was lit with gas lamps for nearly 100 years, the shells are covered in carbon deposits. Visit the Margate Shell Grotto in September or October (WednesdaySunday, 10am-5pm), or from November (Thursday-Sunday, 11am4pm). Entrance is £4.50 for adults, £4 for concession, £2 for a child or £10 for a family. A magical experience, it will leave you with more questions than answers about these historic, hidden tunnels, and that in itself is a compelling reason to visit. By IanChaddock TRAVEL & ADVENTURE DOMINIC DIBBS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Margate
GEMS HIDDEN 115
116 MONEY W Sorted This Autumn ILL GET YOUR
OCTOBER 2023 • 117 How often do you think about death? Hopefully not too often. But I want you to make an exception today. I want you to imagine what will happen when you do pass. Not the how, the why or the when of it happening, but what happens after. And since this is a money column, I want you to focus on the finances. At first it might seem pretty simple, but the more you think about it, the more complicated it can become. Do you see everything passing over to your partner? Or maybe your kids and grandkids? Is it evenly split or do your wishes involve different amounts of money or assets for different people? Will they get the money now, or when they’re older? Will it pass to your partner first, and then to others? Do you want to ensure dependants are protected for a while—perhaps with something that says they can stay in your home until a specified time? And what about debts? How will they be paid? Could that force the estate you leave to be split, or your home sold? That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Now, you could just tell your family what you want, but sadly the law might not agree. For a start, if you have a partner but aren’t married or in a civil partnership then they have no legal right to anything in your name. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a couple or if you have kids together. They’ll get nothing. They might even be forced out of their home. Likewise, other wishes about where things go don’t have to be honoured by whoever is in charge of your estate. If you have children under the age of 18 (and the other parent is also dead) it’ll be up to the courts to decide who looks after them—and that might not be who you want to have custody. You could even end up in a situation where your next of kin receive the lot, even if they’re no longer part of your life or an ex who you’ve not divorced. And there are rules around tax allowances too that only pass from you to your partner, children or grandchildren. So the nice little nest egg you think your niece will receive could be decimated by HMRC. Even if these issues aren’t a concern, there’s also the admin headache to think about. The burden, good and bad, will fall on those nearest and dearest to you. At a time when they’ll be processing their grief, they’ll also Andy Webb is a personal finance journalist and runs the award-winning money blog, Be Clever With Your Cash
you produce with them should stand up if anyone challenges it. Solicitors will also be the most expensive option, and the more complicated they are, the more they’ll cost. One way to save, while also doing something for a good cause, is to take part in either the Will Aid or Free Wills Month campaigns. Both will get you a “simple will” for a donation to charity. A simple will is one where you leave everything to just a few people, whether friends, family or a mix. You won’t be able to include any complicated tax advice, overseas assets and things like powers of attorney. But for most people that’s more than enough. Will Aid runs in November each year, though you can book with participating solicitors from September onwards. You can give what you want but they suggest £100 for a single will and £180 for a have to deal with everything else. If it’s all a jumbled mess, things could get lost, or unexpected consequences could cause financial distress for your loved ones. There could even be legal costs if there’s a fight about who gets what. Fortunately there’s an easy fix. Get a will. Do this properly and your money, property and belongings will be given to whoever you want. You’ll be able to put in place specific wishes you want to be followed. You’ll also be able to think about inheritance tax, and whether there are ways to reduce it. It all seems pretty obvious but, scarily, 59% of people in the UK don’t currently have a will, according to Will Aid charities. That’s a hefty number. So how do you go about changing this? Well, there are a few ways to get a will drawn up. The best is probably to go via a solicitor. They’re regulated and insured so the legal document 118 • OCTOBER 2023
couple (this is known as a “Mirror” will that does the same but with the names reversed). Free Wills Month is a little different as it’s only for those over 55 years old (or when in a couple, one person is over this age). This takes place twice a year in March and October. There are also a number of other free or subsidised will schemes run by charities themselves. These include Cancer Research UK and The Children’s Hospital. Alternatively you can use a willwriting service. Most aren’t regulated, but if you only need to make some simple requests, that hopefully won’t be an issue further down the line. They’ll still count as your final wishes—as long as they comply with the law. Money Saving Expert recommend Which? and Farewill. A final option is to write something yourself—though you need to be aware that this could easily be challenged. Really, this is for the most basic will where you want to leave everything to your partner or your child. Just make sure that it’s witnessed by two independent adults who aren’t listed in the will itself. Whichever you go for, make sure you keep an eye on your will— you can add codicils or updates if your situation changes in the coming years. Q R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T OCTOBER 2023 • 119 Frightful Fortunes Halloween may be best known for spooky costumes, pumpkins and communing with the dead, butitis also traditionally a holiday for divination.Old divination games include pouring egg whites into a glass, dropping balls of wool down the well and hanging laundry on the washing line.Often these games would predict who its participants would one day marry SOURCE: LIBRARYBLOGS.IS.ED.AC.UK “SCARILY, 59 PER CENT OF PEOPLE IN THE UK DON’T CURRENTLY HAVE A WILL”
How to find equity release advice If you are over 55 and own your own home, equity release can be a fantastic way to take advantage of its value and unlock some welldeserved cash later in life. With it, you could achieve your goals and enjoy the freedom to choose how and when you make payments. PARTNERSHIP PROMOTION
Although using an equity release product could be a useful way to access a financial boost, you must seek independent advice to ensure you make the right decision for you and your family. 1. Do your research It’s likely that your home is your most valuable possession, so it’s important to look in the right places and get reliable information that you can trust before you consider utilising its value. Have a think about your plans for the years ahead and how your plans might change in the future. You could also use our free online calculator to find out instantly how much you could release, as well as receive a free copy of the Reader’s Digest Equity Release complete guide to unlocking the value of your home. 2. Take your time Make sure you take your time to decide whether equity release is the most suitable solution for you, as taking from the value of your home now will reduce the value of your estate and could affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits. Should you enquire with Reader’s Digest Equity Release, you can be certain that you’ll never be pushed to proceed. Whether you decide that it pays to be patient or need us to work to meet a tight deadline, we’ll work at a pace of your choosing. 3. Choose someone you trust At Reader’s Digest Equity Release, we think it’s vital that you feel confident and comfortable when deciding if equity release is for you. That’s why our advice service will provide the following: • A no-obligation consultation to discuss your priorities and preferences. • One dedicated equity release adviser to stay with you throughout your journey. • Consideration of a variety of options, including equity release and other mortgages. • Access to exclusive products through our panel of lenders. If you’d like to kickstart the process of receiving advice and support tailored to you, call the friendly Information Team today on 0800 029 1233. They can arrange for you to meet with a fully qualified adviser who can help you to understand how equity release could work for you. You will also receive a free guide to unlocking the value of your home. Reader’s Digest Equity Release is a trading style of Responsible Life Limited. Only if your case completes will Responsible Life Limited charge an advice fee, currently not exceeding £1,490. For more information, please visit: www.readersdigest.co.uk/er2 Or call 0800 029 1233
PET CORNER Halloween and Bonfire Night can be among the most terrifying times of the year for some of our cats and dogs. National pet charity Blue Cross have some top tips on how you can keep your pet safe and sound. Halloween • Walk your dog before it gets dark or stay inside and play games to tire them out in the safety of your home. • With the potential for strangers in fancy dress to appear at your door, consider keeping your dog away from the door—for example, separate them from the entrance to your home using a stair gate if they are used to it. • If your dog is really worried by people, put a sign on your gate saying “Nervous dog. Please don’t knock on the door”. • Make sure your pet has a comfortable safe space to go to if they are worried. This could be their bed or crate, but make sure it is away from front windows or the door. • Stuff a Kong toy to keep them busy. Have it ready made for when children come to the door and give it to your dog to keep it occupied while you answer it. Why do fireworks pose a problem for pets? Pets can become very frightened by fireworks and it’s possible they could run away and get lost or even injured. Animals have no idea what the loud bangs and flashes are and can get very stressed by anything that is out of the norm or a change in their routine. How to keep your animals safe • Keep dogs and cats inside when fireworks are being let off. • Make sure your dog is walked earlier in the day before the fireworks start. • Close all windows and doors and block off cat-flaps to stop pets escaping and keep noise to a minimum. Draw the curtains, and if the animals are used to the sounds of TV or radio, switch them on (but not too loudly) to block out some of the noise of the fireworks. • Prepare a “den” for your pet where it can feel safe and comfortable— perhaps under a bed with some of your old clothes. How to keep your pet safe over Halloween and Bonfire Night Frights And Fireworks
• Let your pet pace around, whine, miaow and hide if they want to. Do not try to coax them out—they’re just trying to find safety and should not be disturbed. • Stay calm, act normally and give lots of praise for calm behaviour. It’s OK to cuddle and stroke your pet if it helps them relax, but if they prefer to hide under your bed, then let them do this instead. • Avoid leaving your pet alone during potentially upsetting events. If you do have to leave the house, don’t get angry with your pet if you find they have been destructive or toileted. Shouting at a frightened pet will make them more stressed. • Never take your dog with you to a fireworks display. • Small animals in hutches and enclosures should be brought into a quiet room indoors, or a garage or shed. • Give your pet extra bedding to burrow into so it feels safe. • If you cannot bring your pet’s hutch inside, turn its enclosure to face a wall/fence instead of open garden. • Cover hutches with thick blankets to block out the sight and sound of fireworks, but make sure there is enough ventilation. • Bonfires can pose a problem as they provide a cosy hideaway for cats who like a quiet place to snooze. Always check your bonfire before lighting it. For help visit bluecross.org.uk Age: Nine years Breed: Chihuahua cross Owner: Kirsty Morris Fun Fact: She loves to go for a “dip” whenever we are out for a walk, inbetween chasing squirrels Peanut OCTOBER 2023 • 123 Email your pet’s picture to [email protected] £100 gift voucher to spend at Pet Planet Enter our monthly Pet of the Month contest at the email above WIN! READER’S DIGEST’S PET OF THE MONTH
124 • OCTOBER 2023 I f you’re wanting to maximise your space, whether it’s for your living or work area, there are some practical do’s and don’ts that can be applied. An easy win comes in the form of multifunctional or built-in furniture, as they will do all the hard work for you. Adaptable furniture that can be reconfigured, and that has more than one use— such as divan and sofa beds, storage coffee tables and foot stools— offer greater flexibility, and are particularly useful for smaller flats. A considered approach to the space is also key, ensuring furniture pieces that are in proportion with the size of the room will give a more spacious feeling rather than a confined appearance. Remember to use the wall area too—try incorporating a floating desk with shelving, for example—and have a cull of the clutter for a more streamline aesthetic. Juliette Thomas, the founder and creative director of the London-based interior design and luxury furniture retail company, Juliette’s Interiors, has been designing and offering up unique interior solutions and furnishings since 2005. With her wealth of experience with private residential customers, who better to ask then, for expert space-saving furniture tips. Get an adjustable dining table No matter the size of our homes, many of us love to entertain—and, therefore, a larger dining table is key. In small properties, a large table isn’t always the solution, as it limits the overall space. You therefore need to introduce furniture that adjusts as you do. Opting for an extendable dining room table which can be easily adjusted, whether it’s for working from home or for when friends and family come over, will give you total flexibility throughout the year. Ensure the design is easy to assemble, not too cumbersome and gives plenty of room to grow when you most need it. Maximise space underneath Dual-purpose or multi-functional furniture is vital in small homes to maximise on available space, so think outside the box when selecting larger pieces. In the bedroom, an Ottoman bed is essential for space-saving, HOME & GARDEN Space-Saving Furniture Tips Felicity Carter looks at how to optimise the available space in smaller flats by smartly selecting furniture and keeping rooms clear of clutter
OCTOBER 2023 • 125 boasting plenty of room underneath for clothes, spare bedding or shoes which can then be easily hidden away. I’d advise choosing a bed with an easy opening and closing system so you or other members of your household aren’t battling with it! In the living room, choose a coffee table which has built-in storage underneath so you can hide away your laptop, games or paperwork. A smart use of space, as well as an easy-to-reach destination for everyday items. Look to the walls Ensuring your floor space remains clear and uncluttered is an effective way of helping a room feel larger— therefore functional furniture doesn’t always need to be based on the floor. Instead, utilise the walls in your home and introduce floating furniture to avoid restricting useable space in each room. I would avoid choosing larger pieces of furniture for this as it can have the opposite effect, so instead, opt for smaller pieces of furniture. From floating shelves and minimalist bedside tables to a desk or dressing table, rather than incorporating traditional furniture with legs, floating furniture opens up the space and allows for more fluidity and movement. Size isn’t everything It may be tempting to go for the largest sofa or bed possible, however, this will have a negative effect on the feeling and ambience of your home. Oversized furniture immediately makes a room feel cramped and small, which isn’t ideal if your home is limited on space anyway. Instead, ensure your bed or sofa fits comfortably and you can walk around both sides to make a room more functional and aesthetically pleasing. Avoid pushing the furniture up against the wall at all costs! Incorporate sliding doors When space is limited, regular doors that open and close can easily eat into your available space. By introducing furniture with sliding doors, you will immediately save on space and be able to move much easier. From fitted wardrobes to sideboards and TV units, sliding doors are more streamlined, sleeker and modern— plus, they can be paired with an array of interior design styles to suit a variety of looks. Q Formore information, visit juliettesinteriors.co.uk
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With Halloween just around the corner, Paola Westbeek shares ideas for how to use leftover carved pumpkins to cook with FOOD OCTOBER 2023 • 127 According to the climate change organisation WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme), approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food goes to waste every year in the UK. Those staggering numbers are especially disturbing if you consider that nearly three-quarters of that food (6.4 million tonnes) was perfectly suitable for consumption. Curbing food waste would not only reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by roughly ten per cent, but the food that ends up in landfills could potentially feed up to 2 billion people. With the advent of autumn and Halloween right around the corner, I can’t help but think about all of those handsome pumpkins that will mercilessly get discarded after they’ve served as festive jack-o’- lanterns by our front door or as part of our indoor decor, adding seasonal colour to a mantlepiece or dining room table. With the exception of the rock-hard, Paola Westbeek is a food, wine and travel journalist who has tasted her way through Europe, interviewing chefs, visiting vineyards and reviewing restaurants. Her work has appeared in FRANCE Magazine and other publications Devilishly
speaking, you should bear in mind that the larger pumpkins used as jack-o’-lanterns are quite bland and tend to have a tough, stringy flesh. Opt to roast the flesh instead of boiling it as this imparts more flavour, and be generous when it comes to seasoning. The easiest way to roast a pumpkin is by slicing it in half, scooping out the seeds and baking it at 180°C for approximately 45 to 90 minutes, depending on its size. Once cooled, simply scoop out the flesh with a spoon, blitz in a food processor until smooth and use in soups, bakes and spreads such as hummus or pumpkin butter. The most popular pumpkin varieties (among them the Kabocha, Cinderella, Musquee de Provence, Crown Prince and Turban Squash) are beautiful and full of flavour. Their seeds, which are rich in zinc and magnesium, make a wholesome snack or excellent topping for salads when tossed with olive oil, sea salt and roasted at 180°C for 15-20 minutes. Play around with dried herbs and spices to fancy them up. I love adding garlic powder with a dash of smoked Spanish paprika or the deliciously fragrant and spicy dry and unpleasantly bitter gourds available at a garden centre, most pumpkins (if handled correctly) need not be thrown away and can be used in many delicious dishes, both sweet and savoury. I would certainly not recommend turning a carved pumpkin that’s been sitting outside for days—more than likely serving as an all-you-caneat buffet for insects and rodents— into soup. However, if you wash the outside of your pumpkins well before carving and only set them out for a few hours on a cold Halloween night, there’s no harm in bringing them back in and cooking them up when trick-or-treaters have stopped coming round. It’s another story if your pumpkins are uncarved and used indoors. In that case, they will remain in good condition for up to two months, but do check to ensure they are blemishfree and haven’t started going soft. Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, and there are hundreds of varieties to choose from, each with its own unique texture and flavour profile. Discovering which works best for your recipes is really a matter of taste, but generally D E V I L I S H LY G O U R D 128 • OCTOBER 2023 PUMPKINS NEED NOT BE THROWN AWAY AND CAN BE USED IN DELICIOUS DISHES, BOTH SWEET AND SAVOURY
piment d’Espelette; and for a sweet version, swap out the oil for melted butter and toss with cinnamon and maple syrup. One of the recipes I have on repeat throughout the autumn is my aromatic pumpkin and rice gratin. For two people, start by sautéeing a shallot or onion, a red chilli pepper and garlic in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add 400g of diced pumpkin and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Next, tip in 120g of basmati rice and approximately 450ml of hot vegetable stock. Briefly bring to a bubble, then remove from the heat and stir in a few heaping tablespoons of cream; freshly chopped herbs such as parsley, chives or sage; and a few handfuls of sharp, grated cheese. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish, finish with a little more cheese and freshly cracked pepper and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the dish is bubbling. For a super-quick pasta dish, roast 400g of cubed pumpkin, red onion wedges and whole garlic cloves at 200°C for 35 minutes. Once done, squeeze out the garlic and stir everything through pappardelle ribbons along with a swirl of cream, a handful of toasted walnuts, rocket lettuce and a little blue cheese. Remember to look beyond traditional pies when it comes to using up pumpkin purée. Add it to cakes, cookies and bars instead of butter to cut down on fat (and sugar, for that matter). If you’d rather indulge than abstain, remember that pumpkin pairs brilliantly with dark chocolate and cream cheese, so play around with pumpkin breads with chopped chocolate and pecans, or try pumpkin cheesecake bars with caramel sauce and cupcakes with pumpkin spice and cream cheese icing. You’ll be glad those decorative pumpkins were put to good culinary use. Q R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T OCTOBER 2023 • 129 Chlorophyll is the chemical that makes leaves green and, as it declines, other chemicals take more prominence in the leaves These chemicals include flavonoids, carotenoids and anthocyanins and are responsible forthe ambers,reds and yellows of autumn leaves Some of these chemicals give carrots (beta-cartotenes) and egg yolks (luteins) their colours SOURCE: METOFFICE.GOV.UK Autumnal Colours
READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/CULTURE it’s 1996 and the world of mobile phones is about to change forever in Matt Johnson’s comedy-drama BlackBerry. The film opens with a fumbled pitch by Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Doug Fregin (Johnson), a couple of buddies who harbour big tech dreams but lack charisma. In steps Jim Balsillie (a standout Glenn Howerton). He offers to quit his job and steer them to their full potential—neglecting to mention that he has already been fired due to unscrupulous workplace practices. Awkward tech guy Lazaridis, goofy nerd Fregin and cutthroat businessman Balsillie make an unlikely team, but together they embark on a journey to make the world’s first smartphone, and hopefully a lot of money. Handheld camerawork makes you feel like you’re in the thick of it, and it’s fun (and nostalgic) to watch the excitement as they invent BBM, which now seems so quaint. The fast pace is complemented by a catchy soundtrack, capturing chaos and exhilaration of trying to pioneer a new way of communicating. Knowing the chokehold the iPhone now has on the mobile phone market, your heart breaks for Lazaridis as he insists that no one would ever give up a phone with a keyboard. His belief in his vision is his downfall, and it’s humbling how far a tech giant can fall. The jury’s out on how accurate the film is—the real Jim Balsillie praised Howerton’s performance as “brilliant”, but said that his characterisation is “five per cent accurate, and 95 per cent made-up”. Regardless, the cast puts in strong performances for the whole fun ride—and make up for an unconvincing set of wigs. By Alice Gawthrop BLACKBERRY ++++ MONTH FILM OF THE 130 • OCTOBER 2023 FETCH PUBLICITY
FILM a graceful, gentle and genial Michael Caine takes centre stage in The Great Escaper, a true story inspired by Bernard Jordan, a Second World War veteran who ducked out of his seaside retirement home in June 2014. Why? Because the 89-year-old wanted to make it to Normandy to join the 70th anniversary D-Day celebrations. Departing without telling those in charge, he makes his way to the ferry, where he meets human kindness and shattering memories. Left behind in the home is his spirited wife Rene (Glenda Jackson), who hasn’t lost her sense of humour, despite her ailing health. Director Oliver Parker, who has previously rebooted the likes of Dad’s Army and St Trinian’s for modern film audiences, here shifts down a gear, matching Bernard’s slow-but-steady pace. As the media frenzy swirls around Bernard’s disappearance, Caine brings a quiet gravitas to his character, notably in the moving scene where he meets German soldiers who have also arrived in Normandy to pay respects to their fallen comrades. Meanwhile, Jackson—in her last role before she died earlier this year—gives a mischievous turn, although you can’t help but wish she and Caine had more scenes together. The Great Escaper is certainly a stark reminder of their enormous talents. by James Mottram ALSO OUT THIS MONTH THE GREAT ESCAPER +++ OCTOBER 2023 • 131
TELEVISION three shows about con artists arrive for sentencing this month. Two deserve slaps on the wrist. The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies (BBC1, iPlayer) has metabolised the many internet articles about gaslighting but displays scant idea of lived reality; fine actors (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Rebekah Staton, Alistair Petrie) struggle to sell it. Aussie import Vanishing Act (ITVX) initially frames high-rolling Sydney grifter Melissa Caddick’s midpandemic demise as trashy, semi-fun soap, before making pious excuses for its heroine, deemed more sinned against than sinning (it also features a cover of the Pet Shop Boys’ “Opportunities” that really is a sin). The pick of this shifty pack is The Power of Parker (BBC1, iPlayer), a sharply realised sitcom that regards the early 1990s as a hangover from the excesses of the 1980s, and boasts a superlative villain in Conleth Hill’s Martin Parker, a peacocking wheelerThe Thief,HisWife and theCanoe (ITVX) Four-partdramatisation ofthe JohnDarwinpalaver, featuringexperttragicomedy from EddieMarsan as Darwin andMonicaDolan as hiswifeAnne. by Mike McCahill dealer brought low by the sisters he’s been two-timing. Sian Gibson spars effectively with Rosie Cavaliero as the Silvikrinned avenging angels and—alongside co-writer Paul Coleman— distributes big laughs around an excellent ensemble: Sheila Reid as a lusty retiree and Abby Vicky-Russell as Parker’s underengaged secretary are among the beneficiaries. One reason TV crooks may be flourishing is that TV cops are becoming more distractible. No Activity (BBC2, iPlayer), an earlier work by Team Colin from Accounts, was likely conceived as a send-up of The Wire, drily observing detectives and police back-up staff as they talk the nonsense that doubtless gets actual lawmakers through their duller stakeouts. It’s often hilarious nonsense, though, and doesn’t preclude character development or gratifying plotting: trust me when I say this is a worthy investment. Retro Pick: 132 • OCTOBER 2023 The Power of Parker
stood on the border of a new world,toeing the line between the Mother Country and the HMT Empire Windrush, Lord Kitchener did what he always did best. He opened his mouth and sang: “London, is the place for me/London, this lovely city/You can go to France or America, India, Asia or Australia/But you must come back to London city.” Before he’d even stepped off the gangplank, Kitchener initiated one of the most significant cultural exchanges in the history of contemporary British music—the import of Caribbean culture that continues to shape popular genres like grime and hip-hop today. Kitchener, or “Kitch”, was already a famous musician in his home in Trinidad (“the king of the Calypso singers,” according to the Pathé newsreel that recorded his arrival), and had penned this song on the passage over. It spoke to the apparent optimism of the moment, with Britain poised to embrace its new West Indian citizens—if you are to believe the newsreader. Of course, the truth is more complex. In a BBC Radio 2 interview in 2015, David Rudder—who sang back-up in his teens in a calypso tent run by Kitchener—said that Kitchener performed that song to “mamaguy, as we say in Trinidad, to caress the egos of the British people.” Kitchener was far more candid about the trials he and the rest of the Windrush generation faced on his later music releases, singing with a wry lyricism about the overwhelming London overground, the dreary British weather, and the prolific racism—“If your skin is dark, no use to try, you’ve got to suffer until you die,” he intones on “If You’re Brown”. London, it turned out, was not the place for Kitchener. He eventually moved to Manchester, where he briefly ran his own nightclub and was a regular fixture at The Reno, one of the city’s key drinking establishments for the Caribbean community. In 1960, he would make Black British history again on the bill for the London Caribbean Carnival, the precursor to Notting Hill Carnival. When he returned to his beloved Trinidad two years later, he left behind a musical legacy that spans oceans, and will surely echo through the ages for years to come. By Becca Inglis MUSIC SailingOn SoundWaves Seventy-five years on fromthe Windrush MUSIC CONTRABAND COLLECTION / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
BOOKS I n a recent New Yorker article, Zadie Smith talked about the seeming inevitability of every English author writing a historical novel. She resisted for years, she said, despite having a quiet obsession with a particular Victorian court case, on the basis that if a novel “could have been written at any time in the past hundred years, well, then, that novel is not quite doing its job.” Aftermullingoverthis idea for 11 years, Smith has finally givenin, and togreat effect.TheFraud tells the storyofLondon housekeeperMrsEliza Touchet, andher increasingobsession withthe “Tichborne Trial”,inwhichaman long-thoughtdeadhas supposedly returnedto claimhis fortune. October Fiction A nuanced historical novel and a gripping look at our modern world of polarised culture are Miriam Sallon’s top literary picksthis month 134 • OCTOBER 2023 TheFraud byZadieSmith ispublishedby HamishHamilton at £20
Whetherthismanis indeedMrTichborneor abutcherfromWapping is almostby theby, because atthe centreof the trialis theTichborne claimant’s keywitness, MrAndrewBogle.A former slave, andlongtime servanttothe Tichborne family,it’s withhimthatMrs Touchet’sundividedfocus lies. Aswithmanyperiodnovels,webegin inaristocraticLondon.Buthalfway through,we’re transportedtoJamaica topursueMrBogle’sunendingly tragic story.Whereasother stories inthis settingmight give anod, atmost,tothe horrific conditionsofthe sugar plantations,it’s rare forus tosee it beside those callously enjoying the benefitsontheother sideoftheworld, andinsuchmiserable focus. The sudden shiftto Jamaica, while powerful, does seem a little clunky. Given this is Smith’s firstforay into Can you guess the fictional characterfrom these clues (and, of course, the fewer you need the better)? 1.He is known for hiswild and drug-fuelled adventures. 2.He is a journalist covering a unique event in Las Vegas. 3.He’s accompanied by his eccentric lawyerfriend, DrGonzo. Answer on p138 NAME THE CHARACTER OCTOBER 2023 • 135 historical fiction, it’s no surprise you can see the mechanics a little more clearly, compared to her contemporary North West London fiction in which she is truly a master of veiling her authorly intent. That said, our London base is in fact 19thcentury North West London,the now chaotic Edgeware Road then surrounded by “fields as far as the eye can see”, and walking down the now-crammedKilburn High Road, you mightthen see only one “toothless farmer driving a crowd of pigs with a stick”.It’s a perfect nod to her North West London roots, while still succeeding in writing a very different kind of novel. Smith may have actually done the thing she swore she’d never do, but contrary to her pastthoughts on historical fiction, she tells this old story through a nuanced, contemporary lens. Q IT’S RARE TO SEE THE HORRORS OF PLANTATIONS BESIDE THOSE CALLOUSLY ENJOYING THE BENEFITS
Naomi Klein is known for her razor-sharp sociopolitical analysis. Book after book, she has located and defined multiple endemic issues, laying out causes and consequences, and perspicuously explaining the solutions. She is close to the last person I would imagine falling down an internet rabbit hole, let alone writing a book about it. But lockdown was a weird time and, stranded on the coast of British Columbia, “on a rock at the dead end of a street that is three hours...from the closest city”, there was little else to do but take to the internet. Her obsession centres around the woman she has been increasingly confused with over the years: Naomi Wolf, or “Other Naomi”. Wolf made a name for herself as a new-wave feminist with her 1990 title The Beauty Myth, wrote regularly for publications such as The Guardian, and worked as a political consultant for Al Gore. But somehow over the last few years, she’s become a major advocate and regular talking head for the alt-right, tweeting about chemtrails and vaccine conspiracies. In short, she Mistaken Identity B O O K S Naomi Klein utilises how she is often confused for Naomi Wolf to highlight the dangers of conspiracy culture RECOMMENDED READ: 136 pa images / alamy stock photo
appears now to be the polar opposite of Klein, or in other words she has become Klein’s doppelganger. While the premise might seem somewhat narrow and silly, it’s this biographical element that makes it so particularly readable. Klein uses her doppelganger fixation to speak of bigger and more insidious problems which she terms the “mirror world”: the rise of conspiracy theories, of our virtual selves, of bizarre political alliances—such as Wolf and the alt-right. If, like myself, you might struggle with a 360-page complex political analysis, this personal narrative weaving through the text will keep you hooked. The strange angle from which Klein has approached these problems also creates an entirely fresh perspective. It’s not so much the facts that are new, but the manner in which she lays them side by side. What, you might ask, have Native Canadian rights got to do with COVID-19 policies? What has autism to do with the Holocaust? It sounds crazy, but with each of these bizarre tandems, Klein’s argument grows stronger. While this might seem a departure from what Klein calls her “real work”, she has attacked this internet rabbit hole obsession with the same rigour and care she applies to the rest of her writing. Only this time, we get a peek of Klein herself, and it’s all the more potent for it. Q R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T OCTOBER 2023 • 137 For centuries, doubles have been understood as warnings or harbingers. When reality starts doubling, refracting off itself, it often means that something important is being ignored or denied—a part of ourselves and our world we do not want to see—and that further danger awaits if the warning is not heeded. That applies to the individual but also to entire societies that are divided, doubled, polarised, or partitioned into various warring, seemingly unknowable camps. Societies like ours. Alfred Hitchcock called the tumultuous state of living in the presence of doppelgangers “vertigo” in his 1958 classic of the same name, but from my experience, an even more resonant term is one used by the Mexican philosopher Emilio Uranga in 1952: zozobra. A Spanish word for existential anxiety and deep gloom, zozobra also evokes EXCERPT “ Doppelganger: ATripintothe MirrorWorldby NaomiKleinis publishedby AllenLaneat £25
B O O K S 138 • OCTOBER 2023 generalised wobbliness: “a mode of being that incessantly oscillates between two possibilities, between two affects, without knowing which one of those to depend on”— absurdity and gravity, danger and safety, death and life. Uranga writes, “In this to and fro the soul suffers, it feels torn and wounded.” Philip Roth explored this push and pull in his doppelganger novel Operation Shylock: “It’s too ridiculous to take seriously and too serious to be ridiculous,” he wrote of a duplicate Roth. That sentence has become my mantra during this uncanny period. Are the political movements Other Naomi helps lead ridiculous, unworthy of attention—or are they part of a serious shift in our world that needs our urgent reckoning? Should I be laughing or crying? Am I sitting still on this rock, or Hunter S Thompson’s notorious antihero RaoulDuke appeared in the 1970s cult classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, adapted into a wildly popularfilm starring JohnnyDepp. NAME THE CHARACTER: is everything moving very fast? If doppelganger literature and mythology is any guide, when confronted with the appearance of one’s double, a person is duty bound to go on a journey—a quest to understand what messages, secrets and forebodings are being offered. So that is what I have done. Rather than push my doppelganger away, I have attempted to learn everything I can about her and the movements of which she is a part. I followed her as she burrowed deeper and deeper into a warren of conspiracy rabbit holes, places where it often seems that my own Shock Doctrine research has gone through the looking glass and is now gazing back at me as a network of fantastical plots that cast the very real crises we face. ” Answer to RATHER THAN PUSH HER AWAY, I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO LEARN EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT HER
OneThousand and OneNights Iwon a copy ofthisbook in a competition at school. It’s kindofthe opposite of finding themagic in the ordinary—it’s about extravagance andamazingness, bragging andlying.ButI love it!It’s really about howstorytelling can save yourlife. The narratoris awoman facing adeath sentencewho is telling storieswith these cliffhangers so shewon’t be killed. It’s abook ofwonders about howyou can enchant someonewith a story.As a children’s writer you spenda lot oftime in schools,telling stories to childrenwhodon’t necessarilywantto be there, gathering themupin amoment of laughter, excitement or nervousness.One ThousandandOneNights celebrates that you can confront someonewhowants to kill you and, because of a cliffhangerthey go, “I’ll kill you tomorrowinstead”. It’s the greatest celebration of thepower of storytelling I can think of. ThreeMen in a Boat, JeromeKJerome This is justthe funniest book.Andit’s kindof about nothing. It’s just threeblokes in aboat goingdown the Thames and notbeing very goodatit. That’s all. It’s justpaying attention to the lovelydetails of ordinary life. It’s so kind, so tender, and it’s funnierthan anything else. There arepages andpages of failing to getthrough a lock gate or getting lostin amaze. Youdon’t needallthesebig twists anddramatic events to be funny, you can justbe really overconfidentthat you can find yourway out of amaze! FOR MORE, GO TO READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/CULTURE Here IsRealMagic,Nate Staniforth I couldtalk aboutthisbook forever!It’s a memoirby abrilliantmagician,Nate Staniforth,who has abeliefinbeing able todomagic out of ordinary things.He hasbecome a little jadedand disillusioned, so he takes himselfto India to renewhimselfby taking hismagic on the road. I’mveryprivilegedto havebeen awriter allmy life,butit’s very difficultto stopitjustbeing a job. You can lose touchwith the joy of it. Thisbook is aboutrediscovering the joy in your own talents andfindingmagic in the ordinary. Books THAT CHANGED MY LIFE Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning author and screenwriter who won the CILIP Carnegie Medal for his debut children’s book, Millions. His new book The Wonder Brothers, a fun mystery-adventure about the biggest vanishing trick of all time, is out now OCTOBER 2023 • 139
i have never smoked a cigarette, but after a weekend I experienced a little while ago, I have a renewed admiration for people who once had the habit, and have since managed to kick it. Why? Because my personal selfdestructive addiction is Twitter. I know, deep down, it is bad for me. But still, I can’t get enough of it. For almost 20 years now, I’ve spent more hours than I would ever dare admit scrolling and scrolling…and scrolling…and scrolling. But then on that fateful weekend, Twitter suddenly, briefly, effectively "What went wrong with Twitter?" asks James O'Malley 140 • OCTOBER 2023 X Marks THE ROT peter kovác / alamy stock photo A silhouette of Elon Musk in front of a black banner with Twitter's new X logo
141 new features and modify the Twitter app to suit his whims. And the changes have led to what is, in my biased view, a significantly worse experience for users. It’s now not uncommon to find features no longer working, or for the site to fall offline for minutes at a time, because Twitter don’t have seasoned staff maintaining them. And Musk’s decision to prioritise showing tweets from “verified” members, who pay the company £8/month has meant that the allimportant algorithm is showing users of the site worse content than it used to. If you believe Elon Musk, there is some method to the madness. For a long time, he has spoken of his desire to transform Twitter into an “Everything” app. The idea is that Twitter will no longer be just for reading tweets—but it will be a place where you can video call friends, watch full-length videos, or even use financial services. And the idea isn’t completely mad, on paper. My theory is that the reason he bought Twitter to do it is TECHNOLOGY OCTOBER 2023 • 141 disappeared, forcing the platform’s 450 million users around the world to go cold turkey. The move was deliberate, and it was yet another sign of the turmoil that had engulfed one of the world’s most important communication platforms since electric car and rocket entrepreneur Elon Musk bought the company last year for $44bn. And the cause was, depending on who you believe, either Twitter guarding against an assault by bots trying to download tweets en masse, or one alternative theory was that Elon Musk had refused to pay an important server bill. That would mean it was more like an unpaid electricity bill forcing you to turn off the lights. In any case, it was a dramatic moment for the company, and it was symptomatic of Musk’s new regime. Because the new proprietor isn’t sitting idly by, leaving his lieutenants to run the operation. Instead he’s getting stuck into making changes to how Twitter works—and is rolling out major changes at a break-neck pace. For example, within days of taking charge, he announced that over half of Twitter’s 8,000 existing employees would be losing their jobs, and that those who remained would have to work harder than ever to develop It's now not uncommon to find features no longer working James is a technology writer and journalist. A former editor of tech website Gizmodo UK, James can be found mostly on Twitter posting jokes of variable quality @Psythor
142 • OCTOBER 2023 launching tonnes of test rockets, making changes, and seeing what blows up. Because once you get to space, nobody cares about the scrap metal on the bottom of the ocean. Unfortunately then for Musk, re-engineering the people who use Twitter doesn’t work quite the same way. If the site’s existing users get too annoyed by the changes and the chaos, they can leave. If the platform becomes unreliable, it will no longer be the place to go to get the very latest news. So it is a challenge more like trying to re-engineer not an experimental rocket but the engine of a passenger plane full of people, while it is flying through the air. Even if you do manage to successfully land on a runway at the end of the flight, you’re going to have a whole lot of angry people never wanting to fly with your airline ever again. Q because it gives him access to the platform’s existing users and their social connections. And if you want to build an app you can use to send money to friends, having 450 million people already signed up and connected with their friends is a great way to get started. It’s this dream that has led Musk to rebrand Twitter as “X”—the iconic blue bird icon is no more, and our home screens now have a white “X” on a black background to hit instead. However, I must admit that I am sceptical of this plan, and not just because it means monkeying around with a platform that I am addicted to. But the problem is that Musk appears to be approaching the problem of re-engineering Twitter into something new, much like building a rocket. With his rocket company, SpaceX, it has been able to revolutionise the space industry by quickly iterating—effectively by If Twitter's existing users get too annoyed by the changes and the chaos, they can leave zuma press inc / alamy stock photo
OCTOBER 2023 • 143 R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T automate the process. On Windows, this is called simply “Backup” and is found is Settings. And on Mac, it is called “TimeMachine”. You can configure your computer so that whenever you plug in the drive, it automatically synchronises the contents of your computer onto the external drive. Similarly, if you don’t mind spending the money, an even better device to buy is a NAS—or “Network Attached Storage”. This is effectively a mini computer that connects to your home network, and will keep you backed up in the background. Most NAS devices can take multiple hard disks, meaning that you can have a back-up of your back-up at all times, so that if the NAS dies, you don’t lose your backup too. But, arguably, more important is your Cloud backup. For your phone, this is probably automatically built into your phone, and can be configured in Settings. Simply put, when you put your phone on charge at night, it will securely zip up to Apple’s or Google’s servers a copy of everything on your phone. Q Email yourtech questions forJames to readersletters@readersdigest. co.uk Ask The Tech Expert Q: How can I keep my files and photos safe…before it is too late? A: Nothing lasts forever and that is especially true of your digital devices, so it is important to make sure that all of your most precious digital data is safely backed up. Information security professionals typically say that the rule of thumb to stay safe is the “3-2-1” strategy: you should aim to store three different copies of your most important files, in two different formats, with one held off-site. So, for most home users, this basically translates to a strategy of having one extra copy stored on another device in your home, and then storing another in the cloud—in addition to the originals on your computer or phone. And the good news is that these days, it is possible to stay backed up relatively painlessly. For your home backup, the easiest thing to do is to get hold of a large external USB hard drive. You’ll want something a little bit larger than the total size of the drive inside your computer. And from here, you can copy files manually—but this is slow and tedious. You can also James O'Malley illustration by Daniel Garcia
jocasta and i are sitting at the kitchen table. My wife has decided to calculate my body mass index (BMI) so she will know, based on the ratio of my height to my weight, whether I should lose some weight. “How tall are you?” she asks. With a slight swagger of pride, I supply the required figure. Immediately, she disputes it. “Well, you used to be six foot one, but you haven’t had your height measured for years,” she says. “People get shorter as they get older. I’m going to knock off two inches, maybe four.” Jocasta often comes up with these scientific observations. In her career as a screenwriter, she has written a couple of medical dramas and now lives under the misapprehension that she’s a doctor. “The discs in your spine settle over the years,” she continues. “By the time you get to 90, you’re basically half the height you used to be.” I find this hard to believe. “If that were true,” I tell her, “people would need to lower their kitchen countertops as they get older.” Jocasta sighs, as one might do when dealing with a recalcitrant child. “By that age, people have been doing STRETCHING THE TRUTH BY Richard Glover 144 • OCTOBER 2023 illustration by Sam Island
things for so long, they don’t need to have a direct view of every task,” she says. “If they want to make toast, they do it by touch.” To illustrate her point, she butters a slice of toast while holding it just above her head in a way that does, admittedly, look quite credible. Next, Jocasta quizzes me about what my weight is. I suggest a figure that she seems to regard as fanciful. When she asks me to weigh myself, I decline on the grounds that I am “currently retaining water.” Jocasta says this is unlikely: “What you are retaining is tuna casserole. I’m going to add six pounds.” Sensing her resolve on this point, I focus on upgrading the figure she’s using for my height. It may be my only hope of avoiding a life on half-rations. “I don’t feel any shorter,” I tell her. I walk around the kitchen, my neck stretched, my chin raised and my nose tilted upward in the style of a young woman in a deportment class. “I’m getting taller by the moment,” I say. Jocasta flashes me a derisive look. “Putting your nose in the air doesn’t make you any taller. You just look like an aristocrat trying to avoid the smell of his own fart.” Ouch. As I sit down, I can feel my vertebrae settling; maybe I am slowly getting shorter. There must be some way of regaining my height. I could buy a medieval stretching rack and ask Jocasta to tighten it until I scream in agony. She might even enjoy herself. Or I could hang from a tree branch, my spine lengthening by the minute. Maybe the orangutans of Borneo are just trying to improve their BMI. I seek advice from Jocasta, since she considers herself a medical professional. “We’re all taller in the morning, compared to the evening,” she confides. “A whole day of walking around leaves the discs compacted. Then they stretch out during the night, when we are lying down. Plus we get heavier during the day because of all the food.” Struck with an idea, Jocasta goes back to her calculations and emerges with two figures for my BMI: first thing in the morning and in the evening. “You start the day as merely overweight before tipping into clinical obesity at about 7.30 each night, after your second beer.” I decide to accept her adjudication. After all, I find it quite optimistic. Because even if I end every day as a clinically obese leprechaun, I start each morning in a much better place: a tall man, holding obesity at bay, shaking his fist at the heavens and daring gravity to do its worst. Q MAYBE I COULD HANG FROM A TREE BRANCH, MY SPINE LENGTHENING BY THE MINUTE OCTOBER 2023 • 145 FUN AND GAMES
Win £30 for your true, funny stories! YouCouldn’t Make ItUp 146 • OCTOBER 2023 Go to readersdigest.co.uk/contact-us or facebook.com/readersdigestuk Towards the end of the Second World War, my father-in-law and his brother-in-law were visiting a hospital with many war-wounded patients. As they went along a corridor, two orderlies came carrying a stretcher with a large sheet-covered object on it. As they stood to attention and saluted the fallen warrior the orderlies laughed—they had saluted a pile of dirty washing! GW PITT, Middlesex While making a cake, suddenly realising I was one egg short, my lovely next door neighbour came to my rescue giving me one of her eggs. After my next visit to the shops, having bought some more eggs, I asked my four-year-old daughter to very carefully go next door with the egg I owed the neighbour. Very shortly after, my daughter returned empty handed looking very pleased with herself. FUN & GAMES AND THE £50 GOES TO… KENNETH FORSTER, Essex £50 PRIZE QUESTION ANSWER TO SEPTEMBER'S PRIZE QUESTION SANDWICH DREAM THEFIRST CORRECT ANSWER WE PICK WINS £50!* Email [email protected] SYMBOL SUMS Can you work out these number sums using three of these four symbols? + − ÷ × 2 1 6 6 = 48 (No fractions or minus numbers are involved in the sum as you progess from left to right)
“That didn’t take long,” I said. “No, Mummy, she wasn’t home, so I put it through her letterbox." JO PARKER, Submitted online One evening, I was chatting on the phone to Mum when we started talking about shopping. “I bought a lovely dress last week,” she said. “It was a bargain.” “That’s super, Mum.” She proceeded to tell me all about it. “I bought a jumper in the sales. For a fiver!” “Goodbye then.” “Oh, all right. Goodbye,” I said, ending the call. I have to say I felt pretty miffed that she’d been so abrupt and didn’t want to hear about my bargain. It was as she rang back that I realised she’d said, "Good buy." ESTHER CHILTON, Nottinghamshire My ten-year-old son Laurie had spent much of the school holidays dodging my requests that he wash or shower. Exasperated, I asked him to confirm he was at least planning to have a bath before we departed for our vacation in Ireland. His reply: “Mum, I don’t think anyone will sniff me at the border.” ALEXIS WOLFE, Berkshire Too many things to do and too little time, I stood among the chaos. OCTOBER 2023 • 147 "Oh, I could do with a 'woman who does,'" I remarked, thinking how helpful a cleaner would be. "So could I," responded my cynical husband. PENNY WARD, Dundee I was recently supervising some 11-year-old children on a school trip to London. We were in a souvenir shop and I told my group that I was looking for a present for my wife. A helpful pupil kept holding up different items that she thought would be suitable. I kept saying politely, "No, I don't think so," until after a few minutes she slowly walked away before saying with some impatience, "I don't think you know your wife very well!". KEITH LODGE, Cottingham cartoon by Guto Dias "NO CANDY, ONLY CASH!"
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