I wonder how many of us remember Alistair Cooke?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Here's his Wikipedia bio, if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Cooke

A gentle and literate man, he said the following:

In the best of times our days are numbered anyway. And so it would be a crime against nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly that it put off enjoying those things for which we were presumable designed in the first place... the opportunity to do good work, to fall in love, to enjoy friends, to hit a ball and to bounce a baby.

I thought, in the midst of our turmoil, that it would be worth looking at...

I hope you agree...

Peace out...

[Bigmack]

1. Class act. nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. Yes,

both Alistair and Peggy.

[Duer 157099]

2. I certainly do

I remember when Masterpiece Theater did The Raj Quartet (errr... forgot the MT version, but Hari Kumar was in it...) and Brideshead Revisted and ... oh, so many that I've forgotten about..

Ah, Jewel in the Crown, man was that good! I wonder why they don't ever play that again???

[Frances]

4. I remember The Last of the Mohicans

Even before Brideshead if I remember correctly

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Me too...

Such a long time ago...

I loved him, and all the programs he introduced to us...

[sandnsea]

3. If every one of us just did that

There wouldn't be any "world crisis" in any generation.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. True indeed...

[lpbk2713]

7. I remember Omnibus

I used to watch it regularly. It aired on Sunday afternoons. He made it enjoyable.
One of the sponsors was Alcoa. I remember he would us the Brit pronunciation of al-yoo-min-e-um.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. I remember his doing that too!

Thank you for reminding me...

I don't think I ever watched Omnibus, though...

Masterpiece Theater was my thing.

[Richard Steele]

10. That's the first thing I thought of- "aloo-MIN-ee-yum". nm

[Moochy]

11. I loved his segments on BBC World Service

"Letter from America" was always a treat!

[nemo137]

12. I used to have bad insomnia as a little kid.

I usually drifted off around the time "Letter from America" came on over the BBC World Service.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. What a nice way to fall asleep...

[Hawkowl]

14. Well done.

I remember.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Ah, I thank you...

[cordelia]

15. I remember him well.

Thought he had one of the most pleasant voices of anyone.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. I'm surprised how many of us remember him...

I'm pretty old (in years, lol) and it was a long time ago that he was on.

He had a lovely voice...

[katandmoon]

18. Remember him well...met him once at a Masterpiece Theater book signing.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Oh, how nice!

Lucky you...

[Hardrada]

19. He had ,they noted in The Saturday Review , an interesting

Mid-Atlantic accent since he was always here or across the pond but I believe he became an American citizen. I would listen to Omnibus as faithfully as I listened to The Young People's Concerts on NBC with Leonard Bernstein.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

22. I believe he did become an American citizen.

I remember being astonished that he would give up his British citizenry for us...

He was a great addition to our culture.

[unc70]

40. Made me think of John Ciardi, then free associated to the Black Mountain poets

God, I am feeling really old. Of course, I remember Cooke, Letters from America, MP Theater, etc.

Had a SR subscription through its various death pangs. Was married to a philologist back then. Erudite discussions were the style of the day, certainly of the SR.

[Hardrada]

42. It was a good magazine for quite awhile and when it began to fade

sometime in 1964 or so, I bought the NY Review of Books which was a shade more action-oriented. I can't think of any lit review right now that is generally serviceable. I remember Robert Bly saying that SR had become a stupid publication that discussed basketball etc.

[CherokeeDem]

21. Remember him well...

and love the quote, thank you for posting it. It is quite appropriate considering the current state of affairs. Perhaps this quote should be sent to Fox News to remind them not to complain when Obama takes a break to enjoy life.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. Thank you for your kind remarks...

I just remembered today that I had that written down in one of my little blank books where I keep such things.

I needed settling down and I thought we all could use it.

[apocalypsehow]

24. I remember him from Masterpiece Theater, and also an essay he wrote on H.L. Mencken. n/t.

[MilesColtrane]

25. I'd like to think that such an erudite broadcaster is now occupying...

the upstairs in the afterlife "Upstairs, Downstairs".

[aquart]

26. Me. I remember him.

[DemoTex]

27. Alister Cooke was editor of Granta!!?? I never knew THAT!

Granta is my all-time favorite literary magazine. I have at least 25 years of Granta on my shelf back home. Lots of greats got their start at Granta, including Salman Rushdie.

My favorite issue of Granta was #37 (1991): The Family

[CaliforniaPeggy]

28. My dear DemoTex!

Was that in the Wiki bio? I didn't spot it...

Cool literary magazine. I've never heard of it......I must be deprived!

:hi:

[muriel_volestrangler]

30. Granta changed radically in the 70s

Before then, it was purely a literary magazine aimed at Cambridge students. It was only in the late 70s that it was relaunched to be aimed nationally and internationally (by an American, Bill Buford, interestingly, given this comes up in an Alistair Cooke thread), and just happened to be based in Cambridge.

[Golden Raisin]

29. Vividly.

All the way back to Omnibus. Intelligence, Class and buckets of Charm.

[LawnKorn]

31. Of course we remember Oscar, er ... Alistair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lf-yvP27BQ

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Thanks for the smile!

Very cute!

[slampoet]

32. "Dis Monsterpiece Theater, me Alistair Cookie"

[Bill McBlueState]

41. yup, that's how I read it first.

Nobody ever accused me of being cultured.

[CTyankee]

33. I certainly do. I loved Omnibus. That really was the Golden Age of TV.

Thanks for the memory, Peggy...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

36. You're so very welcome, my dear CTyankee...

I thought we could use some sweet memories tonight...

[sl8]

34. AKA "Alice the cook":

All in the Family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFAYFeZLkWY (at about 5:00)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

38. I know I must have seen it...

Because we watched that show religiously...

But I had forgotten.

Thank you.

Now, I have tears...

[Bluerthanblue]

37. i do- thank you for posting this great quote.

Especially now.

k&r

[tilsammans]

39. Wonderful quote!

A keeper! :toast:

[theophilus]

43. I remember. I loved all the things he did that appeared on my local

PBS station. I remember America with particular fondness. I was saddened that in his later years he defended Mr. Bush and his cabal. I heard him in his radio spots doing so. Mr. Cooke was a right winger of sorts. I was surprised. I loved his earlier work, though. The quote is nice. There is good in all and bad in all. We can select what we like.