Dear Lady M always gives me some 'light reading' for Christmas, this year she gave me Jeremy Clarkson's book called 'Diddly Squat, a year on the farm', which is all about his agricultural venture.
Clarkson is a UK TV presenter who fronted a very amusing, and much loved, motoring programme (Top Gear). He is also a motoring correspondent and feature writer for The Sunday Times. I expect he also has other jobs.
Quite recently he decided to take up farming, and bought a £6Million, 1,000 acre farm, in The Cotswolds. Anyone who knows anything about Clarkson will know that disasters were bound to happen; and they do!
Clarkson is a controversial character. Very outspoken, and with quite radical opinions. He is also very intelligent and funny, and his 'common sense' view of life often prompts outrage amongst the Dungaree wearing Woke lovies of Islington (and other People's Republics); which is a sign that he's generally right about things. He does, I must admit, occasionally let himself get slightly out of hand with his personal attacks and comments.
The book is great fun. He does over-do his amusing similies (trying to herd Pigs is like trying to sweep air), and they can become tiresome, otherwise it is well written. The book itself is also filled with blank pages, making it seem much bigger than it is.
This is not a newly written book, it is taken from his weekly writings in The Sunday Times, so much of it I had already read.
It's a quick read. Perfect maybe for a weekend away, or a lazy day on the beach.
Verdict: Not for the Woke Brigade. Funny, 8/10.
And it just HAD to happen. One of my other presents was a Harry and Meghan souvenir tin of Teabags. Thank you Susie; I shall treasure it!
Clarkson is a bit of a marmite character - some find him interesting and amusing, others (most of the Islington set no doubt) cannot stand him for saying things that are obvious to most people. I'm sure that a lot of what he writes is deliberately provocative, just to get under the skin of the woke luvvies. Fortunately for a lot of us he's too big to cancel - like JK Rowling in her war against those (like Kier Starmer and Nicola Sturgeon) who seem confused or in denial over what a woman is.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't so long ago that a vox-pop-poll found him the No 1 choice for Prime Minister. I doubt that would be the same today.
DeleteI am not a fan of his. Nothing to do with his political stance. He seems to be a bit of a misogynist, despite his extra marital affairs, although that of course may just be another of his deliberate provocations.
ReplyDeleteHe's certainly not everyone's cup of tea.
DeleteI am currently studying misogynism and he doesn't fit as a misogynist in my opinion. Casting a few stones at MM doesn't make him a misogynist or if it does then we all are. Having a few extra marital affairs also does not make him a misogynist and once again if it does then it makes misogynists of many.
DeleteJaycee, you'll probably remember when he bought the lighthouse property in the south of the Isle of Man and immediately tried to close the coast path which ran in front of it. Not a nice man in my book and I was pleased he didn't succeed.
DeleteIt's difficult for all when buying a place with public rights of way either going through or close to a property. Sounds like he made a big mistake in buying it.
DeleteClarkson and his farming is popular with farmers in that he tells it as it is, bloody hard work.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd enjoy it. Apart from all his poncy writing, he describes farm life as very cold, very wet, dangerous, exhausting, hard work, financially disastrous, and fun.
DeleteI hope this post doesn't become too nasty in the comments. He is a lovely man and tells it as it is.
DeleteYou were always going to be on thin ice with the recent MM business and the Sun.
DeleteI still like the man. I believe he apologised for the MM business.
DeleteI bought that book for my husband for Xmas!
ReplyDeleteHe'll enjoy it. Clarkson is very funny, and informative.
DeleteHis comments re Meghan had to be seen to be believed. I read them as I was eating my breakfast in Sainsbury’s ( they give you free papers to read) and was astounded by its vitriol
ReplyDeleteHe’s like marmite you like him, u hate him
I'm no fan of MM myself, but I would never stoop to quite such nastiness. I think he went a bit too far, but I expect many are as angry as he!
DeleteOf The Duchess of Sussex, Clarkson said he was “dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her”.
ReplyDeleteThis was terribly misjudged in my opinion and carelessly adds fuel to the Sussexes' claims about racism and the British press. I guess this makes me one of the woke brigade.
I don't think so. Most people were quite shocked by his pronouncement; including me.
DeleteI do think that the lovely man who tells it like it is might possibly have gone a bit too far in this case.
ReplyDeleteYou are clearly of the woke brigade if you think this was anything other than a bit of harmless fun. Next you will be saying that punching a producer who failed to provide your steak is common assault!
Sorry; are you accusing me of supporting his attack on MM? I have no idea where you get this from!
DeleteI was simply writing about the book concerning his farming experience.
DeleteI certainly enjoyed the 'Clarkson's Farm' series. I found him funny and my eyes were opened to the true hardships of farming. Season 2 begins on February 10th.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of it, but I do read his articles in The Sunday Times. He's very funny.
DeleteClarkson is a fun read, he knows how to write, how to spin a tale. He has made a few mistakes, and his imperfections are part of what make him worth reading. The farm show on Amazon is worth watching. The last time I checked the book was print only, no Kindle edition from an author with a million + per year contract with Amazon.
ReplyDeleteHe's a good read. I always read his Sunday Times column, never a dull moment.
DeleteI find his column/s in the Sunday Times very readable - that doesn't mean I always agree with what he says. If I applied that criteria to everything in the Sunday Times I would stop taking it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen anything yet that I overtly disagreed with. Some of the other columnists occasionally make my blood boil.
DeleteClarkson is new to me. That said, I usually like outspoken, strong people. Telling it like it is, is important these days. Crossing the line, as he does occasionally, is risky business. Susie's gift, featuring H & M, must have brought some laughter. I hope you returned the favor.
ReplyDeleteHave a look on YouTube, there's bound to be a few videos about.
DeleteI would read it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good read; very short but amusing.
DeleteWe have watched his series on streaming tv, and enjoyed it tremendously. An enormous amount of work goes into farming, and it's a hit or miss at the end of each year, whether you are able to turn a profit.
ReplyDeleteThe young farmer mentor in the series is hilarious 😂
Clarkson has a habit of finding people like Kaleb. He's wonderful.
DeleteHe's an entertainer. Get with it or be without it. Who cares what the leftards think. I've yet to see a leftie contribute anything to anything.
ReplyDeleteHe has certainly always entertained me!
DeleteSusie made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteI'm going to have to find a copy of that book, it sounds like just the sort of thing I like to read.
ReplyDeleteIt's a short book 'that you can't put down', a one day book that makes you laugh out loud.
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