Customer Reviews

Lights on at Signpost (TENTATIVE)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"I write as a convinced Imperialist - which means that I believe that the case for the British Empire as one of the best things that ever happened to an undeserving world is proved, open and shut ... We did what we did, and it was worth doing, and no one could have done it better - or half as well."

Bravo! Well, said.

George MacDonald Fraser, author and film screenwriter, has delighted fans for decades with his Flashman series, his Private McAuslan series (THE GENERAL DANCED AT DAWN, McAUSLAN IN THE ROUGH, THE SHEIKH AND THE DUSTBIN), his history of the Anglo-Scottish border brigands (THE STEEL BONNETS), and his autobiography of his World War Two soldiering with General Slim's 14th Indian Army in Burma (QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE). For those acquainted with these works, THE LIGHT'S ON AT SIGNPOST presents a Fraser not before seen.

This book's thirty chapters are assorted, ten each, into three categories: "Shooting Script", "Angry Old Man", and "Interludes". In the first, Fraser reminisces about script writing for such films as the Musketeers trilogy, PRINCE AND PAUPER, SUPERMAN 1 and 2, FORCE TEN FROM NAVARONE, OCTOPUSSY, and RED SONJA. In the second, the author is at his outraged and irascible best as he rails against Britain's participation in the post-9/11 Fourth Afghan War, the contemptible incompetence of Members of Parliament in general ("government from the gutter") and the New Labour government in particular, the abolition of the death penalty, political correctness, women in the armed forces, the race relations industry, unrestricted foreign immigration, the dismal state of British print journalism and television, greed and dishonesty in professional sports, and Britain's membership in the European Union. Finally, in chapters headed "Interlude", Fraser ruminates on such diverse topics as the Act of Settlement, which bars Roman Catholics from the throne, boyhood trips to Scotland in the family caravan (trailer), the Anglo-American "special relationship", a trip to Russia, the British Empire, and ...

"... the modern craze for garlic and peppers is symptomatic of Britain's decline. Time was when both were unknown here, and the atmosphere was not rendered hideous by a stench reminiscent of an inferior Paraguayan bordello. (I have never been in Paraguay; I merely surmise.)"

For me, the best parts of THE LIGHT'S ON AT SIGNPOST are Fraser's political and social commentaries. Indeed, he uses such language that would cause Liberals to gnash their teeth and rend their robes. Luckily, I'm not a Liberal, so enjoyed his rants immensely. Less absorbing were his remembrances of the film industry, perhaps because I only saw one of the movies mentioned, although his descriptions of the personalities of Burt Lancaster, Oliver Hardy, Edward Fox, Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Steve McQueen, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were enlightening.

The book's title refers to the grandstand scoreboard which monitors the Isle of Man's annual Tourist Trophy cross-country motorcycle race. As each contestant passes Signpost Corner, about a mile from the finish line, a light illuminates next to his slot on the scoreboard. Fraser recognizes that his life is coming to its natural end, and he's perhaps just passed his personal and last milepost.

Fraser's books, particularly the McAuslan trilogy, occupy a place of honor on my mental shelves. He's one of the most enjoyable authors I've ever come across, and I salute him as he approaches his finish line. And it's good to know beforehand what a Paraguayan bordello smells like.

Mr, Fraser has written a really good book, which makes a lot sense and was fun to read. One gets tired of hearing from the P.C. and the "Caring Brigade", so when I started reading this text it really was a joy to these tired old eyes.

Not that I don't agree with everything with the Author. For example his oppostion to the 4th Afghan War. But Mr. Fraser has earned his right to opposed that war. (Anyone who fought under Slim in Burma has my respect) He also put forth ones of the best arguements against the EU that I have ever read.

I also liked reading about Mr. Fraser's movie career especially about the Musketeers series in this tome. All in all it's one of his better books that I have read of his since "Flashman in the Great Game. I am really looking forward to "Flashman on the March" and just hope that he will get Flashy's involvement in the American Civil war edited soon!

The book is in three interwoven threads, Fraser's screenwriting experiences, 'interlude's, and 'angry old man', a series of essays about what's wrong with the world. Much has been made of one of the latter, a short rant by an old soldier opposed to Britain's involvement in the 'Fourth Afghan War,' but these essays cover a range of topics, and there is plenty of scorn to go around. The book should be uniformly interesting for fans of Fraser, but not strongly recommended for others. For me, the revelation that he is not done with Flashman was worth the price of admission.

This is the only one of George MacDonald Fraser's books that I have read (20 to date), that does not merit a 5 star rating. Still, I highly recommend it.

Do not expect Flashman to come running to the rescue after cowering behind a bush. These are the personal reflections of a marvelous author and screen writer. GMF's chapter on political correctness entitled "Angry Old Man 5 - The Truth That Dare Not Speak It's Name" is worth the purchase price by itself, and is truly hysterical, though sadly, spot on. While I did not agree with all GMF's rants, delivered in his distinctive style, it is impossible to take offense.

The book is liberally (forgive the word choice, George), sprinkled with personal anecdotes of some of the biggest names in entertainment and elsewhere.

For those wishing to sample Fraser's work for the first time, Pyrates or any of the Flashman novels will serve perfectly.

This book is on the shelf with Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey and "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran and the Inside Story of the Mafia, the Teamsters, and the Last Ride of Jimmy Hoffa. This is a great memoir that illuminates both the man and his times. Regarding the man, if one would read Frasers, Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War in Burma, IMHO one of the great war memoirs,and see the suffering, the privation, death and destruction related there; well, it might give some insight to the personality, the nature of the man many reviewers here find off putting and embarrassing. I guess when you run across an open field to take a Japanese position and you see friends fall dead around you, it may affect you. How then to deal with that? One way I feel is to come to believe (if you didn't earlier), that this suffering and loss must be for something big! Something worth fighting for.

Perhaps England?

As regards the times, as the years pass and one watches the country and way of life you fought for and your friends died for, spin down the drain like so much dirty water, well maybe if you had a set of balls you'ld be irate. Fraser sure was and from the outside looking in it appears he had good reason. The book is divided into three main themes, Angry Old Man (my favorite), guess what that's about? Interlude (second favorite), it's a kind of AOM lite, and Shooting Scripts, about his Hollywood days. This is a great memoir by an Angry Old Man. Deal with it!

And if anyone from ESPN/Santana Sports sees this, how 'bout covering the SignPost race?

Fraser is a brilliant writer, and one of my favorites. I have written every book and story he published, and seen most of the movies he wrote for as well. His command and use of the language is phenomenal, and he is almost always is a gripping writer.

His passing was felt deeply by all his fans. I had corresponded with him a bit, and I found him uniformly gracious and unassuming. He was pleased at my comments on Flashy and McAuslan, and seemed genuinely touched when I remarked on his chronicle of own service (detailed in "Quartered Safe Out Here"), especially as it came from a fellow combat veteran, though I think that anyone who has served can relate to his depiction of Army life and the colorful characters one comes across while in service.

I was thrilled to find first "Flashman on the March" and "The Reavers" and now this!

That said, he has had some less than stellar turns -- but I tolerate even these (not to mention his obvious imperialistic views and occasionally appalling social views), as one overlooks the idiosyncrasies of a sometimes curmudgeonly but good-hearted old friend.

As for his comments on the 4th Afghan War and the other ongoing idiocies -- speaking as one who was a "mud Marine" whose service included close personal ground combat, I agree whole-heartedly on his assessment.

I might add that the comments about "Liberals" on here by some of the reviewers are IMO out of order. I am a liberal and a progressive, and in addition to my Constitutional rights to these positions, I earned my right to my political and social views -- unlike many I have encountered on the far right who have never seen he inside of a uniform, let alone combat -- which includes most of the neo-con chick-hawks who lied us into war -- and who make dismissive remarks like these.

IMO, political views have no place in reviews (other than of political works), and I am fed up at seeing and hearing them from those who generally have no idea of who they are speaking to -- and who I strongly suspect wouldn't have the stones to say it to me in person...

As for Mr. Fraser, he earned his rights to his views the same way I earned mine -- in uniform, in battle.

I think this book has some very interesting material, and it is also interesting to see an "insider" view of Hollywood.

I genuinely enjoy reading Fraser's fiction and think "Quartered Safe Out of Here" is one of the great memoirs of World War II. However, this book is just one extended rant and ends up making Fraser look silly. The few times he scores points it is on easy targets. Most of the time he is simply trying too hard to be a curmudgeon. There is something pathetic about a wealthy white male feeling victimized by modern politics and one wonders, for all his railing against political correctness, if he doesn't have his own sacred cows that he never examined. Still, his anecdotes are funny and, as always, he writes beautifully.