From the author of the ever-popular Flashman novels, a collection of film-world reminiscences and trenchant thoughts on Cool Britannia, New Labour and other abominations. In between writing Flashman novels, George MacDonald Fraser spent thirty years as an "incurably star struck" screenwriter, working with the likes of Steve McQueen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cubby Broccoli, Burt Lancaster, Federico Fellini and Oliver Reed. Now he shares his recollections of those encounters, providing a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes. Far from starry-eyed where Tony Blair & Co are concerned, he looks back also to the Britain of his youth and castigates those responsible for its decline to "a Third World country ! misruled by a typical Third World government, corrupt, incompetent and undemocratic". Controversial, witty and revealing -- or "curmudgeonly", "reactionary", "undiluted spleen", according to the critics -- The Light's on at Signpost has struck a chord with a great section of the public. Perhaps, as one reader suggests, it should be "hidden beneath the floorboards, before the Politically-Correct Thought Police come hammering at the door, demanding to confiscate any copies".
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
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Praise for George MacDonald Fraser: 'Thanks to Fraser's passion for history, his rare gift for rattling narrative and his infectious delight in robust, rollicking language, we can rejoice in a work of genius worthy of being ranked with -- there can be no higher accolade -- P.G. Wodehouse' Daily Telegraph 'As well as providing a fine assortment of treats, George MacDonald Fraser is a marvellous reporter and a first-rate historical novelist' Kingsley Amis
About the Author
The author of the famous Flashman Papers and the Private McAuslan stories, George MacDonald Fraser has worked on newspapers in Britain and Canada. In addition to his novels he has also written numerous films, most notably The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, and the James Bond film, Octopussy.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
With ineffable cheek,
By
This review is from: Lights on at Signpost (TENTATIVE) (Hardcover)
"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.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Real Breath of Fresh Air,
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This review is from: Lights on at Signpost (TENTATIVE) (Hardcover)
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!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good, for fans,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Light's on at Signpost (Paperback)
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.
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