Cooking the books

I got tagged again....

But funnily enough I'm quite pleased because the subject at hand is one I've been meaning to post about for some time now and it gives me a number of puntastic opportunities.

Books.

First off, are you sitting comfortably? Make yourself a cuppa and read on.

AnneDroid invites me to consider this:

"Books are scarce in the world. They are illegal in some provinces. They are not easily replaced, if not impossible to replace if lost in many if not most circumstances. If you can replace a book or buy one, it is usually through the black market at astronomical costs that you cannot afford. Yet you have been able to maintain one of the best collections in the world. If your entire library was about to burn up and you could only have one* book to take with you other than the Bible (ed. - Torah, Koran or whatever your God's guidance be - see me I'm diversified), what would that be and why?"

Simple Rules:

Answer the question.
Offer one quote that resonates with you.
Tag five people whose response is of genuine interest to you and inform him or her that they have been tagged.

*and it cannot be an entire series of something, that’s cheating.


For me it is a slightly left field choice. I would like to suggest the whole series of Don Camillo books by Giovannino Guareschi, but in line with the rules, I will plump for one, namely Comrade Don Camillo.

Not many folk will have had the pleasure of reading the series of books based in late 50's/early 60's Italy and the 'battle' between the Parish Priest - Don Camillo, and the communist Mayor - Peppone.

p.s. You can get a flavour of the first book here.

The series comes to its peak, in my opinion, when Don Camillo gets 'invited' on a tour by the local communist party to Mother Russia. This particular collection, hence the title Comrade Don Camillo, is a complete hoot, but has moments of intense spiritual awakening.

I won't quote from it, so please get yourself a copy (Anne - I wonder if you've read them), because no-one likes a story's end revealed before you've read it, but what a punch line. Suffice to say the mental picture and its guidance have stayed with me all the years since I first read it more than 30 years ago.

Added to that, the book(s) have an even greater resonance because it was my late mother who introduced them to me and I believe it was the core subject that nailed my decision to study International Politics and Economics at Varsity. God only knows then why I ended up a Polisman!

The infamous five I will tag are:

RT
Uphilldowndale
Dickiebo
TotallyUnPC
and
Brain Strain.

What I had been thinking was how little I read books these days - or is it how little time I have to read these days? I used to be a total bookworm. What has happened? Is it just a busier lifestyle or the pull of modern communication and multimedia? Let's face it, I'm blogging just now and surfing the web most days, so it's not as if I don't have the time. I never see younger folk reading anything more weighty than Bella or GQ. Most of the books I buy nowadays are light in content or are Xmas presents I eventually get round to viewing snippets of months down the line.

Reading books is almost like going on a diet or stopping smoking. You know it's good for you, but......

Like many aspects of modern life I think it's just that the times they are a-changin'.

Speaking of books how's about, now boys and girls, a bit of Fixing. Much has been written lately about the wonders of NCRS or as we have in our parts the SCRS (same thing but different crimes and we don't appear to deserve the National bit).

Norfolk Constabulary stand nigh on being accused of cooking the books.

What is it about stats that drive people to this apparent dishonesty? Do the public really care about detailed crime stats, hospital waiting time reports and school league tables? Why can't politicos let the Professionals get on with what they are professional at and thus reduce the problems that we seem ever more slavishly devoted to auditing rather than addressing. The public would like that much more than reading how bad things are when HMGovt. is beating public servants with a spin stick, or so much better just as an election looms.

Book 'em Danno!

© Noddy
Published by Toy Town™ Times