T’was on a cold n frosty chritmassy night in Bristol when
Gordons roadshow hit town. The former Prime Minister and Britain’s
longest-serving Chancellor was promoting his latest book “My Life, Our Times”.
The venue was the impressive, though perhaps inappropriate, University Wills
Building (bequeathed by the tobacco peddling slavers WD and HO Wills!)
He has an engaging delivery style – facts and figures interspersed with interesting anecdotes and copious name dropping – the evening just flew by.
We were taken on a journey through the successes and challenges of Labour governments before and during his own time as Prime Minister. He reflected on, and analysed, changes in the Labour Party from the 1980s onwards. He reflrcts on globalisation and the ever growing interdependency of global communities and global economies – in each instance, offering vital lessons for the future.
His book also includes many personal experiences, including his upbringing in Kirkcaldy, Fife, as the son of a minister, the near loss of his eyesight just as he was going to university and the joys and heartbreak in his family life. All of the proceeds from the book will go to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory and Theirworld.
The session concluded with the inevitable book signing :)
The Four Seasons
Friday saw us making our way through another frosty nigh
toward Gloucester Cathedral and a candlelight performance of Vivaldi’s Four
Seasons performed by the Stratford based chamber orchestra ‘The Orchestra of
the Swan’.
The venue was vast, packed and acoustically brilliant. The
sound was so rich and deep you could almost drown in the music.
