The Oldie February 2021 3

Features13 My uncle gave peace to the world Anthony Lipmann14 Dirk Bogarde’s lucky second act Roger Lewis18 How the dandy was born Shaun Cole & Miles Lambert20 John le Carré, my German teacher Ferdinand Mount22 Happy with dementia Alan Crawford24 Hunter Davies at 85 Valerie Grove26 Hats off to Napoleon and Wellington Justin Davies28 Wasn’t Wilfrid Hyde-White so loverly? Simon Williams38 Augustus John, my grandfather Rebecca John 63 My bedside table Barry Humphries

Regulars5 The Old Un’s Notes7 Bliss on Toast Prue Leith9 Gyles Brandreth’s Diary10 Grumpy Oldie Man Matthew Norman 12 Olden Life: What was a sixpence? Gill Hallifax12 Modern Life: What is QAnon? Richard Godwin

30 Town Mouse Tom Hodgkinson31 Country Mouse Giles Wood33 Postcards from the Edge Mary Kenny 34 Letter from America Philip Delves Broughton36 Profitable Wonders James Le Fanu38 School Days Sophia Waugh39 Home Front Alice Pitman40 God Sister Teresa 40 Funeral Service: Lord Ogmore James Hughes-Onslow 41 The Doctor’s Surgery Theodore Dalrymple 42 Readers’ Letters45 I Once Met… Ken Dodd John Brealey45 Memory Lane59 Media Matters Stephen Glover60 Words and Stuff Johnny Grimond 60 Rant: Inept typing Liz Hodgkinson61 History David Horspool87 Crossword89 Bridge Andrew Robson89 Competition Tessa Castro

98 Ask Virginia Ironside

Books47 Benedict XVI: A Life: Volume I: Youth in Nazi Germany to the Second Vatican Council 1927-1965, by Peter Seewald Melanie McDonagh 49 Intensive Care: A GP, a Community & COVID-19, by Gavin Francis Richard Davenport-Hines49 Some Body to Love, by Alexandra Heminsley Kate Kellaway51 The Language of Thieves, by Martin Puchner Tibor Fischer53 Ending Hunger: The Quest to Feed the World Without Destroying It, by Anthony Warner Rosie Boycott55 How to Be a Refugee, by Simon May Jane O’Grady57 The Octopus Man, by Jasper Gibson Sam Leith

Travel80 Hertfordshire’s banjo- playing prostitute Maureen Lipman82 Overlooked Britain: Harlaxton Manor, Lincolnshire Lucinda Lambton

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84 Taking a Walk: Thames Marshes and Swanscombe Patrick Barkham85 On the Road: Roger Allam Louise Flind

Arts64 Amazon Prime: The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone Harry Mount64 Radio Valerie Grove 65 Television Roger Lewis 66 Music Richard Osborne67 Golden Oldies Rachel Johnson 68 Exhibitions Huon Mallalieu

Pursuits69 Gardening David Wheeler69 Kitchen Garden Simon Courtauld 70 Cookery Elisabeth Luard70 Restaurants James Pembroke71 Drink Bill Knott72 Sport Jim White 72 Motoring Alan Judd74 Digital Life Matthew Webster 74 Money Matters Margaret Dibben 76 Getting Dressed: Geraldine James Brigid Keenan 79 Bird of the Month: Great Tit John McEwen

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RIP John le Carré page 20 Happy Hunter turns 85 page 24 Loverly Wilfrid Hyde-White page 28

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