The voice of L J K Setright
Discussion
otolith said:
Bulgin was great, but he has too many inferior imitators. At least people don't even try to imitate LJKS.
I wouldn't say imitate, but I have a mental reminder that we've already got a Chris Harris who does what he does quite well and don't need another one; we don't have an Setright.Speaking of, I found a copy of his book The Grand Prix Car at Watkins Glen earlier this summer, a magnificent find.
Dr Gitlin said:
otolith said:
Bulgin was great, but he has too many inferior imitators. At least people don't even try to imitate LJKS.
I wouldn't say imitate, but I have a mental reminder that we've already got a Chris Harris who does what he does quite well and don't need another one; we don't have an Setright.Speaking of, I found a copy of his book The Grand Prix Car at Watkins Glen earlier this summer, a magnificent find.
Edited by Lester H on Tuesday 30th August 15:18
A few paragraphs from a group test both Bulgin and Setright participated in, both fairly representative...
Bulgin said:
Are we having fun yet? In 48 valves' worth of this sextet, the answer is definitely no : half of this selection neatly defines the chasm between the hit hatch and the hot hitch.
Butler pootled, Setright pondered and I yobbed these cars over slick Welsh yumps. The road was twisty as tagliatelle and damp : when grip is low a car can do little else but reveal its dynamic soul.
Rover's 220 GTi is horrible when pressing on. The steering is rack-and-Nurofen, the brakes soggy, the suspension bouncy. The new sporty Astra is as butch as Frank Bruno's bicep, a slippery-solid wedge befrilled with aerodynamic finesse. Pointing the Vauxhall into a corner is a game of chance, as the tiller action is too light, the feedback muted, the temptation to threepenny-bit to the apex all-consuming. Once there, of course, the electronic traction control butts in to kill your fun stone dead. The Renault 19 16V exists solely to remind you how stating the Clio 16V feels.
(...)
So why does the Honda Civic shade the Tipo on the fun-o-meter? Because it defines the difference between a need and a want : you don't need to see the naughty side of 8000rpm in second gear, but taste it once and you want to repeat the dose.
This baby-NSX motor VTECS a smile on your face, going hard at 4000rpm, wailing gloriously at 5000rpm and making you feel like a master of the universe as you snap-change second-to-third at 7900rpm.
Butler pootled, Setright pondered and I yobbed these cars over slick Welsh yumps. The road was twisty as tagliatelle and damp : when grip is low a car can do little else but reveal its dynamic soul.
Rover's 220 GTi is horrible when pressing on. The steering is rack-and-Nurofen, the brakes soggy, the suspension bouncy. The new sporty Astra is as butch as Frank Bruno's bicep, a slippery-solid wedge befrilled with aerodynamic finesse. Pointing the Vauxhall into a corner is a game of chance, as the tiller action is too light, the feedback muted, the temptation to threepenny-bit to the apex all-consuming. Once there, of course, the electronic traction control butts in to kill your fun stone dead. The Renault 19 16V exists solely to remind you how stating the Clio 16V feels.
(...)
So why does the Honda Civic shade the Tipo on the fun-o-meter? Because it defines the difference between a need and a want : you don't need to see the naughty side of 8000rpm in second gear, but taste it once and you want to repeat the dose.
This baby-NSX motor VTECS a smile on your face, going hard at 4000rpm, wailing gloriously at 5000rpm and making you feel like a master of the universe as you snap-change second-to-third at 7900rpm.
LJKS said:
The pains of judgement bite sometimes deep, and I do not know of whether the soul can generate scar tissue; yet it is surely not for me to be swayed by sympathy for a manufacturer. How else, though, to provide for the embarrassment given by the Vauxhall's being so bad? I have driven others which were much better; but it makes no difference, for not even they would have qualified in this company by satisfying the criterion which Mr Editor Green told me was to apply - the sheer fun of driving.
Neither did the Renault, the most extreme example in the group of the harm that ensues when a car is forcibly adapted to a purpose very different from its original and proper one. Nor did the Rover, which was simply inappropriate to our purposes : all sweetness and light, it would perfectly please those whose natural inclination is to buy Rovers. Marred by suspension float, it could not be cornered hard anywhere but on a billiard table : pleasure of driving, yes; fun, no.
(...)
Better still and best of all by an enormous margin, the Honda looked, felt and behaved, as though it were specifically designed to be just as it is - and what it is is wonderful.
That engine is a paragon to which the controls, the chassis, and the running gear, are all exactly complementary. The fun was enormous and uninhibited ; but when one considers the quality of construction, the intelligence of detailing and the originality of the design, a further feat of balance becomes apparent : this Honda is not only fun to drive but would also be a pleasure to own.
Neither did the Renault, the most extreme example in the group of the harm that ensues when a car is forcibly adapted to a purpose very different from its original and proper one. Nor did the Rover, which was simply inappropriate to our purposes : all sweetness and light, it would perfectly please those whose natural inclination is to buy Rovers. Marred by suspension float, it could not be cornered hard anywhere but on a billiard table : pleasure of driving, yes; fun, no.
(...)
Better still and best of all by an enormous margin, the Honda looked, felt and behaved, as though it were specifically designed to be just as it is - and what it is is wonderful.
That engine is a paragon to which the controls, the chassis, and the running gear, are all exactly complementary. The fun was enormous and uninhibited ; but when one considers the quality of construction, the intelligence of detailing and the originality of the design, a further feat of balance becomes apparent : this Honda is not only fun to drive but would also be a pleasure to own.
otolith said:
A few paragraphs from a group test both Bulgin and Setright participated in, both fairly representative...
Crikey, in these post-Queef times Bulgin's copy does come across as bit wBulgin said:
Full-chat helmsmithery
LJKS said:
Florid prose with the inevitable Honda canonisation
ky. Never felt like that at the time, but I guess that's what 25 years, a hundred (poor) imitators and a total skewering at the hands of Mr Porter does for you.Edited by loudlashadjuster on Tuesday 30th August 15:53
Truckosaurus said:
I believe the word he used was 'stoating'. Not only was Bulgin good enough to make you remember a sentence 20yrs later, but could get away with making up words.
'Stoating' is a common enough term in Scotland and it's very likely that Bulgin got it from there as he was good at that kind of linguistic appropriation.The book Long Lane etc is not a good reflection of Setright. I am lucky enough to have a set of Small Car and Car (as it became ) and his work there was without peer I thought. Back in the 60s he had a consuming interest in motor sport and his observations were shrewd , insightful and a joy to read.
I recently re -read a long interview he did with ACBC and mourn the fact that , outside Simon Taylor's 'Lunch With' series in Motor Sport(now ending under his stewardship ,sadly ), it is well nigh impossible to find any motoring journalism with more words than pictures and the article of more than 3000 words is extinct. As (I think )Simon put it, the only things editors like more than 1000 word articles are 750 word ones.
I recently re -read a long interview he did with ACBC and mourn the fact that , outside Simon Taylor's 'Lunch With' series in Motor Sport(now ending under his stewardship ,sadly ), it is well nigh impossible to find any motoring journalism with more words than pictures and the article of more than 3000 words is extinct. As (I think )Simon put it, the only things editors like more than 1000 word articles are 750 word ones.
coppice said:
The book Long Lane etc is not a good reflection of Setright. I am lucky enough to have a set of Small Car and Car (as it became ) and his work there was without peer I thought. Back in the 60s he had a consuming interest in motor sport and his observations were shrewd , insightful and a joy to read.
I recently re -read a long interview he did with ACBC and mourn the fact that , outside Simon Taylor's 'Lunch With' series in Motor Sport(now ending under his stewardship ,sadly ), it is well nigh impossible to find any motoring journalism with more words than pictures and the article of more than 3000 words is extinct. As (I think )Simon put it, the only things editors like more than 1000 word articles are 750 word ones.
It's interesting to see some longer contributions on this fascinating thread. Proof that not all readers are addicted to sound bite journalism and text speak. Setright could do pompous,, but his love of Hondas was probably justified. when he praised the Prelude, they were well out of most readers' reach, but they were lovely by the standards of the day. They came with the added Japanese advantage of uncanny reliability when many uk vehicles were of lousy quality: no need to rehearse a tirade against British Leyland. Elderly retired service manager from local " posh" BMC dealership still reminds me that they could hardly believe the near silent smoothness of the Triumph Acclaim a.k.a. Honda Civic. It also seems likely that the likes of LJKS regarded their writings as essays, as opposed to articles.There is clearly still a demand for both genres.I recently re -read a long interview he did with ACBC and mourn the fact that , outside Simon Taylor's 'Lunch With' series in Motor Sport(now ending under his stewardship ,sadly ), it is well nigh impossible to find any motoring journalism with more words than pictures and the article of more than 3000 words is extinct. As (I think )Simon put it, the only things editors like more than 1000 word articles are 750 word ones.
Veeayt said:
Does anyone know where to read Bulgin's works online?
No idea about online other than maybe the CAR magazine archive. If you are lucky (and prepared to spend a fairly significant amount) you might find that the book of his collective work is available with this search - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulgin-Very-Best-Russell-...Copies of the book appear on eBay from time to time but none currently.
andyps said:
Veeayt said:
Does anyone know where to read Bulgin's works online?
No idea about online other than maybe the CAR magazine archive. If you are lucky (and prepared to spend a fairly significant amount) you might find that the book of his collective work is available with this search - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulgin-Very-Best-Russell-...Copies of the book appear on eBay from time to time but none currently.
Lester H said:
Compendiums or if we are still honouring Setright, compendia of Car from 60s and 70s , maybe 80s were published. They surface in the most unlikely outlets such as remaindered book shops and garden centres especially as Christmas present time approaches.
Not sure how much writing from Setright is included but this is still available new - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Car-Magazine-70s-80s...andyps said:
Lester H said:
Compendiums or if we are still honouring Setright, compendia of Car from 60s and 70s , maybe 80s were published. They surface in the most unlikely outlets such as remaindered book shops and garden centres especially as Christmas present time approaches.
Not sure how much writing from Setright is included but this is still available new - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Car-Magazine-70s-80s...loudlashadjuster said:
Crikey, in these post-Queef times Bulgin's copy does come across as bit wky. Never felt like that at the time, but I guess that's what 25 years, a hundred (poor) imitators and a total skewering at the hands of Mr Porter does for you.
Yep. Other people have turned his style into a cliché, unfortunately.ky. Never felt like that at the time, but I guess that's what 25 years, a hundred (poor) imitators and a total skewering at the hands of Mr Porter does for you.otolith said:
loudlashadjuster said:
Crikey, in these post-Queef times Bulgin's copy does come across as bit wky. Never felt like that at the time, but I guess that's what 25 years, a hundred (poor) imitators and a total skewering at the hands of Mr Porter does for you.
Yep. Other people have turned his style into a cliché, unfortunately.ky. Never felt like that at the time, but I guess that's what 25 years, a hundred (poor) imitators and a total skewering at the hands of Mr Porter does for you.Lester H said:
But,then again, he was highly distinctive, verging on the o.t.t. at times, which inevitably ,for a successful writer, can turn towards self parody. Clarkson, without doubt a Great, did that too.
Truth be told they were all very distinctive in their style; LJK made me work as a teenager, Bulgin, later, had me appreciate a crisper style. Barker could on occasion have me laugh out loud (I'll never forget the column he wrote where the keys of certain typewriter strokes substituted different letters. Greene (?) I found a bit straight-laced, and Clarkson, well there was irreverence in abundance, and genius, in the early years.I honestly learned more about writing style from these guys than I ever did in a classroom
I quite enjoy Matt Prior these days, although he needs longer articles.
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