The voice of L J K Setright
Discussion
If you have ever wondered what L J K Setright (pictured below) sounded like, you can find out here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_7O6FIUJgY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_7O6FIUJgY
I am collecting many of Setright's writings. For example, I tracked down a copy of an article he wrote in 1974 called "Lotus, The Golden Mean" on Amazon the other day.
I am not sufficiently enamoured of Bristols [insert standard Frankie Howerd/Sid James gag here] to pay the high prices sought for copies of Setright's book on that subject. I am an oik who bought my own furniture, so I could never have a Bristol anyway.
Setright's motorbike writing was fun. He railed against disc brakes on motorbikes when they first became a thing.
I am not sufficiently enamoured of Bristols [insert standard Frankie Howerd/Sid James gag here] to pay the high prices sought for copies of Setright's book on that subject. I am an oik who bought my own furniture, so I could never have a Bristol anyway.
Setright's motorbike writing was fun. He railed against disc brakes on motorbikes when they first became a thing.
I think that there was a book called "the Best of Setright", but it is now hard to find. His memoirs (with an afterword by James May, who met Setright when May was a young writer for Car Magazine) go for north of forty quid a copy.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 22 October 10:26
otolith said:
Breadvan72 said:
I have attempted to pastiche Setright, but have encountered naught but egregious infelicitude in undertaking this Sysyphean endeavour.
Any sufficiently obscure erudition is indistinguishable from Setright.To descend to the vulgar usage, Mr Setright has utilised a pedicular extremity for the purposes of the application of an impulse to a utilitarian, truncated conic receptacle, commonly utilised for the portation of dihydrogen monoxide-based fluids.
He is to be found providing nitrogenous sustenance for that most exquisite of our native wildflowers, Bellis perennis. Would it were not so.
Bis vivit qui bene vivit.
I do not agree with all that Setright wrote. He was probably a climate change denier, amongst other things. He was not, however, inveterately opposed to modernity, and welcomed many innovations. His best technical writing was probably done in the 60s and 70s. Later on he had a persona to maintain.
His prose style was that of an highly educated and Latinate writer. Notwithstanding my satire of his style above, he was not in fact verbose
His prose style was that of an highly educated and Latinate writer. Notwithstanding my satire of his style above, he was not in fact verbose
longblackcoat said:
Breadvan72 said:
I do not agree with all that Setright wrote. He was probably a climate change denier, amongst other things. He was not, however, inveterately opposed to modernity, and welcomed many innovations. His best technical writing was probably done in the 60s and 70s. Later on he had a persona to maintain.
His prose style was that of an highly educated and Latinate writer. Notwithstanding my satire of his style above, he was not in fact verbose
Really?His prose style was that of an highly educated and Latinate writer. Notwithstanding my satire of his style above, he was not in fact verbose
"Sculptor Alberto Giacometti said that his pieces were justified by the shadows they made. Thus the sculpture, which (like the Chrysler Crossfire) is tangible, is reduced to something intangible. The Crossfire is not as simple as a Giacometti, for it casts its shadows in space and in time."
"You will remember the subaltern who, asked the place of cavalry in war, described its function as "lending tone to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl". The CBX does the same for motorcycling, with that effortless superiority which is the mark of the true aristocrat. Alas, a man is often ill at ease with a silver spoon if he was not born with one in his mouth, and it is not difficult to identify among motorcyclists that same resentful rejection of the best because of lack of familiarity with the best. It is a kind of craven lack of confidence, as though a mortal man were offered Aphrodite but, daunted by the prospect, ran back home to the girl next door."
The mags turned up, and very fine they are too, not least for the splendid byline pics of LJKS wearing what appears to be a leopardskin trench coat. Reading Car for 1979 reminds me what a formative era for modern motoring that was. The long term test cars being enthused about by the staff included a Rover SD1 3500 and a Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe, and the new cars reviewed or mentioned as forthcoming included the Metro, the TR 8, the BMW M1, the FWD Escort, and the Audi Quattro.
Setright was driving a Bristol 412 and lots of big bikes, but also singing the praises of the Citroen GS, the Fiat X1/9, small Fiats in general, and the Lotus Elite.
Setright was driving a Bristol 412 and lots of big bikes, but also singing the praises of the Citroen GS, the Fiat X1/9, small Fiats in general, and the Lotus Elite.
WJNB said:
I have his book LONG LANE WITH TURNINGS on the shelf above me as I write this. His passing & those of similar intellect highlights how low motoring journalism has sunk & how easily the unwashed masses are pleased with the Sun/News of the World as was/ Top Gear standard of writing.
I guess that'll be me then. Then, and now I really couldn't be bothered to wade through the vast amounts of his unique, let's say 'vernacular'. The snobbishness over 'getting' LJS is still rampant I see? Russel Bulgin to my mind was superior in every way, particularly in how he placed the reader, rather than a rather grand view of himself, foremost. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff