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Review
This is one of the most tender portraits of a parent by a child I have ever read. It's an extraordinarily poignant and emotionally honest account of our desire to protect our children and theirs to protect us, of selfishness and unselfishness, anxiety and letting go. There were some bits that made me cry, others that made me laugh out loud ... --Paul Donovan, author and radio columnist, Sunday Times
A remarkable achievement and a very moving testament to a fascinating man --Nick Pollard, Former Head of Sky News
A remarkable achievement and a very moving testament to a fascinating man --Nick Pollard, Former Head of Sky News
Product Description
"Godfrey's Ghost" is, at its heart, the story of a father written by his son. As a young man, Arnold Ridley was chiefly known as the author of the long-running comedy thriller, "The Ghost Train". Today he is remembered for his television performances as Private Godfrey, the oldest member of the Dad's Army platoon. But Army came towards the close of a long life, and although Arnold Ridley was Private Godfrey, Private Godfrey was not Arnold Ridley. From humble beginnings living above the family boot-shop in Bath, through the horrors of the Great War, to the life of a celebrated playwright in London's West End. From unprecedented success and sudden wealth to unforeseen disaster and financial ruin. From the nightmare of another war through painful years of struggle and obscurity to a new, late-flowering fame in a television classic. Anecdotal, engaging and truthful, "Godfrey's Ghost" is an affectionate - and often moving - portrait of a remarkable man who, faced with more than his fair share of life's vicissitudes, through love, courage and the kind of well-grounded philosophy that doesn't recognise itself as such, lived his life valiantly and well.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In "Godfrey's Ghost" Nicolas Ridley is writing as one of a handful of people who didn't think of Arnold Ridley as `Private Godfrey'. Added to that is the fact that Nicolas is his son and so is approaching the matter from a unique position and quite a different angle.
The subsidiary title is `From Father to Son' and as the prologue says, "Godfrey's Ghost is, at its heart, a book about my father, Arnold Ridley, written for my son." As his son Christopher was too young to know Arnold, Nicolas worries that sometimes "it may be difficult to distinguish the actor from the man."
It seems to me that it is also a way of Nicolas getting to know his father better. Arnold had lived the majority and more successful part of his life before Nicolas came on the scene. In this endearing, touching and very unusual book, Nicolas has searched by way of `episodes, incidents, extracts, reflections' and has woven them together to help us to discover Arnold through his background, his family and his early life, as well as showing us the Arnold that he himself knew and loved. In so doing we discover a much more realistic and rounded individual, but, I am happy to say with characteristics and qualities by which we can still easily recognise our much loved `Private Godfrey'.
I would thoroughly recommend "Godfrey's Ghost" to anyone, whether they are "Dad's Army" fans or not, as it has a depth and warmth to it that is extremely appealing and a fascinating account of relationships between fathers and sons covering four generations.
The subsidiary title is `From Father to Son' and as the prologue says, "Godfrey's Ghost is, at its heart, a book about my father, Arnold Ridley, written for my son." As his son Christopher was too young to know Arnold, Nicolas worries that sometimes "it may be difficult to distinguish the actor from the man."
It seems to me that it is also a way of Nicolas getting to know his father better. Arnold had lived the majority and more successful part of his life before Nicolas came on the scene. In this endearing, touching and very unusual book, Nicolas has searched by way of `episodes, incidents, extracts, reflections' and has woven them together to help us to discover Arnold through his background, his family and his early life, as well as showing us the Arnold that he himself knew and loved. In so doing we discover a much more realistic and rounded individual, but, I am happy to say with characteristics and qualities by which we can still easily recognise our much loved `Private Godfrey'.
I would thoroughly recommend "Godfrey's Ghost" to anyone, whether they are "Dad's Army" fans or not, as it has a depth and warmth to it that is extremely appealing and a fascinating account of relationships between fathers and sons covering four generations.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For the casual fan of Dad's Army, it may come as a surprise to know that Arnold Ridley had quite a distinguished background dating from his action in the first world war, and later as a playwright, was to produce one of the most popular and
frequently produced 'thrillers' - 'The Ghost Train'. In this warm and tender portrait of his father, his son,'fills in the gaps', and justifiably points out
that there was much more in his life than the portrayal of Private Godfrey (although this partprobably brought him more fame and comfort than anything hitherto).Indeed, Nicolas Ridley, recalls the frequent times when money was scarce,when major parts in the theatre eluded his father, and in a desperate move
actually sold the performing rights to 'The Ghost Train ', thus depriving him of future royalties.There are some superb family photographs to accompany the text,
and some of Arnold in 'character'during his days in rep.What many people won't be
aware of too, is that Arnold Ridley sustained an injury to his arm, in the first world war, that was to trouble him for the rest of his life.All credit to him then,that he was still performing in Dad's Army in his ripe old age !! An affectionate and at times emotional account, Nicolas gives us a very personal
'diary'of the bond and relationship between father and son.
frequently produced 'thrillers' - 'The Ghost Train'. In this warm and tender portrait of his father, his son,'fills in the gaps', and justifiably points out
that there was much more in his life than the portrayal of Private Godfrey (although this partprobably brought him more fame and comfort than anything hitherto).Indeed, Nicolas Ridley, recalls the frequent times when money was scarce,when major parts in the theatre eluded his father, and in a desperate move
actually sold the performing rights to 'The Ghost Train ', thus depriving him of future royalties.There are some superb family photographs to accompany the text,
and some of Arnold in 'character'during his days in rep.What many people won't be
aware of too, is that Arnold Ridley sustained an injury to his arm, in the first world war, that was to trouble him for the rest of his life.All credit to him then,that he was still performing in Dad's Army in his ripe old age !! An affectionate and at times emotional account, Nicolas gives us a very personal
'diary'of the bond and relationship between father and son.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have to confess an interest. I got to know Nick Ridley when we were at university together more than 40 years ago.
I visited his home in Highgate on journeys to and from London and clearly recall his parents. Arnold bluff, friendly, but underneath a rather shy and very private man; Althea warmly smiling with a bright twinkle in her eyes at sight of her son again.
Reading this book, I could hear and see them all again, as if it were yesterday.
It is a thoughtful and deeply personal collection of Nick's memories, interspered with exerpts from Arnold's unpublished notes for an autobiography (including recollections of his childhood and early life), set in the context of a dialogue with Nick's own son and reflections on the nature of the relationships between fathers and sons.
Parts will bring tears to your eyes.
I visited his home in Highgate on journeys to and from London and clearly recall his parents. Arnold bluff, friendly, but underneath a rather shy and very private man; Althea warmly smiling with a bright twinkle in her eyes at sight of her son again.
Reading this book, I could hear and see them all again, as if it were yesterday.
It is a thoughtful and deeply personal collection of Nick's memories, interspered with exerpts from Arnold's unpublished notes for an autobiography (including recollections of his childhood and early life), set in the context of a dialogue with Nick's own son and reflections on the nature of the relationships between fathers and sons.
Parts will bring tears to your eyes.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
DISAPPOINTING
I suppose I was expecting a biog of Arnold Ridley and cannot see why his son could not have used Arnold's own aborted attempt, known as "The Book" and filled in the gaps with more... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. J. R. Sparks
Affectionate Remembrance of Father By Son
Essentially this is 2 books in one.firstly the unpublished book written by Arnold Ridley and then the book written by the author connecting him with his own children. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mb Davis
Arnold Ridley is but a Ghost in this Book
Sometimes I find that I want things too much. I so wanted this to be a rollicking good read. I have long wanted to read a biography of Arnold Ridley, so much more than just a... Read more
Published 11 months ago by K. Petersen
Unusual
I found this an interesting and unusual memoir, as much about the son as the father. I didn't much like some of the rather sneering things the author had to say about the... Read more
Published 18 months ago by V E Tully
Impressive
This is not really a book for avid fans of Dad's Army - although Arnold Ridley had such an impact in that show as Private Godfrey, there's relatively little here that's new about... Read more
Published 20 months ago by James Colley
Not my style
I got this because reading biographies is a favourite past-time of mine. I find that they are usually best when written by someone who knows the subject but is not a friend or... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. C. Roberts
Beautifully and honestly written
Most of us would sit comfortably knowing our father was a household name in television history. But not so Nicolas Ridley, whose father Arnold played Private Godfrey in the... Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2010 by Pillboxer1940
Godfrey's Ghost
Bought for someone else who loves Dad's Army so I thought he would love to read this book
Published on 6 Nov 2009 by Mrs. J. D. Cook
Arnold Ridley exorcised
Most of us probably know Arnold Ridley in his role as Private Godfrey in the excellent Dad's Army. I remember him as Doughy Hood, the village baker in The Archers. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2009 by Garry P. Humphreys
Tender and so moving
I have just returned from sitting in a cafe, reading this marvelous book. I only have one complaint though. Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2009 by K Fairfax
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