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The Light's on at Signpost (Hardcover)

by George MacDonald Fraser (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; First Edition, First Impression edition (7 May 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0007136463
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007136469
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 193,942 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #32 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > F > Fraser, George Macdonald

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Product Description

Review

This is a barnstormer of a book that had politically correct types turning purple with rage when it came out in hardback. But readers loved every trenchant word and the book produced one of the greatest-ever 'bravo' postbags for both author and publisher. The reason is that Fraser dares to write what millions scarcely dare even to think. He sounds off about political correctness in all its forms, calls for a return to the values of 50 years ago and accuses successive governments of turning Britain into a Third World country where corruption, incompetence and selfishness rule OK. If all that sounds a touch over the top, even for a self-confessed 'dinosaur', then get ready for some surprises. Fraser has hardly warmed up yet. This is no rant from an antediluvian reactionary, however. Fraser's grouchy comments are spiced with humour and for much of the time they are autobiographical, telling of his experiences as a journalist, novelist and screenwriter. The humour in his 'Flashman' novels keeps peeping through in what might be called the book's second part - anecdotes about some of the great film actors and directors with whom Fraser has worked. They include Steve McQueen, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cubby Broccoli. It would have been easy to separate the book into two distinct segments but Fraser has interwoven them. Every 'Shooting Script' chapter is followed by one headed 'Angry Old Man' in which he calls for the reintroduction of hanging and corporal punishment, a block on asylum-seekers, a return to traditional forms of education and an end to 'positive discrimination' in race matters - you know the sort of thing. Whether his views are shared by the stars of stage and screen is not made clear, although we do learn that Steve McQueen had a lifelong desire to ride the Isle of Man TT course and that Burt Lancaster admires the British armed forces - especially the commandos. What delighted Burt most of all during his own army service was the commandos' insistence on breaking off from war to take afternoon tea. The book is packed with stories such as this. And despite the 'grumpy old man' image which he cultivates so assiduously, Fraser emerges as a modest and quite decent chap really when he isn't in Meldrew mode. (Kirkus UK)


Product Description

George MacDonald Fraser has been a newspaperman, soldier, novelist ("Flashman"), and screenwriter. In a career spanning 30 years and encompassing films such as "Octopussy" and "The Three Musketeers" he worked with some of the Hollywood greats (Steve McQueen, Schwarzenegger, Fellini, Burt Lancaster, Charlton Heston). Here his reminiscences of those years are interspersed with an "angry old man's" view of Britain today, featuring blistering attacks on New Labour, Brussels and Cool Britannia.
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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews
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2 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent, witty and wonderfully honest, 27 Jan 2003
By A Customer
GMF is not to everybody's taste. In terms of philosophy, his is the antithesis of liberal. However, his arguments are made with great intelligence, thought and care.

As other reviewers have stated, this is a book of two parts; there is anecdote and wit in abundance in the sections about movies and there is craft and, above all, great truth in his "Angry Old Man" sections, which cover everything from capital and corporal punishment to Blair and his ghastly "new" Labour cronies, political correctness and the European fiasco. I admire people who write with passion and intelligence from any side of the political coin, and this book has both in spades.

There is nothing here fashionable to add to the cacophony eminating from bleeding hearts, nor is there any party political posturing in this book. However, GMF and his publisher are to be commended for daring to speak the truth with power, courage and candour. Top marks.

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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Movies - interesting, The Rest - honesty at last., 21 May 2002
By A Customer
GMF is fifty years older than me but his writing doesn't show it and seems more in tune with what my contemporaries think than any current tabloid newspaper.
His life has been varied and often quite interesting. In this book he reveals a side to the film-world that is usually overlooked i.e. the non-starters.
However, the chapters beginning 'Angry old man...' are what make this book a must. GMF gives political correctness a long overdue kick up the backside, doing so in a way that reveals its hypocrisy and intolerance; yet remaining studiously apolitical throughout - all double standards and dishonesty are treated equally harshly.
I commend this book to anyone who wants a refreshing read about the real world, rather than a regurgitation of fashionable manifesto waffle.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars LONG MAY THE LIGHT SHINE !!, 30 Jun 2006
By Philip J. Whitehouse (Melbourne ,Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Lights on at Signpost (TENTATIVE) (Hardcover)
George MacDonald Fraser is invariably an entertaining writer:. his Flashman books have afforded me great pleasure as have his other historical novels: "Mr American" and "Black Ajax" and his wartime reminiscences.
This particular book is something of a departure in that weaves together two distinct aspects of his life: a description of his life as a film scriptwriter and his reflections upon modern mores and attitudes within "Cool Brittania'.

Fraser writes intrigingly of his work among the great and famous in the film world and he drops distinguished names with delicious abandon. It is all very readable and good fun.

But, predictably ,it is the other theme of his book which has drawn fire from the critics. Personally,I believe myself to be a kindly Social Democrat yet I am by no means unsympathetic to many of the arguments he proffers. As an Australian I can certainly affirm that his comments upon the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Sydney was right on target! On the other hand he draws several long-bows which take some swallowing (please forgive the mixed metaphor) : the new-found English liking for garlic is symptomatic of national decline? Come on George!

Still, it is written by GMF so ,regardless if you agree with his opinions or not, it is all very readable, thought-provoking and above-all entertaining.

Long may his light continue to shine !
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant
As with all of GMF books this is a classic with some great insights on our present political morass.
Published 5 months ago by Grapeel01

5.0 out of 5 stars Top stuff
Depressingly accurate review of the UK which articulates why people are leaving in droves (like us).

Published 10 months ago by E. Paler

5.0 out of 5 stars Victor Meldrew
It might be advisable not to read this book until you have securely entered middle age. On the other hand if, like me, you have found it difficult to articulate your rage at the... Read more
Published on 21 Aug 2007 by Andrew C. L. Stewart

2.0 out of 5 stars Wait for the Posthumous Biography
Probably like many others, I was drawn to read this autobiography having been extremely entertained by GMF's Flashman series. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2006 by Malvolio

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvellously Entertaing Read
One can see from some of the reviews that this book has received that it has annoyed all the sort of people that GMF would, one can appreciate from having read this book,... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2006 by Bohemond

1.0 out of 5 stars Good anecdotes, appalling politics
As other reviewers have said, this is two books interleaved. One is a collection of anecdotes written by a good writer who has led an interesting life, and is well worth reading... Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2006 by Alec Cawley

3.0 out of 5 stars Angry Flash
I read this book because I have read all GMF's works and have enjoyed them all, so I didn't want to let the side down on this one. Read more
Published on 25 Jul 2005 by David Westerby

4.0 out of 5 stars With ineffable cheek
"I write as a convinced Imperialist - which means that I believe that the case for the British Empire as one of the best things that ever happened to an undeserving world is... Read more
Published on 12 May 2004 by Joseph Haschka

3.0 out of 5 stars His Least Entertaining Book
I've read all of Fraser's Flashman books, his McAulsan trilogy, and hismemoir of soldiering in Burma, and have loved every one. Read more
Published on 23 April 2004 by A. Ross

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty disappointing
As an avid Flashman series fan, I was keen to learn more about its author. What a disappointment it turned out to be! Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2004 by lavvocato

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