Weizmann, Dr Chaim 1
Welland, D. S. R. 1
Wesker, Arnold 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Wevill, Assia 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Wevill, David 1
Weymouth, Viscount 1
White, Marco Pierre 1
Whitehouse, Mary 1
Whitehurst, Fleur 1
Whittome, Tony 1
Wiesel, Elie 1
Wilde, Frank 1
Wilde, Oscar 1
William Collins (publisher) 1
William Hill Sports Book of the Year 1, 2
Williams, Marcia 1, 2
Williams, Robbie 1
Wilson, Bobby 1
Wilson, Dennis Main 1
Wilson, Harold 1, 2, 3, 4
Wilson, Kara 1
Wilson, Mary 1
Wimbledon Championships 1
Windsor, Barbara 1
Winner, Geraldine 1, 2, 3
Winner, Michael 1, 2, 3, 4
Winstone, Norma 1
Woburn Press 1, 2
Wogan, Sir Terry 1, 2
Wood, Charlie 1
Wood, Robin 1
Yevtushenko, Yevgeny 1, 2
Young British Poets anthology 1, 2
Zaidner, Michael 1, 2
Aged about nine and contemplating the future. How was I to know?
Our war effort. On a farm in north Wales during the Blitz with my cousins, Colin (the future painter), Farmer Davies, me, Barbara (who married cancer specialist Prof. Julian Bloom) and, in the front, stroking the goat, Nicholas (future director of the Royal Festival Hall, Glyndebourne, the Strasbourg Opera House and much else!).
With my lifelong friend and tennis partner Anthony Stalbow when we first teamed up.
In Paris, aged about twenty, and still contemplating my future.
My wary young brother David joins Spike Milligan in the inflatable pool Spike had in his garden. I’m at the back with my cousin Teddy Stonehill (in dark glasses).
In the garden of Peter Sellers’s magnificent house in Hertfordshire, Chipperfield Manor, the day Sophia Loren came to tea. I’m sitting on the left, between my parents, dressed for tennis, Peter standing behind me, and the beautiful Sophia on the right.
‘Sorry, sir, house full.’ Spike Milligan is refused entry to the Hampstead Town Hall.
I introduce the Poetry Returns to Hampstead concert, while Jon Silkin and Adrian Mitchell wait to read. 4 February 1961.
Saxophonist Arnon Ben-Tovim, who directed the music, in full flight.
Lydia Pasternak Slater reads her moving translations of brother Boris’s poems.
Spike Milligan and I watch from the wings while Cecily Ben-Tovim sketches.
An explosive Milligan finally takes the stage.
The large Hampstead audience was as surprised as we were.
Reading at the Royal Festival Hall, 11 June 1961, backed by both the musicians and some of the full-house audience.
The charismatic Laurie Lee joins the cast.
Dannie Abse, who, to his surprise, ended up reading in almost as many concerts as me.
Michael Garrick, composing at the piano. We formed an immediate bond.
Poets’ Corner. A regular participant over the years, Vernon Scannell added considerable verve and colour. © KEN COTON
The unpredictable Thomas Blackburn was a magnificent reader, his rich, low voice perfectly suited to poems that were sometimes laced with dark humour. © KEN COTON
Christopher Logue was a welcome addition to the ‘cast’, with his earthy, distinct voice and poems that had immediate appeal. © JOHN HOPKINS
An electrifying reader and a deeply committed poet of the left, Adrian Mitchell had a wide and loyal following for his biting, satirical poems. © JOHN HOPKINS
The dapper John Smith was always a surprise, combining style and wit. Michael Garrick set a number of his poems, very successfully. © KEN COTON
Bernard Kops’s passionate and often lyrical poems had, and continue to have, a particular warmth and appeal. © JOHN HOPKINS
Alan Brownjohn, erudite and witty, with a well-timed deadpan delivery (and snazzy suit!) audiences love. © BRIAN DAVIES
Filming Young Europe at the side of the Old Vic for Titinus Films of Rome.
Accompanied by Michael Garrick, piano (left, in coat, standing), Shake Keane (trumpet) and Joe Harriott (alto) outside the Old Vic.
With my future wife, Carole, shortly after we met.
Michael Garrick’s quintet for Arnold Wesker’s Centre 42 concerts: Dave Green (bass), Trevor Tomkins (drums), Don Rendell (tenor), Ian Carr (trumpet), with himself on piano. © KEN COTON
The Centre 42 audiences were gratifyingly large.
Michael Garrick with the sensational trumpet and flugelhorn player Shake Keane, who always thrilled audiences. © KEN COTON
Waiting to be served at Felds – Dannie Abse, Douglas Hill and me.
At Max Geldray’s farewell party, with Peter Sellers on my makeshift drums, Michael Garrick at the piano. Max is at the front.
By now, Carole was in charge of book sales at the concerts.
Things were getting serious – Carole meets my grandfather. He never liked her to wear black.
Putting on the style. My grandparents Harriet and Emanuel Snowman on board the Queen Mary.
Carole’s lovely parents, Ben and Jocy de Botton. I was one of those English things her mother eventually got used to!
A portrait of Queen Alexandra by my great-uncle Isaac Snowman, pictured left.
My mother (nearest camera) in the British hockey team for the first Maccabiah Games, held in Tel Aviv in 1932.
My parents with members of the Jewish Brigade. Moshe (later Professor) Brawer is on the right, next to my father. Some twenty years later he would drive me around Israel.
My uncle Kenneth Snowman relaxes in Normandy with his brushes and easel.
My parents, Charlotte and Joe, who gave us so much.
Felix Gluck, with whom I worked closely at Aldus Books and after.
The jacket of my first book, 33 Poems, using Felix Gluck’s muchadmired linocuts.
The entrance ticket for the exhibition of Felix’s work held at the Durham Art Gallery after his death.
The night after President Kennedy was shot. Before our concert at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea, the surprising Laurie serenades Carole with his violin.
At the Aldus Books poetry and jazz concert, Joe Harriott demonstrates his evident appreciation of the hospitality provided by my boss, Wolfgang Foges.
At a calmer moment of the Aldus Books concert, I chat to our neighbour Arnold Wesker, and to Laurie Lee, who had agreed to read with me and Dannie Abse.
Here comes the bride. Carole is wearing a specially designed headpiece incorporating some beautiful old lace given to her by her grandmother, to whom she was especially close.
Talking with Dannie Abse and David Ben-Gurion at the London press launch for B-G’s mammoth The Jews in Their Land, on which I worked for many months.
Wolfgang Foges, Aldus MD, can hardly believe Ben-Gurion’s book is finally complete as he welcomes him to the Aldus office. Afterwards we celebrated in true Foges style at the White Tower.
The Theatre Royal reading in Stratford East was the first at which Ted Hughes (left) and Stevie Smith (right) appeared. © KEN COTON
Also reading with us at Stratford was Douglas Hill, who added a welcome Canadian twang to the proceedings. © KEN COTON
A windy day atop the ancient fortress of Masada during the Arts Council reading tour of Israel, February 1971. Back row (l to r): Peter Porter, Charles Osborne, Arts Council representative, Carol and Ted Hughes. D. J. Enright is at the front (left), with me and Dannie Abse.
With Ted and Carol Hughes at the beautiful Kibbutz Ain Harod, a particularly memorable day. Founded in 1921, the kibbutz is situated in the Jezreel Valley, in northern Israel.
The line-up for our first, large reading in Tel-Aviv’s Nachmani Hall. Left to right: Ted Hughes, Dannie Abse, Peter Porter, Amir Gilboa, Carmi, me and D. J. Enright.
Ro
bson Books’ first book launch, at New Zealand House in September 1973, for Dick Emery, here seen signing our copy of his book, In Character.
Outside the Grafton Arms in Westminster (where the Goons originally met up), celebrating the publication of The Goon Show Companion by Jimmy Grafton, the pub’s benevolent proprietor, and Roger Wilmot, both on the left of the photo next to Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Michael Bentine and yours truly. © GEMMA LEVINE
A book signing with a difference – at Bentall in Kingston, Harry Secombe is surprised by Michael Aspel for the TV programme This Is Your Life.
Robert Morley and family at a Henley signing for Margaret Morley’s biography of her then father-in-law, Robert. His wife Joan is on the left, next to Carole, me, Margaret Morley, Sheridan Morley, Robert and editor Liz Rose. The Morley grandchildren are in the front.
Alfred Brendel in amused conversation with Dannie Abse and Alan Coren at the Austrian Institute’s reception for his book Musical Thoughts and After-Thoughts. I was the lucky eavesdropper. © GEMMA LEVINE
Alfred Brendel signs my copy of his book before playing for the assembled guests. © GEMMA LEVINE
The Book of the Goons book launch at Grosvenor House. Joan Abse (far left) and Carole converse, while Peter Sellers chats to Liz Rose (left), who edited the book, and me.
Carole eyes her Prince as he arrives for the Book of the Goons dinner.
Wake up, Milligan, the Prince has arrived! Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine share in the joke as I try to introduce Prince Charles. Harry Secombe was ill and had to miss the dinner.
Prince Charles prepares to cut the special Goons cake.
At the Martini Terrace launch for Alan Coren’s Arthur books, I prepare to present him with a framed carving of the books’ hero. © GEMMA LEVINE
Alan Coren reading Buffalo Arthur, one of the first titles in his successful Arthur series. © GEMMA LEVINE
The success of our Twins Handbook was no doubt due to the pin-up girls on the cover – our daughters, Manuela and Deborah.
Here they are again some eighteen years later, in a photo taken by actor Graham Stark. Deborah is on the left this time.
Marcia Falkender joins me and the witty political writers Frank Johnson (left) and Simon Hoggart (right) at a joint party in our office for their new books.
Nicholas Snowman, general editor of the Contemporary Composers series, speaks at the launch of the first titles, while two of the featured composers, Michael Tippett and Peter Maxwell Davies, listen intently, glasses at the ready.
At a Cambridge literary dinner for his book The Amadeus Quartet, historian Daniel Snowman is flanked by the quartet’s distinguished members – Norbert Brainin, Martin Lovett, Peter Schidlof and Siegmund Nissel. © GEMMA LEVINE
The outlandish George Melly, a stylish guest at Robson Books’ 10th anniversary party at Leighton House.
Operation bestseller. With our reps Adrian Parker and Keith Humphrey unloading much-needed reprints of our No. 1 and No. 2 bestsellers, by Michael Caine and Mike Harding.
The cover of Ron Moody’s enigmatically titled autobiography.
The irrepressible Moody didn’t always hide beneath the guise of his alter ego Fagin… though often under a hat.
Michael Winner was less circumspect.
At the party for Maureen Lipman’s You Can Read Me Like a Book, Carole gives Jack Rosenthal a ‘book tie’ to match his wife Maureen’s jacket.
Jack and Maureen, complete with tie and jacket, joined by our daughter Manuela, Carole and me.
The invitation for the launch of Jack Rosenthal’s highly original posthumous autobiography.
Two of Maureen Lipman’s typically original (and costly!) jackets for her bestselling books.
I share a joke with a (relatively) soberly dressed Maureen Lipman.
The JR Books stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair features Maureen and the French actress and dancer Leslie Caron.
The night we met the great Muhammad Ali. Carole and I couldn’t have imagined the rollercoaster week that was to follow.
Author Thomas Hauser speaks at the dinner for Ali, here seated between Henry Cooper and wife Lonni. © ROGER DIXON
Ali calls for silence as he decides to speak at the dinner. We’d been told he wouldn’t… but he most certainly did! © ROGER DIXON
Ali meets two young fans at a packed Waterstones signing. Carole is behind him with our editor Louise Dixon. © ROGER DIXON
Manuela watches while Ali signs at Blackwell’s in Oxford. © ROGER DIXON
Enjoying an exchange with Ali at yet another signing. © ROGER DIXON
The crowds in Nottingham were so large we were given a police escort out of town. © ROGER DIXON
Muhammad Ali comes to our house for tea, dwarfing Carole, Deborah and me.
All the way from New York – Tom and Sandra McCormack at our 25th wedding anniversary party at the Samuel Pepys. © MIKE FINBERG
Matthew Parris, at the Politico’s launch for his book of political sketches.
The cartoon Peter Brookes gave me to go with my poem ‘The Cartoonist’s Glasses’ (page 363).
A happy family occasion. Carole, Manuela, and I join Deborah and Gareth (Amdor) at Burgh House in Hampstead to register their marriage.
In the evening, at the Kensington Roof Gardens, Ron Moody delights guests by speaking and singing at the wedding celebrations, following an equally witty and entertaining speech from Manuela, here seen in full flow.
Deborah and Gareth enjoy the proceedings.
After the launch of Joan Collins’s Star Quality, a wag in our art department surprised me with this card. Miriam Margolyes is in the background.
And Publishing News surprised us with this colourful picture.
Rula Lenska and Stefanie Powers – two of our other colourful authors.
Ernest and Mrs Borgnine signing away, despite my faux pas.
In Normandy with Dannie Abse, celebrating the Booker longlisting of his novel.
A memorable dinner in Honfleur with Dannie and Joan Abse. Happy days.
At the Hungerford Festival with Maureen Lipman and singer Jacqui Dankworth. © BRIAN DAVIES
Sally Dunsmore, the inspiring director of the Oxford and Blenheim Palace Literary Festivals. © KT BRUCE
With Michael and Maureen Joseph at the packed closing party for Joseph’s Bookshop.
With Margaret Busby, publisher of my early book In Focus, and Andy Croft, publisher of Smokestack Books and my two most recent poetry collections.
With the novelist and poet Ben Okri at Worcester College, Oxford, where we read together in the lodgings of the Provost, Sir Jonathan Bate, and his wife, Paula Byrne. © KT BRUCE
At Blenheim Palace concert, with Charlie Wood (left), Ben Davies, Jacqui Dankworth and Maureen Lipman. © MARK LEWISOHN
The future: our grandchildren, Lauren (the golfer), Sam (the runner) and Caitlin (the tennis player).
COPYRIGHT
First published in Great Britain in 2018 by
Biteback Publishing Ltd
Westminster Tower
3 Albert Embankment
Under Cover Page 48