Oliver Postgate (1925–2008)

I came to this at some disadvantage because I didn't grow up with Bagpuss or Noggin the Nog and only knew Ivor the Engine and the Clangers when grandparents got them for my children. I was completely entranced by Postgate -- artist and mad inventor, pacifist and collector of old cars, houses, you name it. Wildly eccentric in the very best sense of the word.

I was initially drawn to this book as a means of learning more about the history of childhood favourites such as The Clangers and Noggin the Nog. However I think I would have been fascinated by and warmed to the character revealed here even if I had no previous awareness of his animated creations.

Postgate was a natural storyteller and this comes across clearly in this autobiography. Describing his childhood in a prominent, socialist family, the young Oliver comes across as bright, creative, show more inventive, adorable and sometimes exasperating. This is actually, more or less, the impression I was left with throughout the book!

The scenes which suggest that Postgate's father favoured his older brother were poignant but he must have been well loved by his mother. How else could she have accepted with such grace the constant stream of presents, personally invented and created by Oliver as a young adult which included washing machines which were prone to exploding?!

I found it fascinating to read about how Postgate applied his creativity, intelligence and social conscience throughout his life. His "smallfilms" were only part of the story. I did get the impression that personal relationships was the area where Postgate wasn't quite so smart. There were definite touches of naivity here even in older age.

Overall I am left feeling deep respect and affection for, and gratitude to, the man who added so much to my childhood and to the childhoods of so many of my generation! show less

This is a light-hearted memoir/biography of the man behind children’s TV favourites such as Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine and The Clangers.

Oliver Postgate has written the story of his life and it was an extraordinary one. From adventures as a young boy at school to becoming a conscientious objector during WWII, he was always tinkering, inventing and thinking about things. One of the most interesting things about this book was Postgate’s commentaries and thoughts on the issues of the time and show more what he felt about them.

I read the first half of this book fairly slowly, dipping in and out every few chapters but in the second half of the book Postgate starts to talk about his time writing and filming the children’s programmes he became so famous for and this is where the book really shines; you can tell that he really found his niche here and did some really amazing things.

Although I was slightly too young to remember all the children’s programmes he made, I enjoyed reading this book and it has inspired me to find out more about the programmes he created. You can see a BBC tribute to Postgate here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAftt3UnzoI show less

First of all I must confess that I had never heard of Oliver Postgate before and I blame it on the fact that I'm not living in the UK, thus not knowing about his works. Secondly, I rarely read biographies. Though there was the wish to read this one for one simple reason - to catch a glimpse into the mind of such a creative person.
As much as I don't know the series and characters from TV I was hooked from page one and couldn't put the book down. Postgate's writing is full of humour, warmth show more and quirkiness, and you immediately realize that he's not only inventive, but also a fabulous storyteller. Sharing memories from early childhood, all through creating his famous characters, straight to his private life, this is one of the most engaging books I've read in a while. I can't believe he never considered a career as a writer too, he'd been cut out for it for sure.
Obviously, I wished I had the chance to actually watch his ideas come to live on the screen! For now it's enough that this book made Bagpuss and the rest of the bunch come to live in my mind.
In short: A delightful and moving memoir of a truly creative man! show less