Alan Wakeman (1936–2015)

I have this rather odd book on my shelves and I dip into it. I like this one on writing. It's called Muse.
Muse

Hamun returned a volume of Giben's poems, saying: 'They're truly wonderful. I was overcome with emotion and I cried. How do you manage to write so wisely and beautifully? '

'I get out of the way,' said Giben.

I suspect a lot of writers would do well to take this advice.

Interesting how quickly one is forgotten. It transpires that Alan Wakeman is a very interesting person. After a doubtful start in life, tormented by his homosexuality and unable to do anything about this, he became an early pioneer in the use of technology for language learning. This was in the 1960s - if you are my age you may recall language laboratories, which I, for one, hated. He made enough money to stop working not so long after this and began to do what he wanted.

What he wanted, included writing strange books like this which he illustrated as well. It also included being a leader of the fight for rights for homosexuals. Interalia, he wrote was is now acknowledged to be the first positive overt song on the matter of homosexuality. He fought until his death for the preservation of Soho. He wrote one of the first - and highly regarded - Vegan cookbooks.

You can see his Guardian obituary here. And now I repeat from Webcite his own story, preserved from his now non-existent website. At the original link you will also find pictures.

Rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/hamun-giben-and-other-sto...… (more)

I have this rather odd book on my shelves and I dip into it. I like this one on writing. It's called Muse.
Muse

Hamun returned a volume of Giben's poems, saying: 'They're truly wonderful. I was overcome with emotion and I cried. How do you manage to write so wisely and beautifully? '

'I get out of the way,' said Giben.

I suspect a lot of writers would do well to take this advice.

Interesting how quickly one is forgotten. It transpires that Alan Wakeman is a very interesting person. After a doubtful start in life, tormented by his homosexuality and unable to do anything about this, he became an early pioneer in the use of technology for language learning. This was in the 1960s - if you are my age you may recall language laboratories, which I, for one, hated. He made enough money to stop working not so long after this and began to do what he wanted.

What he wanted, included writing strange books like this which he illustrated as well. It also included being a leader of the fight for rights for homosexuals. Interalia, he wrote was is now acknowledged to be the first positive overt song on the matter of homosexuality. He fought until his death for the preservation of Soho. He wrote one of the first - and highly regarded - Vegan cookbooks.

You can see his Guardian obituary here. And now I repeat from Webcite his own story, preserved from his now non-existent website. At the original link you will also find pictures.

Rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/hamun-giben-and-other-sto...… (more)