Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars
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My love affair with the car will never conk out
They have been demonised and are portrayed as a threat to the planet but, says self-confessed speed-freak Boris Johnson, cars are a force for liberty and democracy
For years after that terrible death, I felt a pang every time I pulled into Oxford station.
Boris Johnson: ‘An Englishman’s car used to be his castle, or at least his mobile fort’
There was the scrapyard. There was the grabber with its evil jaws. Whenever I saw it I remembered the T-Rex aggression with which it lurched down on its victim; pausing and juddering as though savouring the moment.
It smashed through the windows, the windscreen, buckling the paper-thin steel. I heard the whine of the crusher and I turned away.
I could not listen to the death agonies of my driving companion, or see the reproachful look in those loyal headlights. Even today I cannot go past that knacker’s yard without bidding peace to its ghost.
A Fiat 128 two-door saloon, 1.2 litres, the Italian Stallion was the trusty steed that emancipated me from the shackles of childhood.
Inside that happy brown plastic cabin, with its curious fungal growth on the roof, there took place all manner of brawls, romance, heartbreak and general growing-up. Above all, it was the car in which I had my first crash.
No one knew how it came to be in the family. My mother claims it was hers, though other sources suggest that my father bought it in Brussels, from a squash opponent called Sue.
It was sitting in the yard one day when my brother Leo and I decided to take it for a ride. Neither of us could drive, but there is a two-mile dirt track that links our farm to the main road, and we felt we could learn.
We lolloped off, groaning in first gear, until finally we reached the main road where the machine stalled and a cloud of steam rose from the bonnet. We had a problem.
We had to turn round, and we couldn’t go on the metalled road, since neither of us had a licence.
But we hadn’t done a turn before and we were aware of another car about 20 yards away.
This obstacle was probably the only other vehicle within five square miles of this bit of under-populated moorland.
With every manoeuvre, we seemed to arc ever closer to the other machine, as if sucked by some fatal magnet. Now our boot was just feet from its bonnet, and it was necessary to reverse.
I had never reversed a car before. The wheels spun in the dust, we shot backwards and, with a smooth easy grace, we shunted the only other car in the district rapidly and deftly into a tree.
When the tinkling had stopped, Leo broke the silence and said: ”Hey, that was great,” speaking for every human being who has ever experienced the thrill of the automobile – the joy of moving far faster than nature intended, by a process you barely understand, and yet somehow surviving.
Dream of Rome ~ Turkey
In a new extract from his brilliant book on Rome, Boris argues that our anxieties about Islam must not jeopardise the reconciliation between East and West
Why are we so afraid of Turkey?
Fragments of plaster are still falling from the ceiling after the Pope made his famous speech about Islam in September 2006.
Hardly anyone had heard of Manuel II Palaeologus, the old codger he quoted with such explosive results. Not many knew that he was the antepenultimate Roman emperor, or that he lived in what is now Istanbul.
But after six centuries of obscurity, Manuel’s views were top of the news.
“Show me what Mohammed brought that was new,” said the Pope in Regensburg, “and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith that he preached.”
That sentence was taken out of context, flashed round the world, and soon there were riots everywhere from Jakarta to Qom.
Have I Got Views For You
‘Johnson is a good-humoured, entertaining commentator, with an agreeably optimistic bent.’ Observer
‘In a class of his own. Irresistible’ Daily Mail
Synopsis
This book includes some of Lend Me Your Ears.
In his own inimitable style, Boris Johnson turns his attention to the culture, manners and morals of British society, giving us a humorous, at times furious, but always entertaining read. A witty anthology of pieces comprising Boris Johnson’s thoughts on everything from the presidency of Tony Blair to the idiosyncrasies of modern British culture. Focusing on Diana, the age of self-expression, the end of culture, the moment of the Yuppies, and liberty versus freedom, Johnson takes us on a rollercoaster ride through contemporary Britain. He has also interviewed many of the key figures in the political and cultural worlds over the last sixteen years and addresses what these personalities tell of our age. Boris Johnson’s writings have appeared in a variety of British and American magazines and newspapers. Vigorous, idiosyncratic, always intelligent and informed, with a very interesting perspective on our times, “Have I Got Views For You” is a pleasure to read.
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Dream of Rome Book
And here is the book
THE DREAM OF ROME
by Boris Johnson
Pub date: 6/2/06
Price £18.99
Format: Hardback
234x153mm
288pp
ISBN: 0-00-722441-9
Oxford Literary Festival
Boris will be appearing at the Oxford Literary Festival on Sunday 26th March at 12pm to talk about his new book The Dream of Rome.
The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival is in its tenth year and will be held at Christ Church, one of the most beautiful and renowned of Oxford colleges. Against this marvellous backdrop you will hear writers talk about their books, their inspiration, their passions.
You can book by telephone on 0870 343 1001
More details are on the Festival Website.
28 Boris Johnson
The Dream of Rome
12 pm • £8.00 • Christ Church
Focusing on how the Romans made Europe work as a homogenous civilization and looking at why we are failing to make the EU work in modern times, Boris Johnson considers the lessons we could learn from the Romans and how we could apply them to our present-day politics. Complementing the BBC 2 series, his book, The Dream of Rome, sees him travelling throughout what was the Roman Empire to uncover the secrets of its governance and the reasons behind why the Romans held such power and prestige for so long.
2005: Blogged
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Boris entry in April 2005 (on page 104):
Boris Johnson, Editor, Journalist, MP, Scouse baiter and novelist appears not to have enough outlets for his writings, as this piece from his blog shows: Zimbabwe/GB: former breadbaskets?
2005: Blogged
The book of the Year for the Year of the Blog
“At first sight, an anthology of blog posts is a ludicrous idea. So it was with some surprise that I realised 2005: Blogged is an accessible introduction to the breadth and quality of writing on offer from some British blogs. Editor Tim Worstall has made some fine choices… This is a book that provides proof positive that the British blogosphere is full of great writers. ” – Jane Perrone, The Guardian
Details
Editor: Tim Worstall
Published: 25th November 2005
Price: £8.99
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0 954831837
Imprint: Friday Books
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