Category Archives: Alan Mason

TWENTIETH CENTURY WRITING – THE FOURTH DECADE 1931 – 1940

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Deskarati

Alan Mason continues his personal appreciation of twentieth century writing. THE THIRTIES Like most decades, the literature of the thirties contains elements of harking back to a golden past, (The Midnight Folk, The Box of Delights, The Last Grain Race), breaking with … Continue reading →

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TWENTIETH CENTURY WRITING – THE THIRD DECADE 1921 – 1930

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Deskarati

Alan Mason continues his personal appreciation of twentieth century writing. THE TWENTIES Following the miseries of the First World War, this is often seen as an era of hedonism, but it was also a time of new inventions and new social attitudes. … Continue reading →

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TWENTIETH CENTURY WRITING – THE SECOND DECADE 1911 – 1920

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Deskarati

The second decade is inevitably dominated by the First World War, but I have chosen four books, whose setting occurs before it all began. The first two are from a pristine North America, the third is a lost rural idyll … Continue reading →

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TWENTIETH CENTURY WRITING – THE FIRST DECADE 1901 – 1910

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Deskarati

Today we publish the first in a series of posts by our good friend Alan Mason. For more of Alan’s work please click here – Alan Mason - Deskarati. As a small child I learned to read quite quickly, and began … Continue reading →

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“THE BOX OF DELIGHTS” BY JOHN MASEFIELD

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Deskarati

An appreciation for Tom – By Alan Mason Recently, I was asked a deceptively simple question by my friend Tom. “Was there a favourite book I had re-read several times?” I answered truthfully that there was. It was a children’s … Continue reading →

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THE ITALIAN CHAPEL

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Deskarati

LAMB HOLM ISLAND, ORKNEY ISLES, NORTHERN SCOTLAND By Alan Mason As DESKARATI is fond of celebrating unusual anniversaries (see “Folly Bridge to Godstow“), I present this tribute to a splendid little building which celebrates, this year, the 70th anniversary of … Continue reading →

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FROM FOLLY BRIDGE TO GODSTOW 1862

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Deskarati

This coming Wednesday, 4 July 2012, marks the 150 th anniversary of a real-life event which led to a major happening in the literature of the nineteenth century. Two young Anglican clergymen, dons at the University, hired a boat at … Continue reading →

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THE LATITUDE MYSTERY IN PRE-HISTORIC ASTRONOMY

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Deskarati

These are continuing tales of our pre-historic ancestors and their work in observational astronomy. You will remember Eos, the brilliant teenage boy, who had left his home village to study astronomy with a group of experts known as “The Elders”. … Continue reading →

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PRE-HISTORIC SCIENCE

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Deskarati

Author – Alan Mason – A story of how our ancestors may have laid the foundations of science, particularly astronomy, by the careful observation of the natural processes around them.  1. Site of the Pre-Historic Village The people lived in … Continue reading →

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THE SPANISH GOLD ROUTE

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Deskarati

Author – Alan Mason -  This is the story of how gold, looted from the Inca and Aztec peoples of South America by the Spaniards, in the 16 Century, was brought to Europe. It tells of pirates, adventure on the … Continue reading →

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MALTA

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Deskarati

A personal appreciation by Alan Mason – Having visited the Maltese Archipelago on holiday, around twenty years ago in the nineties, I found the islands, the people, their history and culture fascinating for a number of reasons; that include the … Continue reading →

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THE POET A.E. HOUSMAN

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Deskarati

A personal reflection by Alan Mason –  1. Ludlow, Shropshire, a late 19 C painting by Alfred Robert Quinton, Publication When A.E. Housman tried to get his poems published in 1895 he found it impossible to find a publisher who … Continue reading →

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“IT’S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY”

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Deskarati

Thanks to Alan Mason – It was one hundred years ago today, 30 January 1912 that the song “It’s A Long Way to Tipperary” was published. Most of us know the chorus, but few of us know the verses which … Continue reading →

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THE VANISHED TEMPLAR FLEET

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Deskarati

Thanks to Alan Mason for this very interesting story. – Deskarati – The most wealthy and powerful private organisation in England, with its own lands and buildings, was arbitrarily closed down by the government and its assets were seized.  However, … Continue reading →

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Flodden – A Scottish “Greek Tragedy”

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Deskarati

Flodden – A Scottish “Greek Tragedy” an illustrated essay by Deskarati historian - Alan Mason – 1. The Final Mêlée of the Battle of Flodden The 500 anniversary of the battle of Flodden is two years away in 2013. The battle took … Continue reading →

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Edward Hopper

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Deskarati

Edward Hopper, an illustrated essay by artist and Deskarati art critic – Alan Mason –  1. Edward Hopper, Self Portrait, (1925-30) aged 43 to 48 Edward Hopper, (1882-1967), was an American painter who earned his living as a commercial artist for most … Continue reading →

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Neolithic Villages

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Deskarati

Neolithic Villages – by Alan Mason – Most of us are fascinated by our Neolithic ancestors who have left so much in the way of stone buildings and earth constructions. They lived around 10,000 to 7,000 years ago, beyond the … Continue reading →

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Andrew Wyeth

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Deskarati

Further to our recent post on N.C. Wyeth by our good friend Alan Mason, we are now very pleased to post another article by Alan on Wyeth’s son Andrew. – Deskarati – “The institutional art world in Europe and America seemed … Continue reading →

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N.C. Wyeth

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Deskarati

A guest post from our good friend Alan Mason suggested by Lynne from Suffolk.- Deskarati – Newell Convers Wyeth (October 22, 1882 – October 19, 1945), known as N.C. Wyeth, was an American artist and illustrator who became one of … Continue reading →

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OVI-WAC GEOLOGY

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Deskarati

A guest post for Deskarati by Alan Mason – OFFSHORE VOLCANIC ISLANDS OF THE WEST AFRICAN COAST Introduction Two of the most popular European tourist destinations are the archipelagos of Madeira and the Canaries. To a lesser extent, the more … Continue reading →

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