The Perils of Thelonious Monk

I think I can now safely conclude that at least 70% of people in the past used photos as bookmarks (with only 1.3% using actual bookmarks as bookmarks). It's bad news for the bookmark industry, but very good news for the blogosphere.

Here is a small selection of photographic bookmarks from the last two days:

Here we see a fine, upstanding British family from the early 1960s, in front of their Ford Anglia. Although they are on holiday, Father wouldn't be seen dead without his tweed suite, matching cap, brown brogues and club tie. It would also be unthinkable for David to appear in public without his uniform.

But something terrible happened to this family. They discovered modern jazz and everything changed:

The country casuals and school uniform have been replaced by polo neck sweaters, dark glasses and semi-nudity. These two innocuous photos encapsulate the huge revolution in social attitudes that took place in the 60s.

This looks like the author photo of a minor writer of Welsh short stories in the 1950s (now out of print). Perhaps it is. Somebody is on the bridge, looking down at him.

A group shot from the 1962 military manoeuvres of the Women's Institute, shortly before they decided to abandon violence. The vicar looks slightly nervous:

In addition to some enjoyable photos, these illustrations caught my attention:

"Take that, Fritz!"

In this, the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, we are quite rightly celebrating the pilots who downed Messerschmitts at a rate of four to one, but what about those plucky chaps who landed on German airfields and engaged the Luftwaffe in hand to hand combat? Their story must be told.

Finally, an example of jacket design from the golden age of crime writing:

A fine example of a striking image and catchy title. The man appears to be in some sort of distress, possibly in reaction to a big snatch. It makes you want to read the book.