tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post5526131985815410381..comments2024-03-13T07:34:24.149+00:00Comments on The Age of Uncertainty: Sir Philip GibbsSteerforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-24374138134884715842020-04-14T11:44:21.103+00:002020-04-14T11:44:21.103+00:00Really fascinating to read this. I have an old boo...Really fascinating to read this. I have an old book called 'Wonders of the World' published in the 1920s, which is a kind of travel guide to the world for armchair travellers. It reads like a Pathe newsreel! ... The author(s) is/are uncredited, but the Forward was written by Sir Philip Gibbs. I read it and wondered who he was; thinking he must have been important in order to have been asked to write the piece and be name checked in that way - so I googled him and hit upon your blog post. Amazing to think such a well-connected and prolific writer, presumably as well-known then as some of our best journalists today, is now almost completely forgotten!Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-71460293154137410732016-08-13T03:09:00.827+00:002016-08-13T03:09:00.827+00:00I discovered Philip Gibbs a few years into my rese...I discovered Philip Gibbs a few years into my research/writing for a historical novel. He is a continuing inspiration for my work, and for my life. I have found original publication of two of his books...and they are a treasure beyond price. The Soul of The War is particularly haunting. Thank you for introducing many other people to this extraordinary man, of great mind and generous heartAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05659332110447159794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-27809547711979135612015-12-12T09:27:15.814+00:002015-12-12T09:27:15.814+00:00I came across "Blood Relations" quite a ...<br />I came across "Blood Relations" quite a few years ago and have always found it poignant if a little sentimental but really that was often stylistic. We can always use a reminder that the "enemy" have concerns and problems, joy and loss much the same as everyone else. I just came across this blog as, for no apparent reason I decided to look up Sir Phillip. I thought he wrote a few more novels too, but could be wrong.Jen Selthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06142797236441865910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-43697432352371234432015-09-29T21:15:01.643+00:002015-09-29T21:15:01.643+00:00Please do. I'm glad that someone has finally w...Please do. I'm glad that someone has finally written a biography of such a splendid subject.Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-38378054758580946862015-09-29T19:58:23.274+00:002015-09-29T19:58:23.274+00:00If I might engage in a little self promotion, Palg...If I might engage in a little self promotion, Palgrave are releasing a biography of Gibbs in March 2016. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-18050297171516919432012-04-23T16:11:50.084+00:002012-04-23T16:11:50.084+00:00coming in late on this discussion. Like some of th...coming in late on this discussion. Like some of the other commenters I ran across your blog while doing a Google search on Philip Gibbs.<br /><br />Thank you for this excellent write-up on Gibbs. There isn't much out there from what I can gather. Like some of the other commenters, I think you would be a worthy biographer. But like you, I think you would lose your shirt if you put the time and energy into it. To my mind, Gibbs is something of a revisionist historian of WW1. He can't stand up to the mythology surrounding it, even though he is one of the few who gives an honest and comprehensive account of the war.<br /><br />I ran across Gibbs while reading Paul Fussell's "The Great War and Modern Memory" (1975, republished 2000) Fussell is an American, you may not be familiar with him. His account of the Western Front trench warfare is a bit revisionist in that he tells the complete story, which no one much really wants to know about. But he is a great read, and a great admirer of Gibbs, he quoted so much from "Now It Can Be Told" (1920) that I got hooked.<br /><br />I agree with "Shelly" -- an Iraq War vet would get a lot out of reading Gibbs. It is interesting to read some of Fussell's reaction to the events of the Iraq War, Fussell being a WW2 infantry combat vet. It's like the same screenplay, just a few modifications to accomodate the latest technology of war.Brenda Teese, Quakertown Pennsylvanianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-66997252599627518412012-01-15T10:57:13.645+00:002012-01-15T10:57:13.645+00:00My apologies for asking about Gibbs' authorshi...My apologies for asking about Gibbs' authorship of "The Deathless Story of the Titanic". Having now looked again at the first page, it quite clearly states under the title headline: "By PHILIP GIBBS". <br />May i assume this is the same Philip Gibbs as your Philip Gibbs? It seems a little strange that this little newsprint publication issued by "Lloyd's Weekly News"[sic], admittedly only for 2d, does not get a mention among his other publications and journalism. It is a very thorough coverage of the event, published, it is claimed on the same BBC website, two weeks after the event, though i think it may have been a little longer than that.the 29th Earlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-89178416437651024122012-01-15T10:37:51.810+00:002012-01-15T10:37:51.810+00:00It's quite possible, but I would have expected...It's quite possible, but I would have expected a reference to it in Gibbs' autobiography. As far as I can remember, he doesn't mention the Titanic.Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-86089308348499393732012-01-15T10:27:58.675+00:002012-01-15T10:27:58.675+00:00Like you i too had never heard of Philip Gibbs til...Like you i too had never heard of Philip Gibbs till i looked up "The Deathless Story of the Titanic" and found him referred to on a BBC site on Wallace Hartley (the famed Titanic bandleader). There the authorship of that publication is attributed to Gibbs, though there is no mention of any author anywhere within the publication itself. In lists of Gibbs works (through which route i found your splendid tribute) i find no reference to it either. Do you know if that contemporary report on the sinking of the Titanic was indeed authored by this quite likely journalist?the 29th Earlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-3612460465707223972010-10-19T14:04:18.429+00:002010-10-19T14:04:18.429+00:00Thanks Rebsie. It's so nice to come across som...Thanks Rebsie. It's so nice to come across someone who has actually heard of Gibbs!Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-5942589898446187132010-10-19T00:49:24.680+00:002010-10-19T00:49:24.680+00:00Ah, thanks so much for this. Just stumbled in via ...Ah, thanks so much for this. Just stumbled in via Google ... Philip Gibbs is one of my heroes and it's great to see him getting such a nice write-up. Perhaps he was no Orwell when it came to fiction but his first world war reminiscences are truly stunning, mindblowing and beautifully written. I have one of his called "Realities of War", published in 1920 when everyone was sick of reading about it, and it's the most vivid account of life in the front line that I've ever seen. Maybe he needed the horror of the trenches to bring out the best in him.Rebsie Fairholmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17811733792196954188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-84564048917258336412010-10-12T21:27:19.397+00:002010-10-12T21:27:19.397+00:00I could say this about any number of your posts re...I could say this about any number of your posts regarding literature, but thank you for bringing this fascinating writer to my attention; the feelers are out and I will scour my local second hand bookshops.Between Channelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08580333960133302878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-56397222640691355592010-09-27T05:54:01.841+00:002010-09-27T05:54:01.841+00:00I'd never heard of Gibbs either. How cruel tim...I'd never heard of Gibbs either. How cruel time can be. Fantastic Ramsay McDonald story...Sam Jordisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11847113158131387947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-55516232431506004502010-09-20T23:58:26.080+00:002010-09-20T23:58:26.080+00:00My story is about our country between the wars, bu...My story is about our country between the wars, but as I read about Gibbs' writing, it occurred to me that an Iraq vet would probably get more out of this book than any of us could.<br /><br />As he says, if anybody knew what it was like....<br /><br />And some do.Shelleyhttp://dustbowlpoetry.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-7624404571813755652010-09-20T06:02:17.429+00:002010-09-20T06:02:17.429+00:00An excellent post, Steerforth. I had never heard ...An excellent post, Steerforth. I had never heard of him.<br /><br />Reminds me of another forgotten Catholic Englishman, Maurice Baring.Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389916070547430075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-49923690997186179332010-09-19T23:38:14.809+00:002010-09-19T23:38:14.809+00:00Blood Relations sounds very interesting. I wonder ...Blood Relations sounds very interesting. I wonder what my chances are of finding any of Gibbs' books here in the US. Will be fun to keep an eye out for him while out book hunting.Thomas Hogglestockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284352537015457974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-72487367378186614112010-09-19T18:49:46.774+00:002010-09-19T18:49:46.774+00:00I think Lucille is right -- you'd be a wonderf...I think Lucille is right -- you'd be a wonderful biographer, not just for Gibbs but for Derek as well. <br /><br />Don't you just hate it when realities (like food and rent) intrude???<br /><br />Canadian ChickadeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-53145509589287877352010-09-19T13:26:57.040+00:002010-09-19T13:26:57.040+00:00After reading Martin's comment, I should menti...After reading Martin's comment, I should mention that Gibbs wrote two other volumes of memoirs: <i>Crowded Company </i>and <i>Life's Adventure</i>.Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-4978071921027437042010-09-19T13:05:32.234+00:002010-09-19T13:05:32.234+00:00I know. I can't imagine Gibbs doing "Thro...I know. I can't imagine Gibbs doing "Through the Keyhole".Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-41027736254138283232010-09-19T12:35:24.277+00:002010-09-19T12:35:24.277+00:00A greater man than David Frost? Faint praise...A greater man than David Frost? Faint praise...Tim Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14681067872556519250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-2006659941984183602010-09-19T11:54:31.864+00:002010-09-19T11:54:31.864+00:00There are so many people in the world who do extra...There are so many people in the world who do extraordinary things - only have them forgotten when they have gone. As a writer, I find this to be a most terrible end.Thttp://theliminalstate.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-18364371564483221582010-09-19T11:01:38.062+00:002010-09-19T11:01:38.062+00:00Wonderful writing, Steerforth. Philip Gibbs is a n...Wonderful writing, Steerforth. Philip Gibbs is a new name to me. After reading this post, I'm wondering how on earth that could be.<br /><br />Thanks for flagging up the autobiography. I'll keep an eye open for it.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494219959077922220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-3344733665945624862010-09-19T09:56:54.734+00:002010-09-19T09:56:54.734+00:00Thanks Lucille. I'd love to write it, although...Thanks Lucille. I'd love to write it, although I think that Gibbs deserves a proper biographer. Also, I don't know how I'd manage to find the time to research it - I work 40 plus hours a week and can't live on what I'm paid now.<br /><br />I can't see Mrs Steerforth giving the idea the thumbs-up!Steerforthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627936539372313828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-54299896374057793672010-09-19T09:44:22.471+00:002010-09-19T09:44:22.471+00:00You should write it.You should write it.Lucillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14414527658216916537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32570460.post-48889458631507998652010-09-19T08:33:20.010+00:002010-09-19T08:33:20.010+00:00What an extraordinary man. Thank you for bringing ...What an extraordinary man. Thank you for bringing him to our attention Steerforth. I will tip off my eminent biographer friend!The Poet Laura-eatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07779308486569849157noreply@blogger.com