Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics: A Sideways Look at Twentieth-Century London

by Rob Baker

“I love London society! I think it has immensely improved. It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics.Just what Society should be.” An Ideal Husband, OSCAR WILDEBeautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics is based on the popular London history website nickelinthemachine.com“Another Nickel in the Machine pretty much justifies the internet’s existence all on its own” – DANNY BAKER“Brilliantly researched” – STEPHEN FRYEntertaining and engagingly written, Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics explores fascinating stories from London in the twentieth century. From the return to South London of local hero Charlie Chaplin to the protests that blighted the Miss World competition in 1970, the book covers the events and personalities that reflect the glamorous, scandalous, political and subversive place that London was and is today. Learn about, among many other captivating tales, exactly where and how the spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean spent their last ever day in London, the grisly murder of Stan the Spiv and the unlikely death of a defrocked girl-crazed priest. A cast of suffragettes, fascists, ‘nancy-boys’, showgirls, prostitutes, terrorists, Nippies and beauty queens features in stories containing a myriad of unexpected tangents and untold facts that cover the width and breadth of the world’s greatest city.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, London, British Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2015

Reviews

[Nigeyb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling portrait of London’s chaotic vibrance throughout the 20th century

Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics is the book version of Rob Baker’s popular London history website “Another Nickel in the Machine”

Every one of these stories has already appeared on the website (although I understand many have been expanded and revised), and what links each story is London - during the 20th century.

It was Oscar Wilde, in “An Ideal Husband”, who stated, “I love London society! I think it has immensely improved. It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics. Just what Society should be”

Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics is an apt title for a book which chronicles a kaleidoscopic cavalcade of characters, events and places, which includes…

Christine Keeler
Cass Elliot
Keith Moon
Kempton Bunton
Covent Garden
the Rector of Stiffkey aka the Prostitute’s Padre
Benny Hill
Winifred Atwell
Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean
Pop Artist Pauline Boty - and her Anti-Ugly building campaign
Charlie Chaplin
the 1970 Miss World contest
an array of spivs, fascists, suffragettes, and nancy boys
Lord Haw-Haw

..and many more besides

Each chapter is illustrated with a selection of helpful photos, and the cumulative effect of this series of photos and essays, is a thrilling portrait of London’s chaotic vibrance

If, like me, you are a sucker for social history, insightful and revealing trivia, and tales of 20th century London life, then you will also find much to interest, amuse, intrigue and delight in Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics: A Sideways Look at Twentieth-Century London

4/5

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, a city is something of brilliance. I never cared for nature or the world outside of a city. What I love is neon lights, people walking from there to here, cars, public transportation, and various cafes and restaurants. Each city has a definite identity. My favorite cities are Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, and the subject matter of this book "Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics," London. It is odd when I walk around London, I'm consistently looking for something from the past. My main interest is London in the 19th and 20th century - and I have a pretty good collection of books on that subject. My favorite, I think is this book. It captures the mystery, the eccentricity, and life flowing through its streets.

The book covers everything from Mary Quant to woman nazis to Christine Keeler to underground gay culture. Rob Baker has the eye of a historian, but the heart of a poet - and he takes the reader down various pathways to a world that is very much London, but also going against the grain as well.

This superb book is based on Baker's incredible website "Another Nickel in the Machine." I discovered this site by accident, and like any good accident, it led me to other worlds that are within London. His amazing collection of photographs is reason enough to visit the site, but now he made a book, and it is equally great.

For those who love London, this book is a must, but even those who never been to that part of the world, yet find the urban world of great interest, will need to own and read "Beautiful Idiots."

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

True stories about some of the celebrities, eccentrics, crooks and fools who have made waves in London over the last hundred years. Based on Rob Baker's Nickel in the Machine blog, this is a literary time capsule.

[CQM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Top hole entertainment, only drops a star because I'd read much of it online already, although in defence of the book this isn't just the website in book form.
Fascinating stories told in an engaging way and with interesting digressions.

[Barrowsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seriously interesting group of people/stories. Unputdownable..

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know Rob Baker's blog then you know what you get here. I kept these by my bedside to read when sleep eluded me. I'm not recommending this as a sleep tonic but....they are really enjoyable. There are 24 biographies, for want of a better word of places, people, times and movements!
Spivs, the GLC mad road schemes, Keeler, Lord Haw-Haw, Pierrepoint, Benny Hill, Chaplin, suffragettes, tennis players, the "Anti-Uglies" and many more are featured and so readable. A great gift book for a friend who has read everything!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, little known tales of 20th century London. I loved this and will definitely reread.

[Mr B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tales from London history, digressions galore and all the better for it

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and great fun!

[Ann Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book - full of interesting stories

[Jools Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating dip into a variety of odd and quirky tales of London.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a fascinating collection of true stories about larger than life characters, events, and social change in 20th century London. Brilliantly researched and very readable. More, please.

[Akin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book-length presentation of the Nickel in the Machine blog. Suffers from presentational problems - several of the anecdotes (re-written and not in the original blog form, I understand) digress a bit too much from the already loose premises that inform them. From a technical perspective, editing aside, the book's layout and very physical presence - heavy paper, dense type and fonts, poor picture layout - detract from what ought to be an enjoyable reading experience.

(Yes, I know, don't judge book by cover, etc. But these things have a (at the least) subliminal influence.)

But all the same, jolly entertaining read.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

From comedian Benny Hill & traitor Guy Burgess to Lyon's teashops & bare-leg tennis, this book is an absolute joy from beginning to end. Each chaper, illustrated with fine black & white photographs, engages the reader with fantastic stories of London & its amazing people. Being a "sideways look at Twentirth-Century London" the chapter on the Profumo affair, for example, concentrates on Georgie Fame playing at The Flamingo Club rather than just focusing on events told in detail elsewhere. The author also runs an excellent website at www.nickelinthemachine.com.