Latest news with #misfortune
Irish Times
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Idle Grounds by Krystelle Bamford: Riotous, dark debut marks the arrival of a singular new talent
Idle Grounds Author : Krystelle Bamford ISBN-13 : 978-1529154580 Publisher : Hutchinson Heinemann Guideline Price : £16.99 'Maybe humour is braided with misfortune,' wonders the first-person plural narrator of Krystelle Bamford's riotous, dark debut Idle Grounds. A dynamic novel with a morbid undercurrent, its Scotland -based writer takes on the collective voice of a troop of cousins, on an expedition through their aunt's grand estate in Massachusetts (the state where Bamford was raised). Along the way, the children uncover supernatural goings-on, macabre family secrets and some of adulthood's sombre truths. In a foreword, the narrator offers a disclaimer about their plucky, 'varied crew' with a 'median' age of seven: they are like the Romanovs, to whom 'bad things started to happen, including lots of chores done at gunpoint in the snow'. They are, they assert, privileged and ill-fated to a similar degree. At a birthday gathering at their aunt Frankie's home (the only Republican family member), trouble begins when the kids spy an unidentifiable, menacing entity outside. Abi scarpers and her brother, the accomplished, privately-educated Travis (the oldest of the bunch), assumes the role of group leader in their mission to retrieve her. READ MORE Yet Abi has departed into a parallel universe of sorts, concealed beyond 'a layer of translucent fat'. Behind this is their parents' childhood home and, in turn, the burned-down abode of the deceased family matriarch, Beezy, whose spectral presence looms over the day's proceedings. Caught up in their grief, the parents remain forebodingly oblivious to their children's whereabouts. Deftly weighing up these intriguing paranormal elements with absurd family lore, Idle Grounds ushers the reader through the young clan's quest with an unrelenting, formidable energy. Bamford – also a poet – has a style characterised by a startling vividness and valiant humour, every page well-stocked with smart descriptions: 'an almighty goulash of legs'; one aunt 'a vast tundra punctured by the occasional shrub of her barking laugh'; 'a scribble of a girl'. From the vantage point of childhood, Bamford offers a shrewd, caustic perspective on how those with the most resources 'scupper their own chances in life in utterly idiosyncratic ways, which is the usual province of the middle-to-upper-middle-class' – and yet we still pity them. One part child adventure novel, one part wry family history and another part social commentary, this is a debut which marks the arrival of a singular new talent.
Times
30-06-2025
- Times
The Tudor way of death — drunken tumblings and dangerous dung carts
One day in August 1565 James Johnson got drunk. By early evening he was so intoxicated that he fell asleep in a Southwark alley. When he woke up 'barely possessed of a healthy and calm mind' he decided to empty his bowels in a ditch. Feeling light-headed, he fell into the filthy water, got tangled in his breeches and drowned. Johnson's unenviable fate was documented for posterity because Tudor law required any suspicious or sudden death to be investigated by a coroner. And so after his body was discovered this official (assisted by a jury of at least 12 trustworthy local men) examined his corpse and questioned witnesses about the circumstances of his death. Once the coroner reached a verdict (in this case, of 'misfortune') his report was sent into storage at Westminster where over the course of the 16th century it was joined by records relating to nearly 9,000 similarly unfortunate individuals.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Top 10 things Brits laugh at – even when they know they shouldn't
WATCHING someone fall over, walking into a door or running to catch a bus and just missing it are among the top 10 things we laugh at but know we shouldn't find funny. A poll of 2,000 adults found they laugh at something inappropriate or insensitive four times a month, with someone falling off a chair most likely to leave them chuckling. 1 Others admit to sniggering when they see someone trying to chase after money or paperwork blowing away in the wind while some even laugh at children eating sour or spicy food for the first time. But despite 49 per cent finding moments of misfortune happening to others funny, 37 per cent feel embarrassed when they happen to them. The research was commissioned by Doritos Flamin' Hot, which is launching two limited-edition 'Flamin' Hot or Not?' packs on Doritos and Walkers MAX - a flavour challenge where one in every four crisps packs a fiery punch. Spokesperson Rob Pothier said: 'There's a universal, somewhat mischievous thrill in witnessing others experience misfortune or discomfort. "Whether it's someone tripping or eating spicy foods - we often can't help but laugh. "We know that as a nation, Brits love spicy food and these challenges shouldn't be taken too seriously. "It is these moments that bring us closer together as we look back and laugh at them." The study found a moment of misfortune lives with Brits for at least a few hours after it's happened (36 per cent). But for 10 per cent, it can be days before they feel they can get over it. Being best 'frenemies' seems to be the case for many, as 42 per cent find moments of misfortune are funnier when they happen to someone they know, rather than a stranger. Although, 29 per cent are more likely to laugh at a moment of misfortune on a TV show than in real life. The research, carried out via OnePoll, also revealed watching people feel the burn of food that is too spicy for them makes 43 per cent laugh. And despite the pain it brings, 26 per cent like to eat spicy foods, with 29 per cent claiming they would be happy to take part in a 'hot and spicy' challenge if there was a chance to win money. Four in 10 Brits (41 per cent) are adamant that they can handle the heat, saying they can deal with spicy food 'well' Other 'painful' challenges people would be happy to take part in include walking long distances (34 per cent) and climbing mountains (13 per cent). Other than money, enjoying the challenge was the main reason for wanting to take part (48 per cent), followed by it being 'a laugh' (39 per cent), and for the thrill (38 per cent). The spokesperson for Doritos Flamin' Hot added: 'The adrenaline rush of tasting the crisp and finding out you haven't got the spicy one is incredible. 'Topped off by the likelihood that someone else will get it, makes it even sweeter!"
