One of the less-discussed advantages of e-books

[commodorified]

Is that when reading on a tablet one may easily look slightly puzzling things up as curiosity strikes, rather than being entirely dependent on working them out from whatever context is available.

I do not say that I have lost anything much over the last thirty years by supposing, from time to time and while reading novels set in the UK, that The Pink 'Un was a periodical concerned with the raising and marketing of pigs, which I worked out contained also, perhaps, humourous essays and some cartoons, but I am pleased to report that I am now, at least on this minor point, Enlightened, even as I gently mourn my innocent, imaginary monthly porcine publication, and the cheery cover illustrations I had mentally provided it with.

Comments

[jesuswasbatman]

The Norwich football magazine isn't in fact the famous "Pink 'Un", but was named after it. The one mentioned in literature is the Sporting Times, a specialist sports (and especially horse-racing) newspaper published from 1865 to 1932.

[perennialanna]

And that has cleared up my own confusion as to the relationship between the Norwich magazine I see on sale every time I need bigger shops than Yarmouth or Lowestoft have to offer, and the Pink 'Un my father explained to me when I was curious about the book on his shelves called A Pink 'Un And A Pelican.

[commodorified]

Ah, gotcha!

Still no pigs, though? Still no pigs.

[oursin]

Except that 'sporting' in this context had a rather broader connotation of man about town, or at least wannabe. I.e. I have on occasion found it a periodical useful for my research.

[commodorified]

Oooh.....

[oursin]

Ads for Parisian art postcards and massage services...

[nenya_kanadka]

Just from the name, this is the sort of thing I would have assumed the entire publication to be about--but then, I may have a dirty mind. :)

[legionseagle]

Which may have been reflected in the title of "Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour", enquiring minds wish to know?

[oursin]

I'm not sure about that one, which I haven't read, but from my recollection of the Surtees I have read, 'sporting' isn't just about the gee-gees.

[legionseagle]

It certainly can't be; note the severity with which Harriet Vane admonishes Reggie Pomfret for using the adjective to apply to Miss Cattermole.