KEEP CALM & CARRY ON: The Rest of the Story

March31

KeepCalm200

The catchphrase Keep Calm & Carry On has been appearing everywhere for the last couple of years.

I knew that it had been devised as a propaganda slogan in WWII Britain, but I did sometimes wonder how I had missed it for most of my life.

Well, now I know.

WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO AND YOU WILL TOO

I have put Northumberland (in “the northeast corner of England”) and this bookshop very near the top of my “Most Want to Travel To” list. (You have one of those, right?)

I think Keep Calm and Carry On has become a mantra for today’s society because it applies in just about every situation. As Rudyard Kipling said: “If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs (…) you’ll be a man, my son.” What do you think?

posted under Book stuff

8 Comments to

“KEEP CALM & CARRY ON: The Rest of the Story”

On March 31st, 2012 at 2:13 pm Nikki-ann Says:
I’ve seen a lot of this Keep Calm and Carry on stuff in the shops and now some are twisting the phrase and using “Keep Calm and….” replacing the Carry On bit.

Maybe somebody should have stuck this up ona poster at the petrol stations in the UK this week what with people panic buying petrol!
On April 1st, 2012 at 2:10 pm Debbie Says:
It was almost as if the government told them to panic, Nikki. What’s happening to the British ‘stiff upper lip’? 😉
On April 1st, 2012 at 7:33 pm Katrina Says:
We visited Barter Books on our way down to the south of England last year. The best bit was definitely the toy trains as all the books I would have bought seemed to be expensive.

I’m convinced that the government had a ‘cunning plan’ – to make people panic. The upshot is that they have gathered in loads more money in fuel tax than they would have normally and it will distort the March sales records which will probably mean that the growth for March will not be negative – that’s how desperate they are!!
On April 1st, 2012 at 9:47 pm Debbie Says:
Katrina, lucky you: you have seen that lovely building and all those books!

But then won’t April growth be overstatedly negative? (I think that’s liotes, right there – a word I learned in the Art of Fielding in March) It all comes back to bite them in the backside.
On April 2nd, 2012 at 8:49 pm Elizabeth Says:
What DO I think??

I think it is lovely that you located and made available to us, your devoted readers, that fascinating short video with the explanation of the “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON” axiom, which we have probably all seen popping up here and there with nary an explanation.

I too, had a vague notion that it was in some way connected to the WW2 years, but knew nothing definitive about it. Thank you for providing the explanation with accompanying material about Barter’s Books- which so strongly conveys the flavor/mood of all things British. You may join me when I make my next journey across the Atlantic!

Elizabeth
On April 3rd, 2012 at 12:25 pm Debbie Says:
Thank you, Elizabeth – I’d be delighted to accompany you to Northumberland! 😉
On April 8th, 2012 at 3:23 am Cathy Says:
This post thrilled me to bits! The first time I went to Alnwick, I went because of the castle. Due to the hard work and diligence of my mother and grandmother, I know that I have an ancestor who was the steward at Alnwick Castle ‘way back when. The next time we went to Alnwick, I’d heard about Barter Books and had to stop and explore. What a wonderful place! I did a post about it for Dawn’s blog, She Is Too Fond of Books, in her Spotlight on Bookstores series. I’m going to share the video on my blog as well. Thank you, Debbie!
On April 8th, 2012 at 9:49 am Debbie Says:
I’m so glad you like this, Cathy. Lucky you to have been to Alnwick twice & to have seen Barter Books. I must check out Dawn’s blog. And, please do share this video – more people need to know about both the poster and the store.