h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Louise and Ida Cook: Opera Fans to the Rescue in Nazi Germany - A87968542
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - Not Banned in China - U1590784

In all the discussion over the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, someone posted the title of this book on Twitter. So I read it from cover to cover.

And I laughed, and said, 'Wow.' I figured you deserved a chance to do the same.

"Never underestimate the power of a passionate hobby." -

Where was 'home' for Ida and Louise in 1923? London?

"the heavens opened" - I like this - like 'The Sky's the Limit'. My instinctive thought (that I now doubt) was that it means 'it rained'...

'Deadhead' is another word I thought I knew the meaning of but now doubt, as I didn't know it had a capital letter rather than being spelled something like ded'ead in Scouse...

Thanks, Sasha! I had a feeling several h2g2ers would enjoy this book. You're one of them, Minorvogonpoet is another.

Yes, I thought I'd said they lived in London. I'll make sure I do - they were born in different places - one of them in Sunderland, wherever that is - but the whole family lived in London once the girls were grown and working.

And ooh, Deadheads are people who follow the Grateful Dead about - I'll make sure that's clear, too.

Sunderland is about 275 miles north of London

"Deadheads are people who follow the Grateful Dead about" - Ah - I see

I once taught at a college where my department head was a former Deadhead. For some reason, their music inspired great loyalty.

It struck me that fan phenomena don't change a lot, even though the type of music does. Women used to faint at Paganini concerts. Conservative people claimed he was in league with the devil, etc. Same as with rock music. Only he sounded like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uALsg4aWKB0

Compare with your 'demonic' music of choice.

Deadheads apparently get stoned and listen to ditties like this, reputedly composed while under the influence of retsina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=671AgW9xSiA

Amazing story!

Glad you liked it, Tav.

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Congratulations

And thanks for the video - very educational (not what I imagined a Grateful Dead song to sound like! The name reminded me of something more in the 'Hard Rock' genre )

Yeah, their music is always kind of a surprise.

Congratulations!