Flapjacks and Feudalism: Social Mobility and Class in the Archers. Edited by Cara Courage and Nicola Headlam. Published 16th March 2021. £16.99
I have been an ardent fan and loyal listener for 38 years, and together with fans around the world, we tune in our radios or download onto other electronic device, to hear 12 minutes of the happenings of group of families who live in the village of Ambridge, in the county of Borsetshire, courtesy of BBC Radio 4.
Like all such programmes, we listen to the banal occurrences, punctuated with points of high drama, from Coercive Control to modern day slavery, and we listen to both with equal attention. A radio programme that has run for 70 years has no need to rush story lines, so we have become an audience appreciative of the slow burn, and even slower reveal. We have grown up with the Archers, and listened, as characters have been born, got married and had children of their own.
We are invested, but not uncritical, and character traits that seem out of character or storylines that do not begin or end satisfactorily, will cause much debate on social media and beyond. As an audience we have a thirst for knowledge, we are not content to simply listen and move on with our lives.
The Academic Archers formed by Cara Courage and Nicola Headlam, recognised this need, and pulled together academics to discuss The Archers from a variety of viewpoints before an audience of experts, the latter, us, the listeners. Following each conference, those that delivered papers submit chapters for a book. Expect thoughtful, lively, and totally immersive chapters, that dig that bit deeper and make the reader think,or rethink the storylines.
Flapjacks and Feudalism is the fourth and latest book edited by Cara Courage and Nicola Headlam and plunges headlong into the issue of Social Mobility from a variety of standpoints.
Despite the book having sound academic credentials this is no dry tome, rather it, is a thoroughly entertaining read, as I can attest. I began reading my review copy, intending to read just a few pages to get a feel of the book. When I next looked up, I was three chapters, in and was considering ‘just one more chapter.’
The book avoids cliches, but I am afraid that I cannot, so I will say quite brazenly, this book has something for everyone, regardless of your life or career experience and yet it loses nothing of the warmth and affection that we all feel for the Archers.
The seventeen academic contributors are to be congratulated for presenting us with such a thought provoking, finely nuanced book, that is nothing short of a page turner. The Fall of the House of Aldridge is sure to delight those of us that root for the underdog, whilst the Modern Slavery hidden in plain sight, will give many a pause for thought.
Dysfunctional families are the meat and drink of any soap opera, but here they are dissected and put on trial for all to see. Another Chapter refers to the Ambridge Fairy, who listeners have long since realised is the scriptwriter’s way out of any storyline problem. Need a job, an extra bedroom or just a windfall? The Ambridge Fairy provides for all, to get us out of a tricky plot point or to move the story on. We smile with benign incredulity, whenever she is deployed, but forgive, because after 70 years there are bound to be some things that can only be resolved with magic.
A fascinating book that should appear on the shelf of any self- respecting Archers’s Fan, the ideal birthday or Christmas stocking filler, or in these times when we are restricted in our movements, the perfect way to while away a few hours, in an imagined countryside, whilst keeping the brain cells ticking over.
Flapjacks and Feudalism : Social Mobility and Class in the Archers. Edited by Cara Courage and Nicola Headlam. Published 16th March 2021. £16.99