to think Libby Purves is a ponce

[Coddywhump]

in teh FABBO BACK times2 they have " a letter i wish id written" and hers is to " my oxford tutor"

rollseyes

[GabbyLoggon]

well , Libby writes mainly for a middle class audience. She does not do tabloids.

She is thrusting middle class. I call her
"mrs sensible"

[clam]

YABU unless it's someone who casually mentions they went to Oxford, but it turns out that they actually went to Oxford Poly (or Brookes, as it's now known).

[EvilAntsAndMiasmas]

I hate it when people ask me what university I went to, and get all foot-shuffley and cringey. Have never lied (thought tempted) because I imagine if/when they find out I would just look like even more a twat.

[libelulle]

Aware of being in danger of inadvertently proving your point - but as what you so pleasantly refer to as an 'Oxbridge type', I
I would never dream of mentioning my university background in casual conversation, and likewise I have no idea what university most of my 'mummy' acquaintances went to. I've been asked directly before, and thought at someone being status-obsessed enough to think that what university I went to as an undergraduate is in any way relevant to my life 15 years down the line as a SAHM in my mid-30s.

During temping jobs as an undergraduate, I used to actively lie to avoid the kind of inverted snobbery that you demonstrate - people were that rude about it.

As someone mentioned earlier, it is absurd to believe that Libby Purves would think that her most significant achievement is going to Oxbridge, rather than an illustrious and acclaimed broadcasting career spanning decades. Says more about you than about her, it really does.

[clam]

The thing I liked about her parenting books was that, unlike some I could mention she never imposed any one method. It was more a case of chucking in a whole load of tips she'd heard over the years from friends and colleagues and the reader could take their pick from any that appealed.

[ragged]

Wow, you guys are terrific sources of goss on Radio presenters ( to be interested).

LP comes across as quite pro-gay rights in this article.
I don't care about what she says about Oxbridge tutors, but her MidWeek programme grates on my nerves badly. I also read an excerpt from one of her parenting books which put me off (can't remember what, but it was annoying).

[clam]

WhereToStartYetAgain, are you sure that was her? It surprises me, if so.

[bodycolder]

She does harp on about mens emotional rights which is cringey

[WhereToStartYetAgain]

I can never be really sure but years ago when I got married and had to do a Catholic pre-marriage course, I'm pretty sure Libby was the person giving the talk on two occasions. Her views on domestic violence ("imagined" and "exaggerated") and homosexuals/civil partnership ("wrong" and "chipping away at the institution of marriage") stuck in my craw. I was told off by the pre-marriage course leader afterward for my hefty subtle rebuttals

So, I have no idea if she is a ponce, but she is (or perhaps 'was' if her views have since changed) a thoroughly judgmental and ill-informed woman.

[bodycolder]

Have met her a couple of times at do's she seemed nice and I like her writing.oxbridge is a bit of a club so people often refer to it like that.

[clam]

I read her series of "How not to be..." and, contrary to what Bumperlicious and jillhastwoponies say, I thought she always suggested plenty of ideas for people raising children in a whole range of circumstances without being judgey. Unlike on here sometimes.
Strewth.

[Chil1234]

I'd much rather read Libby Purves' thoughts for an Oxford tutor than that awful woman in the Mail on Sunday magazine (name escapes me) who seems to have spent years whining on about her divorce ... BO..RING...

[Coddywhump]

Ok. Am ready to withdraw ponce accusation. Maybe it was the sub editor. Utterly agree re death if family member.
Still think Oxbridge types have to let you know though.

[canihavemypocketmoney]

her piece about the tutor had a somewhat wistful tone, suggesting she wishes she'd been better at keeping in touch and expressing her gratitude for numerous acts of kindness. Her son committed suicide, which I'm sure colours everything she says and does. I think when a loved one dies, those left behind have a deep sense of life's conversation left unfinished.

I just think what she says in her column resonates from her private life.

[EvilAntsAndMiasmas]

To be fair, she probably wrote "to my tutor" or "to professor thing" and the subeditor changed it to that to make it more name-droppy. I think she probably is quite insulated in terms of money, but she has certainly had a hard time of it, and yet she keeps on working, writing, being a generally nice person IMO. I went to a talk she did once and she gave some excellent careers advice/encouragement as well.

[cobbledtogether]

I liked 'How not to be a perfect mother' I have the revised version. pmsl at some bits of it. I didn't know about her son, thats really sad.

I don't see why she's a ponce for writing that.

[jillhastwoponies]

I can't forgive her for two things.

A radio debate I heard where she said the children of single Mothers are less likely to succeed at school because " the mother's boyfriend is lying on the sofa watching Sky television all day, so they can't do their homework" I was a single parent at the time and was incensed

And a cosy piece where she exhorted us all not to need the luxuries of this world, but to be happy with the small things like our home, our family, and "the boat on the Norfolk Broads". Well, fuck me, I'm missing one of those.

[Bumperlicious]

I remember reading her book How Not to Be the Perfect Mother or something, and most of her parenting tips seemed to be predicated on the fact that she could take her baby into work and stick it under the desk while she was on the radio. That's fine but we are not all lucky enough to have jobs where we can take our children into work.

[scaleymcnamechange]

No, it was Fi Glover's husband who left her for Victoria Derbyshire.

Libby is married to Paul Heiney.

[methsdrinker]

didn't that horrible victoria derbyshire run off with husband aswell. I like libby clever and funny whats not to like

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I must say everyone I know who went to Oxford goes to desperate lengths to say 'oh when I was at oxford' as much as possible.

[pippibluestocking]

It's not been all plain sailing for Libby - her son committed suicide several years ago, but she is professional and carries on.

[R4]

I hate Libby Purves. I bet she thinks we are all boring people. She is only interested in you if you sailed single-handed round the Cape of Good Hope whilst riding a unicycle. Or if some distant relative was a member of the aristocracy and you can re-tell their amusing tales of smuggling or stealing the crown jewels or some such high jinks.

[scaleymcnamechange]

Oooooh, I don't like her (she is smug) and I know her a teeny tiny weeny bit in rl.

[cory]

I like her too.