Mary Beard is marvellous

[TheYuleLogLady]

i love her. i want to go to pompeii and sare a botle of wine with hr.

I am shallow and I don't care who knows it - Mary, if you're still around, would you mind sharing where you got the red coat..?!

I'll always remember the curled up little dog at Pompeii. Made me cry aged eleven, still makes me cry now.

Hi I got the red coat in Berkeley California. A wonderful firm called Mycra Pac. Damn hard to get here, but there is a shop in Boston Spa Lincs, that stocks them! m

Hey .. and thanks everyone. We have had our Mumsnet disagreements in the past (productive ones I think).. so especially nice to be singing together, m

WHAT are these disagreements?! you'd better 'fess up about your other name, beardie.

Hi Mary
I am studying Reading Latin with the OU. I really enjoy the linguistic challenge but have been finding the cultural element rather dull. I caught your programme by chance and really enjoyed it. You have given some context to my studies, which had been sadly lacking. Thank you I will defo be watching the rest.

Aitch there was a big row with Mary in the feminism topic after a broadcast she did here. Everyone still a bit mutually bemused about it I think but things move on....

I want to be a student again.....in her lectures. I'm 50.

Failing that, I'd like her as my next door neighbour.

Marvellous lady. Splendid. Love her!

Oh, just noticed, the lady herself has posted.

Congratulations to you Mary, a fantastically engaging series. More from you in the future, please?

mmm, very keen on the mac. Wouldn't wear the hooded version in Venice, however...

Wow! It all got very attack dog on that feminism thread.

She is ace and I could listen to her all day long. I just hope she doesn't think she needs always to bang on about fannies, shit and sex all the time to be interesting.

I love history of the day to day type, rather than the great and good type, I love Rome and have a soft spot for the Romans ancient and modern, so I have been in hog heaven with this series.

Much, much better than the Discovery channel history programs, with recaps every three minutes in case your attention span is that of a fruit fly, fake "mystery" moments - when archaeologist stares meaningfully at map / light table / prods at bit of pot with skelly picks, wile voice over says meaningfully " This is where Doctor Rickenbacker came across something that would CHANGE THE FACE OF ARCHAEOLOGY", and the same pieces of reenactment filming which are used every 5 minutes in case you have gone to sleep with all this pure information and need a bit of edutainment.

Thank you Mary, may you cycle on for many years

Snorkmaiden, maybe it'll be like that thing where the teacher writes 'SEX' on the blackboard in a noisy classroom and the schoolboys fall into an expectant silence, and the teacher goes 'Now I've got your attention, let's do some Latin grammar.'

She'll be teaching us about the ablative absolute next Tuesday, you mark my words.

Mary Beard is, indeed, marvellous. DH is an archaeologist and it's one of the few historical programmes that doesn't have him swearing at the TV in utter frustration. Engaging, intelligent and not patronising to the audience.

Well done, indeed. Also LOVE your retort to AA Gill. He really doesn't know how to deal with intelligent women, does he...sad really.

ah yes, i'd forgotten about that thread, Tunip. they did go in hard, didn't they? still, lots of good points, i thought. but i wouldn't say that the feminist board was synonymous with MN as a whole. (more's the pity).

she was on desert island discs earlier this year/last year - such a fascinating person and such a giggle too

yes Aitch, we did go in hard (I was on the thread) but I would stand by the points we made.
I'd be interested to know what M felt was productive about it - without wanting to start the whole damn thing up again - hopefully not that she now knows not to go anywhere near feminism again....

Loved both episodes - I watched them enthralled this week! I'm desperate to go to Rome now!

I know my 10 year old (yr 5) would love them too - what do you all reckon? Suitable for him despite smutty references? Perhaps he wouldn't "get" what is being said?

Brains are beautiful. 'Nuff said'

If you think he's okay with it, I'd let him watch, daisy. Especially all that toilet talk- I imagine a 10 yr old would love it hearing about that aspect of Rome.

I did love the series. :)

Thanks GreenEggs, I know he'd love the toilet talk!

Glad you seem to be enjoying the shows.. the temptation to do the Abl Absolute was almost irresistible.
@TuniptheVegemal What was productive.. well I suppose that it was actually ABOUT something, that we were coming from quite similar overall ideologies, but had something we really didn't agree about.. in quite a fierce way. I didnt 'change my mind' in any major sense, but one DOES (I did on that occasion anyway) learn from that kind of discussion.

I vaguely remember a comedy show on r4 in which two old ladies got people to describe the job they do. Think PR consultants etc. said old ladies were bemused. Wonder what a TV critic would say? I watch telly then write about it in a newspaper? What sort of job is that? What are you contributing to civilisation except some upmarket fish and chip paper?

Mary B will stand the test of time and that other bloke, ooops forgotten him already

Btw when my daughters 7 & 9 watched the show there was no mention of your appearance. Perfect.