User talk:Jrsd

Adding note

Help! On the Arnold Bennett entry, I wanted to add the Shapcott book to the references - it's cited in footnote 99 after recent revision. But somehow I couldn't insert in the appropriate place alphabetically and it's appeared at the very beginning of the References section. How can this be corrected? Jrsd (talk) 11:31, 10 March 2021 (UTC)

We'll deal with this, as discussed on my talk page. Tim riley talk 16:02, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

P.T.O. Magazine

As one who knows about about Bennett, do you know anything about the magazine P.T.O. for which he wrote? I quoted an article of his at second hand, so to speak, in the article on Réjane, for which I got a quote from a book that named P.T.O. as the source. That is perfectly OK but it would be good to know a bit about the magazine for which AB wrote it. Not at all essential, but nice to know, if you have any information on that subject. Tim riley talk 16:02, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

I will ask around,but I suspect the Rejane biographer has made a mistake and the magazine in question is T.P.'s Weekly, to which Bennett was a frequent contributor while in Paris. T.P.'s Weekly was founded by T.P. O'Connor (see his Wikipedia entry), hence perhaps the O of P.T.O.Jrsd (talk) 14:03, 23 March 2021 (UTC)

That's helpful - thank you. Point taken about the possible mangling of the title of the journal: a persuasive hypothesis. Tim riley talk 18:35, 23 March 2021 (UTC)

Peer review

Good afternoon! I have put the Bennett article up for peer review here with a view to nominating it for promotion to Wikipedia's top flight, "Featured article", which (if successful) would mean AB's appearing on Wikipedia's front page at some point. If you see this in time, do look in at the peer review and add any suggestions for improvement. Best wishes, Tim riley talk 11:44, 25 June 2021 (UTC)

Beaverbrook as model

I have made your recent addition temporarily invisible to the reader. I don't for a moment doubt what you say, but we simply must have a citation for such a statement (particularly at the end of a paragraph, where the absence of a citation sticks out conspicuously). I am in the middle of moving flats and my books are in boxes, so I can't do the necessary myself. Perhaps you'd add a ref? Tim riley talk 18:38, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

Thanks - I was a bit hasty in describing Beaverbrook as the model for Lord Raingo; consulting Drabble again and Reginald Pound's biography, it was more that Beaverbrook advised Bennett on the political content of Lord Raingo, and that if anything the title character was modelled more on Lord Birkenhead, who took exception to the novel. I will rethink that sentence. BTW during the course of this week I'll be making some more (minor)changes suggested by AB Society members. Also hope to get round to emending some other Wikipedia entries, probably not by you, on individual Bennett books. Incidentally, was there any reason you didn't put Dudley Barker's 1966 biography (Writer by Trade: A Portrait of Arnold Bennett)in the bibliography? Meanwhile, hope your move goes smoothlyJrsd (talk) 21:31, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

The list of sources should only include sources actually used, and I didn't use Barker's (of which, I admit, I know not). We could add it as Further Reading if you feel strongly that it should be mentioned, but my old Wikipedia mentor used to ask me just why I was listing a book in Further Reading that I hadn't thought it necessary to cite in the main text. I greatly look forward to further additions from you (and your colleagues via you), and don't worry about formatting the refs – I'll tidy up. And thank you for your good wishes for my move: first time I've moved for 37 years! Tim riley talk 22:09, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

I've re-thought the Beaverbrook reference, and it's now only a mention of the fact that Bennett consulted him in the writing of Lord Raingo, in a newish para about AB's postwar novels. As you see, I've also fleshed out the para about his Five Towns novels. However, I can't seem to to get into the biliography to add info about Dudley Barker: FYI the entry should read "Barker, Dudley (1966). Writer by Trade: A Portrait of Arnold Bennett (London: Allen & Unwin / New York: Atheneum). Incidentally, the entry for Pound's biography should surely use the UK publication date (1952) and publisher (Heinemann) Jrsd (talk) 15:44, 8 October 2021 (UTC)

GA article

Wikipedia articles can be nominated for silver or gold stars. The latter (Featured Article) involves a pretty demanding review – more effort than I care to make these days, but the former (Good Article) is not too flattening, and I am proposing to nominate the AB article for it. I'll keep you posted. Tim riley talk 17:52, 8 April 2022 (UTC)

Thanks. Btw, as you've no doubt noticed, a new biography of Bennett has just come out. When I've got through it, there may be more changes to be made Jrsd (talk) 19:43, 8 April 2022 (UTC)

I hadn't noticed, I must confess. When you've read it, please tell me if I should do so too. Meanwhile, whatever goodies are in the new book, it would be helpful if you didn't change the article while it's up for GA. Once that review is over, it will be open season again. Tim riley talk 20:20, 8 April 2022 (UTC)

I doubt if you have any power over the timing, Tim, but it would be nice if Arnold Bennett could be the Featured Article on the day of his birthday later this month (i.e. the 27th) Jrsd (talk) 15:44, 10 May 2022 (UTC)

Featured article

I'm pleased to report that the AB article has now been weighed in the balance by Wikipedia editors and promoted to Wikipedia's top class - "featured article" (FA). That doesn't mean it can't be further improved, but discretion is advised before making substantial changes. I'm available to run an eye over any suggested additions, I need hardly say.

One point that came up during the review: which of the Bennett archives in universities, libraries etc are important enough to be mentioned in the main text? In other Wikipedia articles we are constantly batting off attempts by enthusiastic interns to add tuppeny-ha'penny collections, but we should stick to listing the important ones. Your thoughts on this would be most welcome.

The promotion to FA means that a summary of the article will appear on Wikipedia's main page at some point. This is a mixed blessing, as loathsome schoolbrats will attempt to vandalise the article, but happily we have many willing hands who remove vandalism almost instantly. Tim riley talk 22:21, 30 April 2022 (UTC)

That's good news, Tim. As you mention the archives I've just made a small change - giving the Stoke museum its proper title and clarifying that it's the UCL part of the University of London that holds AB papers. The new biography, by Patrick Donovan, seems to have had access to hitherto unconsulted material in New York, and also UK Foreign Office and Parliamentary archives (in relation to Bennett's wartime activities and later dealings with Lord Beaverbrook). I'll think carefully before making any further changes; can I write to you directly with further thoughts? Jrsd (talk) 11:15, 1 May 2022 (UTC)

Excellent, all ways round! I knew you'd be able to get the archives section sorted out. By all means send me any new material and I'll gladly wikify it. The "email this user" link to the left of this page will find me. A pleasure doing business with you, sir! Tim riley talk 14:15, 1 May 2022 (UTC)

CS1 error on List of works by Arnold Bennett

Hello, I'm Qwerfjkl (bot). I have automatically detected that this edit performed by you, on the page List of works by Arnold Bennett, may have introduced referencing errors. They are as follows:

• A "bare URL and missing title" error. References show this error when they do not have a title. Please edit the article to add the appropriate title parameter to the reference. (Fix | Ask for help)

Please check this page and fix the errors highlighted. If you think this is a false positive, you can report it to my operator. Thanks, Qwerfjkl (bot) (talk) 14:28, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

CS1 error on Arnold Bennett

Hello, I'm Qwerfjkl (bot). I have automatically detected that this edit performed by you, on the page Arnold Bennett, may have introduced referencing errors. They are as follows:

• A "bare URL and missing title" error. References show this error when they do not have a title. Please edit the article to add the appropriate title parameter to the reference. (Fix | Ask for help)

Please check this page and fix the errors highlighted. If you think this is a false positive, you can report it to my operator. Thanks, Qwerfjkl (bot) (talk) 14:45, 23 November 2023 (UTC)