Books

 

This is an interesting book in that it is all about the losers - those that don't have the obscurity of finishing fourth.

"What losers?" I hear you ask.

The last Eurovision Song Contest is a memory now but this book harks back to an earlier time bracketing 1978 in Paris with 2003 in Riga.

My earliest recollection of the ESC is from Naples in 1965 with France Gall singing, "Poupee De Cire, Poupee De Son."

Since then, we have had all manner of wonders: bare footed singers, strange song titles, odd dress sense, hot-pants, cat-suits, tank tops, dungarees, girls getting their skirts ripped off, drag artists - I am sure you add to the list.

But, to the book.

Time Moore travels the continent to visit those unfortunate enough to score the Nul Points of the book's title.

He discusses with them what the contest was like for them, what it felt like to hear all the Douzes as fas as the Uns go to someone else. He finds out what they are all up to now. It is all interspersed with little snippets about the contest such as when the native-language rule was abolished, or when the orchestra was removed, or when the voting rules were amemended, a little bit of Europe's history is also in there.

The blurb on the back says the author is a comic writer - I was not falling down laughing but I did find myself with a fairly permanent, wry smile on my lips each time I picked up the book. I'm tempted to find out if Doctor Who really said "Nul Points!" to the Daleks.

Comments, as always, more than welcome.