Kenneth Widmerpool is a fictional character in Anthony Powell's novel sequence A Dance to the Music of Time, a 12-volume account of upper- class and bohemian life in Britain between 1920 and 1970. Widmerpool is the antithesis of the sequence's narrator-hero Nicholas Jenkins. Initially presented as a comic, even pathetic figure, he becomes increasingly formidable, powerful and ultimately sinister as the novels progress, his only sphere of failure being his relationships with women. Widmerpool's defining characteristics are lack of culture, small- mindedness and a capacity for intrigue; he is able to achieve his positions of dominance through dogged industry and self-belief. Thus he represents the meritocratic middle class's challenge to the declining power of the "establishment", revealed to have few defences against such an assault. Among suggested real-life models have been Edward Heath, the British prime minister 1970–74, and Reginald Manningham-Buller, who was Britain's Attorney General in the 1950s; Powell gave little encouragement to such theorising. The novel sequence ends with Widmerpool's death, in bizarre circumstances arising from his involvement with a New Age-type cult.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Widmerpool

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1661:

Charles II was crowned King of England, Ireland, and Scotland at Westminster Abbey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_England

1942:

Second World War: In retaliation for the Royal Air Force bombing of Lübeck several weeks prior, the Luftwaffe began a series of bombing raids in England, starting with Exeter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baedeker_Blitz

1954:

Batting against Vic Raschi of the St. Louis Cardinals, Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves hit the first of his then-record 755 home runs in Major League Baseball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Aaron

1961:

In the midst of the Algerian War, French President Charles de Gaulle delivered a televised speech calling on military personnel and civilians to oppose a coup d'état attempt against him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algiers_putsch_of_1961

1985:

The Coca-Cola Company introduced "New Coke" to replace its flagship soft drink Coca-Cola, which generated so much negative response that the company put the previous formula back on the market less than three months later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke

2009:

Gamma ray burst GRB 090423 was detected, coming from the most distant known astronomical object of any kind at the time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRB_090423

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

bardolator: (usually pejorative) One who loves or worships the works of William Shakespeare. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bardolator

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix' throne, one phoenix At this hour reigning there. in   --The Tempest https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Tempest