Summary

The web content is a reflective piece on the writings of Alison Tennent, highlighting her compelling, humorous, and emotionally resonant storytelling, which is deeply influenced by her personal experiences, including her challenging childhood and journey to becoming a counsellor.

Abstract

The article delves into the impact of Alison Tennent's writing, noting the author's ability to weave her life experiences, including a difficult childhood and struggles with mental health, into her narratives. It praises her authentic voice, which is evident in her poetry, social commentary, and personal anecdotes. The piece underscores Tennent's unique perspective as a self-taught individual who later became a qualified counsellor, suggesting that her work cannot be divorced from her psyche. The article also touches on themes present in Tennent's writing, such as the existence of social classes, the importance of critical thinking, and the societal implications of a cashless economy. It commends her for her honesty, humor, and the ability to address complex issues with clarity and passion, while also highlighting her love-hate relationship with humanity and her advocacy for the less fortunate.

Opinions

The author feels a kinship with Alison Tennent, recognizing her as a fellow autodidact and admiring her motivation to become a counsellor due to her own mental health challenges.
It is expressed that Tennent's work is inherently personal and emotional, and cannot be dry or factual.
Tennent's video "Moon Threnody" is praised for its stunning visuals and poetic lament, though the author admits to not having read all her work to definitively rank it as her best.
The article references Tennent's views on the British class system, citing both personal anecdotes and a BBC quiz as evidence of its persistence.
There is a shared disgust between the author and Tennent towards unethical wealthy individuals and a recognition that politics is not straightforward, with the author identifying as a Social Democrat alongside Tennent.
Tennent's compassion and ability to overcome her difficult beginnings are highlighted as admirable qualities that inform her perspective on poverty and crime.
The author agrees with Tennent's critique of the push for a cashless society in Australia, viewing it as a means of government control over the poor.
The importance of critical analysis is emphasized, with a specific anecdote pointing out the misinterpretation of Tennent's writings by a commenter.
Tennent's straightforward stance on infidelity is noted, with a quote simplifying the definition of cheating.
The author expresses a deep appreciation for Tennent's writing style, comparing her words to magnets and expressing a personal connection to her teenage struggle with articulating thoughts.
Tennent's childhood memories of both generosity and judgment in the face of poverty are seen as influential in shaping her worldview and writing.
The author, Karen Madej, is identified as an English language coach with a desire to address societal issues stemming from historical injustices.

Why I Care About Alison Tennent’s Top Stories

They are compelling, humorous, and show her love (and disgust) of humans.

I feel a kindred spirit when I read one. I recognised a fellow autodidact. But Alison Tennent went one step further and studied to qualify as a counsellor highly motivated by her own mental health issues resulting from her nightmare of a childhood.

I don’t think it will ever be possible for Alison to be dry and factual.

Our psyche leaks into our work, however hard some might try to be dry and factual.~Alison Tennent

Maybe it’s just me. Please, decide for yourselves.

According to this writer who is self-acclaimed to be not backward in coming forward, Alison’s top best work is a video compiled of stunning photography, impressive video design skills, and her poem Moon Threnody read in her lilting Scottish accent. I had to look up the meaning of threnody — a lament or mourning poem. It is brilliant, but I can’t agree that it’s her top best because I haven’t read all her work yet!

A Video Challenge

Moon Threnody

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There But For The Grace Of God addresses Alison’s childhood of ‘hopeless poverty’ and her belief that there are indeed classes regardless of John Major and Alwyn W. Turner claiming a classless society.

The BBC has even identified seven distinct classes in the UK after seven million people used their Great British Calculator. To find out which class you belong to try this BBC quiz.

It was a grinding struggle and an unpleasant and unnecessary way to learn life lessons.~ Alison Tennent

Proudly displaying the YouTube video of the tower block she was born in being demolished, I can tell she was very glad to see the back of them.

As her family’s finances improved through her parents work, someone decided he wanted what they had. You’ll have to read the gem of an anecdote yourself because I don’t want to spoil it by telling you here!

Alison also touches on systems we live in not rewarding honesty, where the poor and poverty-ridden classes struggle, and progressives have got nearly everything wrong where crime is concerned.

I know, for an absolute certainty, that most people who are criminals by their teens will be criminals till they die. ~ Alison Tennent

The stereotype of a Scotsman being careful with his money is heartily disputed by this still very much Scottish woman, despite her now living in Australia!

Our disgust of the unscrupulous, lying, cheating wealthy people is something Alison and I have in common. Along with agreeing that politics is not black and white. I didn’t know there was such a category as Social Democrat but I’m glad I do now because I am also one.

Her ability to see people for what they are, not what they wear or how they look is a gift of her childhood. Alison’s compassion is remarkable because despite her start in life she has overcome, with luck and sheer grit, anything that might have stopped her being who she is today. And she’s alive to prove it is possible.

You cannot fairly judge where someone ends up without knowing where they started.~ Alison Tennent

There But For The Grace Of God

I May Look Middle Class But I’m Glad I’m Not

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A Begging Letter to the Divided States of Trumpistan was such an enjoyable rant for all the magnificent derogatory names Alison came up with. My favourites are below.

Every single paragraph was a delight to read, Alison!

One tiny fisted weasel swaggers tall above the rest. The Pudgy Emperor of Trumpistan, the Baron of Bloviate, The…

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Bravo, Alison. Thank you for the enlightenment. I believed the con. Now, I shall be fighting to use cash.

The Cashless Con is being promoted by politicians in Australia as supporting public hygiene safety measures and technological progress. But it is in fact a means for governmental control of people in lower socio economic classes. While governments seem content to allow billionaires to pay little or no tax and reap astonishing benefits from predatory practices, they do seem to enjoy punishing poor people for being poor. The prospect of ever tightening reigns on any miniscule amounts of cash poor people may have access to and a push to monitor and scrutinise each and every cent being spent or saved by the poor is imminent. Under the false guise of health restrictions and tech progress, the Haves harming the Have Nots while pretending to care about them has never been easier. ~ Alison Tennent

The Cashless Con

No, it’s not about hygiene

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I had read Learn Critical Analysis before Alison’s review of her top stories but on the second read, I highlighted some paragraphs which stood out for me. The one below is especially important.

I believe that critical analysis and thinking should be encouraged from childhood. The ability to comprehend what’s being said or written, not what your prejudices, opinions or beliefs lead you to infer, is invaluable. ~ Alison Tennent

A woman had left a comment criticising something that Alison had not said. There’s nowt so queer as folk, as they say in Sheffield.

Learn critical analysis and use it in your comments.

Or spare us all, I beseech you

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Cheating really is pretty clear cut. Alison does no bush beating and gets straight to the crux of the matter.

If you wouldn’t do it in front of your partner, it’s cheating. ~ Alison Tennent

Cheating Is Pretty Clear Cut

Can We Stop Pretending It’s Difficult To Recognise?

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For the Sheer Joy of It, is my favourite of Alison’s best stories.

Writers take the beating heart of the universe and place it at the feet of the audience.~ Alison Tennent

As Alison once wrote, in teenage frustration: Words are like water, they slip away laughing, I cannot grasp them long enough to sculpt my thoughts.

I have the same problem now, Alison! I have notebooks and voice recordings galore to ensure I don’t lose too many! I suspect you do too.

I think you could write about paint drying and make it sound intoxicating. Your words are like magnets to me and I’ll just have to keep being attracted to them. It’s a hard life.😘 (My response to her teenage frustration quote copied.)

For the Sheer Joy of It

And because I’m brimming with words

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After escaping hopeless poverty in Glasgow, Alison has made her own way through life refusing to let her poverty-stricken childhood dictate what the rest of her life would be. Yet her memories of the generosity of the people she knew, who had nothing but would always help somehow, share space in her story along with the shop keeper who judged her for being poor.

But it comes with you, your childhood. It whispers. ~ Alison Tennent

She took the best of her childhood, her love of reading and writing, and has lived the best life she could. Equally, she tells it like it is where wealthy, misogynistic politicians are concerned, her honesty comes out in rants as well as humour, and you can hear her heart in her voice and her poetry.

Karen Madej is an English language coach and writer. She’d very much like to change the way the world works because it is broken after centuries of being plundered by hetero-patriarchs.