Once a newspaperman
The true legacy of John Kay
Can public art ever be any good?
Nobody could accuse Hockney of over-exerting himself
The problem with adapting classic novels
Following the letdown of the new adaptation of The Pursuit of Love, Alexander Larman says that TV dramatisations of classic novels haven’t always been this bad
The enduring appeal of the Mitford family
As the BBC’s adaptation of The Pursuit of Love begins, Alexander Larman questions whether the new dramatisation will do justice to Nancy Mitford’s 1945 novel
Line of Duty and the politics of drama
It doesn’t take the minds of AC-12’s finest to see the parallels between our own political climate and the nation’s favourite police drama
Is biography having its very own reckoning?
Blake Bailey has become the latest figure to allegedly fall foul of the uncompromising moral standards of American publishing
Is Hollywood bullying the next #MeToo?
New revelations about Hollywood producer Scott Rudin are a sad but unsurprising indictment on the entire industry and its practices
The reinvention of Ed Balls
Ed Balls’ presence in public life is a welcome reminder that sometimes there can be a second act for former politicians
Jane Austen and BLM: an historical interrogation
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a long-dead author who is beloved by millions will, eventually, find themselves dragged into controversy
Libraries and laureates: a study in necessity
Without school libraries, boys and girls will grow up in households where the idea of owning books, or even borrowing, seems an increasingly fantastical one