The talented (if very odd) Patricia Highsmith
On the 100th anniversary of her birth, Highsmith remains one of the great uncompromising writers of the last century
Producer, Genius, Madman, Murderer – what will Phil Spector’s true legacy be?
For all his apparently endless faults, we have just witnessed the passing of one of music’s true geniuses
Are the Bee Gees Britain’s most underrated band?
The Bee Gees have always been a target for mockery, but by force of talent and ambition, they managed to define the age around them
Queering the pitch: should gay roles only be played by gay actors?
Far from progressive, Russell T Davies’ recent remarks on the suitability of straight actors playing ‘gay’ roles are conservative and reactionary
Books to look forward to this year
There is a great deal to look forward to this year, and hopefully not that much to dread
The legacy of David Bowie: five years, what a surprise
Alexander Larman on why the late, great David Bowie remains such a totemic and iconic figure in his life
The lesser-known Orwell: are his novels deserving of reappraisal?
George Orwell has a gift for the unusual and the memorable that means that even his half-forgotten novels are well worth discovering once again
It’s a Wonderful Life: the perfect Christmas film?
The 1946 classic is a timely reminder that affection and loyalty can surface in the most difficult of circumstances
The unkindest cut
Why can’t film directors let their work go?
Sacking of the libraries
Should libraries should sell historic manuscripts to solve short-term financial problems