Biography
Confessions of a left-wing Pope
Life: My Story Through History by Pope Francis with Fabio Marchese Ragona
Why there has been no Street life
G.E. Street built or restored 113 churches for the Oxford diocese alone
Iain Banks: a double life
His disturbing debut, The Wasp Factory, is being reissued this year
Alcibiades
The Ancient Greek orator, philanderer, drunk, traitor and hero would have felt at home in modern politics
Great Lives — great, The Essay — awful
Radio 3 maintains its course towards self-destruction
Fifth magician blues
He made the tea, he forged the autographs, and only once did he run out of plectrums
The truth about London Bridge
Flawed narratives should not distort historical memory of the planning for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
Life versus learning: a battle of the titans
In their lives we find fiercely opposed poles of a culture that has profoundly shaped our world
Chapter and verse on the unknowable Bard
The striking thing about Sir Stanley’s Shakespeare is how unsexy he is
Napoleon sold short
On Ridley Scott’s Napoleon and the challenge of biopics
A labour of love
We are all historians of our own here and now
Itchen for fishing
Good fishing, books and beer remind us that not everything is awful
The Tories are victims of themselves
It is futile to complain about the consequences of laws they have established or upheld
Against literary celebriphilia
We need interesting authors, not “big names”
The Labour voter blues
At least forty per cent of Starmer’s voters are social conservatives. Will he take them with him, or leave them behind?
Defend Christian private schools
Keir Starmer’s tax raid would be bad for children, parents and the state
Religious freedom is being ignored this election
The global persecution of Christians and other religious minorities will be a defining issue for the next government, but it is barely being discussed
Bad education
Under Labour a deeply ideological education sector could go very quickly and badly wrong
“Nympho” rides again
Mental housemistresses and banners displaying children in boaters
Is Scottish independence really dead?
Labour’s “more devolution” policy will only strengthen the cause in the long term
Violent delights
It’s 30 years since Pulp Fiction hit cinemas, and what a time it was to be young
