Culture
Bring back the fun!
Alexander Larman writes an open letter to the artistic directors of theatres
The potting shelf
You can grow without a garden
Our Man about Town
On the merits of celebrity authors and literary book prizes
Notes on a doomed affair
Norman Lebrecht on how Marion von Weber was both interesting and important to Mahler’s emergence
Debutant novels and great expectations
John Self on debut novels that provide an insight into publishing in Britain
Mysteries of the Middle Eastern vineyard
Henry Jeffreys recommends five innovative Lebanese wines which show the potential of the country’s growing wine industry
Breaking down the gender wars
Kathleen Stock’s new book is exactly the kind of forensic, generous intervention the ongoing trans debate sorely needs
Murders for late May
From psychological character studies to witty and fast-paced detective novels, Jeremy Black rounds up the best crime fiction for late Spring
A life in focus
Director Betrand Tavernier was able to admire both blacklisted directors and those who named names
Have queens enjoyed the same authority as kings?
Professor Jeremy Black and Graham Stewart discuss the role of the queen in British and European history