Culture

Calculated absurdity

I want to listen to music that sounds like the dumb hopefulness of being young that I once couldn’t wait to rid myself of, says Sarah Ditum

On Pop
Insight of a prolix pluralist

Christopher Bray reviews The Philosophy of Isaiah Berlin by Johnny Lyons

Books
The real Amis?

X.Trapnel on the book world’s latest guessing game

Literary Review
Adventures in La-La Land

Simon Callow reviews A Fate Worse than Hollywood by David Ambrose

Books
An American icon is born again

Kanye West was mocked for rediscovering faith, but he has genuine concerns about the modern world he helped fashion

Features
Brief encounters and romps in the park

George Orwell pursued women with enthusiasm and varying degrees of success

Features
Thoughts on the BBC: Reflections of a conservative historian

Jeremy Black ponders the place of the BBC

Artillery Row
Has the National Theatre lost its way?

Alexander Larman considers Rufus Norris’s vision, and the future of the National Theatre.

Artillery Row
Culture Coaches

As The Critic enters into the podcasting business, Dominic Green surveys the world of motivational, self-affirming podcasts

Artillery Row
Is Jane Austen getting a bum deal?

As the new Emma comes to cinema screens, Alexander Larman considers the innumerable Austen remakes over the past 25 years

Artillery Row