Historical Fiction
Chamberlain’s fictional rehabilitation
Netflix’s sympathetic take on the great appeaser is ultimately unconvincing
London, Burning: ‘A page-turning delight’
For his eighth novel, Anthony Quinn continues his noble tradition of producing a thumping good read
It is time to bury Boris
Every day of Johnson as PM is another day in which the Tory party sinks deeper into crisis
Happily devoid of consequences
The Beano magazine retains its quality but not all its character over the decades
The myth of infallibility
Dispiriting as it may be, great authors are capable of writing bad books
Top Guns of the track
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton might not exactly hate each other, but their relationship is formal verging on chilly
They’re not trans activists; they’re Chris Morris fans
A group of bitter wannabes have been targeting me for fifteen years
The Critic Books Podcast: The Gardener
On this episode of The Critic Books podcast, Francesca Peacock speaks to Salley Vickers about The Gardener
Wake up and smell the free country
Chris Bryant’s absurd rhetoric deepens cultural divisions in one of the most tolerant countries on earth
Hard times on the Black Dragon River
Thubron shows an unyielding willingness to listen to those he meets and attempt to understand their worlds
When London really was built back better
This is an eloquent book that describes the architecture, culture, topography, and social life of a vibrant city
Good-natured amateurishness
British musical theatre has nothing on the American slickness
Protect the female estate
The feminist fix: separate facilities for transgender individuals is the fairest way forward