Zadie Smith
The myth of infallibility
Dispiriting as it may be, great authors are capable of writing bad books
Decline of the English novel
Bereft of God and middle class values, authors are left with identity politics
An unconvincing case against the UNRWA
It should take more evidence to strip the Palestinians of essential support
Not everyone has a novel in them
Literature is the only art in which, it seems, every neophyte is convinced they can succeed
Realism is not the same as self-pity
There is a limit to how much women can physically protect themselves from men
The great immigration data disaster
Officials are deleting the data we need for a more sensible debate
The light and the insubstantial
Poulenc and others: Chamber music (Calliope/DG)
Prepare for takeoff
Masters of the Air is a visually impressive aerial WW2 adventure with the potential to go far
The 15-minute bait and switch
15-minute cities mean restricted freedom and a town hall traffic-fine bonanza
Is Britain on course for abortion up to birth?
Diana Johnson’s amendment creates a medical and legal vacuum that would endanger women and their babies
The arts are under threat in Scotland
New legislation endangers freedom, but the arts have been enabling its suppression for some time
The joy of pets
Pet ownership is one of life’s simple pleasures, but it also lifts the soul
The case for Christian converts
Don’t let allegedly bogus conversions cause you to forget that real ones exist
