The best of us
When I was young, I often heard it said that if Shakespeare were alive, he’d be writing for TV. Today,
Tag: literature
The fanatic within
At a time when the lamps are once again going out, not only in Europe but across the world, I’ve
The parliament of invisible people
You see them sometimes, late at night, cleaning offices for people they never meet; or unloading vans from empty bus
I believe in doubt, part two
I do not believe in Belief. But this is an age of faith, where one is surrounded by so many
The Pinning Stones
Portraits from The Pinning Stones by Ray Smith On Thursday, the residents of Scotland decide whether to leave the United Kingdom
What life entails
‘The next generation don’t want old books – they don’t seem to want books at all. This is very painful
Whose line is it, anyway?
One lovely evening this summer, I stood waiting in the lobby of the Market Theatre in the Herefordshire town of
Cui bloody bono?
The speech of women There is a paradox, acknowledged by the speaker herself, in a woman giving a lecture about
A small boat on a dark sea
Text of a talk for the Greek EU Presidency conference, “Heritage First! Towards a common approach for a sustainable Europe” •
An artist out of time
I was driving home through the Scottish Borders—like Debatable Lands everywhere, this lovely region is used to strangers—when I passed
Parliament of Dreams 