11 June 2021
Benched! Meghan’s woeful paean to mediocrity
FAME is a wonderful thing; it overrides ability in so many fields of endeavour. But nowhere more so than in the world of publishing. There the principle is simple: names sell. Celebrity is everything. Much to the chagrin of authors who have spent years honing their craft. Facebook “likes”, Instagram followers, Twitter retweets; these are… Continue Reading
IN the words of advice so often given, it was time to “get out more”; extend my horizons. Not physically, but in more mentally stimulating terms. Specifically, to broaden the reading experience, to redress the balance of genres ingested in my reading time. A glance at my bookshelves provided ample proof; without going into great… Continue Reading
4 June 2021
Feeling the heat in an offensive world
MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN: well, Noel Coward got that right. Out comes the sun and thousands of Brits head for surgeries, pharmacies and A&Es in search of treatment for its unwelcome side-effects. NHS stats show that over three days close to 30,000 of us visited its website for information on heat-stroke and heat exhaustion. So,… Continue Reading
2 June 2021
Vera does high tension without blood and gore
1 June 2021
Tennis star Naomi fast running out of aces
WOULD it be churlish to suggest that Naomi Osaka, the new prima donna of the tennis world, takes a vow of silence for a week or two? Is it showing lack of empathy or understanding to recommend she has a long and deep session of introspection and self-examination; to think hard before venting any more… Continue Reading
29 May 2021
So why not turn the damned things off?
29 May 2021
Back stories reveal spooks’ messy histories
They took their time: much more than they should. But at long last, the trustees of the National Trust have accepted the resignation of chairman Tim Parker. Or was he pushed as the person ostensibly overseeing a succession of decisions that have alienated many loyal members and seen the dismissal of hundreds of dedicated staff,… Continue Reading
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11 June 2021
Benched! Meghan’s woeful paean to mediocrity
FAME is a wonderful thing; it overrides ability in so many fields of endeavour. But nowhere more so than in the world of publishing. There the principle is simple: names sell. Celebrity is everything. Much to the chagrin of authors who have spent years honing their craft. Facebook “likes”, Instagram followers, Twitter retweets; these are… Continue Reading