British children’s books have a long tradition of subjecting their young characters to varying degrees of neglect, abuse, or outright peril. From Harry Potter crammed under the stairs to the nightmarish lessons handed out in Willy Wonka’s factory, no child is safe when a British author picks up a pen.
Vikings, bones and an archbishop: The tale of St Alfege Church in Greenwich
The year 1011 was supposed to be a triumph for Ælfheah, or Alphege as we know him now—because honestly, who can be bothered to decipher that weird ‘Æ’? Anyway, this Archbishop of Canterbury had been doing quite well for himself. He’d restored churches, worked to spread Christianity in the countryside, and generally managed to keep affairs in order during a turbulent time. A man on the up, one might say.
Only Fools and Horses: The Musical
Watching Vinnie Jones dance and hearing him sing wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card, yet here we are. It’s a surreal sight, but it somehow works in Only Fools and Horses: The Musical. I’ve never watched a single episode of the original series, but I still enjoyed it. The writing does all the heavy lifting, full of jokes that even outsiders like me can laugh at.
Reid Hoffman’s lecture at LSE: AI insights from ChatGPT
Attending Reid Hoffman’s lecture at LSE felt like glimpsing the future—but not for the reasons you’d think.
It rings for thee
The first warning bell rang during the opening act.
The audience responded with a polite murmur. A hefty man sitting in the back let out a loud grunt, several ladies rummaged through their handbags, fumbling to find the elusive silent mode button on their phones.
Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason
Some siblings argue over chores; Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason, apparently, just master Chopin together. She’s a pianist born in 1996, he’s a cellist born in 1999—feel old yet? Their performance at the Barbican was nothing short of breathtaking, with a musical chemistry that made every note feel alive.
How Superman captured Hitler and Stalin in 1940
In 1940, Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster crafted a comic strip for Look magazine, portraying the Man of Steel as a World War II hero.
Peter the Great gets a Ukrainian paint job
In Deptford, there’s a monument to Peter the Great crafted by Mihail Chemiakin. Viewing it, much like encountering the artist’s other works, is a challenge that often leaves observers tearful—not from the depth of emotion it might inspire, but rather from its sheer lack of appeal.
Beyond the stones: Discovering Hadrian’s Wall
I can’t quite pinpoint when Hadrian’s Wall first entered my life. Was it a line in a book, a fleeting image on a TV show, or perhaps a fragment of a history lesson that lodged itself in the corners of my mind? The origin of this fascination remains shrouded in mystery, but the obsession it sparked is apparent.
Ranger’s House: A walk through time at Greenwich Park
In my latest adventure through English Heritage sites, I found myself at Ranger’s House, an elegant Georgian villa in Greenwich Park. This red-brick beauty, though simple in appearance, has housed a remarkable array of famous tenants over the years, from naval officers to members of the royal family.