“A committed attempt to add something different to the pop landscape.” A review of Alphaville’s latest album, Strange Attractor (Universal, 2017). Continue reading
Driving common sense into smart but obstinate people is enough to drive anyone mad. Jonathan Pie is the angry, frustrated journalist trying to make some inroads. Continue reading
The seventeenth-century poet Andrew Marvell received a mention in a recent Cosmopolitan article about Tinder. Would he really have approved of it, as its author claims? Continue reading
Green is the colour of innocence and experience, of sickness and of health. A glimpse at what it means to be ‘green’ in Andrew Marvell and William Shakespeare. Continue reading
A line of work we don’t think about too often is what happens to the dead when there’s nobody left. A poem by Rory Waterman and Uberto Pasolini’s remarkable ‘Still Life’ (2013) give us plenty of room for thought. Continue reading
There is no hard evidence that Andrew Marvell’s ‘Horatian Ode’ ever left his hands. Yet, it may have come to John Dryden’s attention. How is Dryden the privileged one? A brief study of hard and soft evidence. Continue reading
There’s no escape from growing old, but can we escape the sense of inadequacy it can bring? Watching this unfold is perhaps the most uncomfortable aspect of the BBC’s new drama, Apple Tree Yard. Continue reading
It’s not often that I greet New Year with indifference. On the contrary, I’m notorious for indulging in it. But a change of attitude is exactly what’s needed – so let’s begin. Continue reading
A.A. Gill’s short article about a talented young colleague who passed away in 2012 remains one of my favourite pieces of writing. Continue reading
I’ve put months of effort into a new project at work that’s been credited to half the organisation. What makes us go the extra mile when there’s no guarantee of reward at the end of it? Continue reading
October 28th still registers as one of the most important days in my calendar after a horrible incident 17 years ago. It’s a day that changed me forever. Continue reading
Is it alright to brand yourself a failure in some things if you’re prepared to be a winner at others? Continue reading
I recently described myself as a ‘former academic’, which brought to mind the last lecture I gave – and its crazy comparisons. Continue reading
