Category Archives: Fiction

Summer Solstice Roundup

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

–In a recent issue of The Sunday Times, Matthew Syed discussed the legacy of Boris Johnson. This excerpt appears near the beginning: We always knew Johnson was a skilled deceiver and dissimulator. In his book Chums, Simon Kuper tells of … Continue reading →

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Roundup: a Painter, a Photographer and a Satirist

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

–This quote appears in a recent collection of essays entitled Antisemitism, Islamophobia and the Politics of Definition edited by Prof G D Cohen of Rice University: In June 1945, the British diplomat and man of letters Harold Nicolson admitted that … Continue reading →

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Early June Roundup

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

–The New Statesman reports the confused results of the controversial Oxford Union appearance of Prof. Kathleen Stock, described as a “gender-critical feminist philosopher”. After the Union invited her to speak, a protest arose against her appearance as being unfair to … Continue reading →

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Memorial Day/Spring Bank Holiday Roundup

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

—The Spectator has posted a memorial tribute to its recently deceased columnist Jeremy Clarke. This is by David Goodhart who writes that he gave Clarke his start as a journalist. Clarke’s longest and best known gig was the Low-Life column … Continue reading →

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Martin Amis R. I. P. (1949-2023)

Posted on May 21, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

Novelist and critic Martin Amis has died at the age of 73. Dwight Garner, a book critic of the New York Times, opens that paper’s obituary with this: Martin Amis, whose caustic, erudite and bleakly comic novels redefined British fiction … Continue reading →

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Roundup (Exhibits and a Lecture)

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

–The Historical Association (Richmond & Twickenham Branch) has announced a lecture later this year that may be of interest to our London area readers: Takes Place: 28th September 2023 Time: 8pm Venue: Richmond Library Annexe, Quadrant St, Richmond TW9 Description: a fascinating … Continue reading →

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Mother’s Day (US) Roundup

Posted on May 14, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

—The Oldie has posted an article by Mark McGinness to mark the 75th anniversary of the death of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy on 13 March 1948. In this, he tells the story of her meeting and engagement with Billy Cavendish, Marquess … Continue reading →

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Pinfold Article Available

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

The previously mentioned article on Waugh’s novel The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold by Dr Barbara Cooke has now been published and posted on the internet. See previous post and abstract. It is now available to download at this link. Here’s an … Continue reading →

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Coronation Roundup

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

–This week’s most widely reported event has to be the Coronation. A Spanish paper (Crónica Global) has made a story out of a widely-circulated cheer sent up at a recent football match by Glasgow Celtic fans. (My recollection is that … Continue reading →

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Bank Holiday Roundup

Posted on April 29, 2023 by Jeffrey Manley

—Country Life has posted the second part of their interesting and informative essay on the building and decoration of Campion Hall at Oxford. The first installment was described in an earlier post. Here’s an excerpt relating to Waugh’s contribution to … Continue reading →

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