Jon Day

In defense of rats

29 June 2023 6:17 am

In the ranks of unloved animals, rats are surely king — so reviled that other pest species are often referred…

In defence of rats

13 May 2023 9:00 am

I n the ranks of unloved animals, rats are  surely king – so reviled that other pest species are often…

Fleeing paradise: eden, by Jim Crace, reviewed

13 August 2022 9:00 am

Since announcing his retirement in 2013, Jim Crace has had more comebacks than Kanye West, something for which we should…

The controversial side of carp fishing

12 February 2022 9:00 am

All anglers are obsessive, but carp fishers are the most single-minded of all. They think nothing of spending weeks on…

The mysterious world of pigeon racing

3 July 2021 9:00 am

Pigeon racing isn’t much of a spectator sport. Race birds are driven to the ‘liberation point’, where they’re released to…

Man about the house: Kitchenly 434, by Alan Warner, reviewed

3 April 2021 9:00 am

I have enjoyed many of Alan Warner’s previous novels, so it gives me no pleasure to report that his new…

Jonathan Coe. Credit: Getty Images

A novel view of Brexit: Middle England, by Jonathan Coe, reviewed

3 November 2018 9:00 am

Jonathan Coe writes compelling, humane and funny novels, but you sometimes suspect he wants to write more audacious ones. He…

Back to basics

1 April 2017 9:00 am

Tim Parks is a writer of some very fine books indeed, which makes it even more of a shame that…