Life
Are you offended by ‘hard-working families’?
Scarcely a day passes without a newspaper story about some absurd ‘language guide’ issued by a public body. This week…
Dear Mary: How do I stop my husband falling asleep at the theatre?
Q. At the age of 50 my brother-in-law has discovered a talent for acting and singing. He has joined a…
I’m the one who needs a carer now
My father was discharged from hospital with a plastic bag containing 13 boxes of pills and a vague promise that…
The case for a daily limit on social media posts
A few years ago, my old school magazine featured a pupil’s brief account of a geography field trip. Before the…
Aussie life
Older Speccie readers would have smiled at the vinyl revival. And some would have laughed out loud at the reappearance…
Language
When the Seven News Network asked me to explain the story behind the Aussie expression ‘no worries’ I did some…
The tiramisu is one of the loveliest things I’ve eaten anywhere: La Môme London reviewed
La Môme is the new ‘Mediterranean’ restaurant at the Berkeley, Knightsbridge’s monumental grand hotel. It has changed, as all London’s…
The real reason for Scotland’s Six Nations defeat
The confused world of Duhan van der Merwe must seem more confused than usual after last weekend. The Scotland winger…
Dear Mary: How do I tell my friend that hot food needs hot plates?
Q. A divorced male friend, renting in Notting Hill, has had no historic experience of cooking but has discovered Lidgate…
Geoffrey Madan and the joy of ‘unusual articles’
In 1924 Geoffrey Madan retired, aged 29, and devoted himself to books. ‘A genius for friendship, selfless devotion to progressive…
Has someone been smuggling drugs in my hay bales?
The hay dealer showed me his latest stock and told me the bright green hay would cost me a staggering…
The strange superstitions of the racing world
In racing, superstitions are rife. I once saw a trainer remonstrate with an owner for displaying a green handkerchief: green,…
My secret Ukraine trip with Boris
Kyiv On the morning of 24 February, I woke just before seven as a tentative apricot dawn was spreading over…
Cracks are appearing in the Cathedral walls
Is the ‘Cathedral’ about to fall down? That’s the name given by the right-wing blogger Curtis Yarvin to denote the…
Aussie life
If you’ve ever suspected that left-wing crusaders are whingers with a chip on their shoulder and a negative outlook on…
Language
‘Palindrome’ has been part of the English language since 1636 and means (as you know) a word or phrase that…
