What do Oscar Wilde, Gwen John and Evelyn Waugh have in common?
They converted to Catholicism in the past century and are among 12 notable ‘defectors to Rome’ examined by Melanie McDonagh
Escape from investment banking to the open road – a biking odyssey
Miles Morland notches up 50,000 miles on his BMW 1000 with trips through Europe, Argentina, Japan, Australia and the United States – without a single accident
A satirical portrait of village life: Love Divine, by Ysenda Maxtone Graham, reviewed
Within a bourgeois Church of England milieu of round-robins and parish chit-chat lurk rumours of sabotage and clandestine love affairs
The inspiration for David Lynch’s mysterious, disquieting world
A bizarre experience in the filmmaker’s adolescence involving a woman’s escape from domestic violence seems to have left an indelible mark
What hope is there for Syria today?
After two brutal regimes and a devastating civil war, there’s fear of renewed corruption under President Ahmed al Sharaa, a former al Qaeda terrorist
From the wilds of Kyrgyzstan to the Victorian nursery – a choice of art books
Subjects include ancient rock carvings, portraiture, images of lost London and the illustrations of Walter Crane
Laughing at Putin is a powerful form of protest
A constant round of fines, surveillance and detention is alleviated by jokes, mischief and a joyous love affair for Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina
Philosophy’s greatest pessimist wasn’t so miserable after all
Arthur Schopenhauer’s luminous prose, savage wit and commitment to thinking for oneself make reading him an exhilarating, even life-affirming experience
Keir Starmer’s omnishambles government
What a week. Seven days ago, we were wondering what Rachel Reeves was up to with her pre-Budget messaging. At…
Coal: What should the Liberals do?
In 1897, in response to a newspaper report that he had died, American writer Mark Twain said, ‘The report of…
The Jewish blood libel is back. Its return should trouble us all
It’s back. The lie that led to the slaughter of so many Jews has returned to public life. The calumny…
The Guardian’s Matthew Goodwin hit job doesn’t add up
It was only a matter of time before the Guardian went for Professor Matthew Goodwin. The honorary president of Reform’s new…
Why can’t the BBC just say sorry?
A famous pop star once sang that sorry seemed to be the hardest word. Almost fifty years after Elton John…
Why German conscription should worry Britain
For years, Germany, like Britain, has drifted through history as though nothing could ever again disturb its peace. The world…
Watch: David Davis attacks veteran prosecutions
It has been another bad week for the government. Growth down to 0.1 per cent, a briefing war engulfing No.…
The damage from Reeves’s ‘exit tax’ idea has been done
It appears that Rachel Reeves has scrapped her plans for an ‘exit tax’ that would impose a huge levy on…
Watch: Zarah Sultana squirms on BBC
‘Ohhhhh Jeremy Corbyn!’ Where would Mr S be without him eh? The grift that keeps on giving has been in…
It’s an unhappy birthday for King Charles
King Charles III turns 77 today. He will be enjoying a typically packed day, with activities both ceremonial and personal.…
Is MAGA cracking up?
In the year since his triumphant reelection, Donald Trump has racked up an enormous list of accomplishments, both foreign and…
Who do junior doctors think should fund their pay rise?
I know doctors have a long training and have to absorb a lot of knowledge before they are let loose…
Rachel Reeves rips up her Budget plans
With less than a fortnight to go until the Budget, it seems Rachel Reeves has performed an almighty U-turn. At…
