Long to reign over us
Whatever has or hasn’t happened over the last 63 years and seven months, we have shared a single blessing of ‘steadiness, staying-power and self-sacrifice’
Anatomy of a failure
The President is heir to a mistaken sense of America’s place in the world. But he has played a bad hand poorly
Time out of mind
To grasp the real shape of recent history, you have to stop using yourself as a measure
Japan: Spring break
Soaking in piping hot springs, the tranquillity, the beautiful settings, the deep sense of relaxation — I can’t get enough
Maldives: My heart is in Moofushi
The more you pay for your Maldives holiday, the more privacy you can expect, and the less chance there will be of dancing
South Africa: In the footsteps of Mr Clarke
Around a safari campfire, they’re still telling tales of Jeremy Clarke
Bali: A bird in the ring…
The island’s image as a new-age nirvana isn’t much older than the middle-aged hippies who love it
Botswana
Kenya has the rush hour of ungulates, the gang bang of predators — but Botswana offers consistently superb encounters with wildlife
Of cabbages and kings
Reviewing the latest Penguin series on our monarchy, Nigel Jones witnesses kings gradually morph into cabbages
Tricks of the trade
In a novel as convoluted as Ben Lerner’s 10:04 it’s difficult to know when to laugh, according to Ben Hamilton’s review
Words to savour
For a marvellous unravelling of women’s minds read Infidelities by Kirsty Gunn, suggests Sophia Waugh in a review of this latest volume of short stories
Dead poets’ society
In a review of The Immortal Evening by Stanley Plumly and Poets and the Peacock Dinner by Lucy McDiarmid, Richard Davenport-Hines relives two feasts of literary legend
A clown on crystal meth
In a review of The (Un)Documented Mark Steyn, Julie Burchill sympathises with the author’s profound distrust of Islamism and the risk it poses to peace, progress and piano bars
Three men, two men, one man and his dog…
A review of In America by Geert Mak suggests that John Steinbeck’s experiences during his famous journey across America were largely invented
Strokes of genius
As the forthcoming Goya, Rubens and Dumas shows at the National Gallery and Tate prove, painting is in rude health
Balkans ballyhoo
But Lloyd Evans is pleasantly surprised by the Royal Court’s latest piece of political theatre, Hope.
Delusions of grandeur
Stephen Gould and Nina Stemme were not ideal but Iain Patterson and Sarah Connolly were
