In defence of faith
For what should we give thanks this Christmas? The faith that sustains millions through life’s challenges and inspires countless acts…
Stuff of legends: the surprising truth about old myths
I visited Mycenae for the first time this autumn. While the ruins of classical Athens can seem almost familiar, the…
The curious cures of ancient Greek medicine
Ancient Greek thinkers tried to explain every natural phenomenon in human terms, without reference to magic or gods. That was…
A Spectator Christmas poll: Who is the most overrated painter?
Jonathan Meades This is a crowded field. A few years ago, I was delighted when Tracey Emin walked out of…
Don’t tell me to ‘unwind’!
The most irritating word of the year was ‘unwind’. ‘Unwind with one of our artisan cocktails in the curated ambience…
The prescient politics of Tintin
Georges Remi, better known as Hergé, the creator of Tintin, was a failed journalist. His first job after leaving school…
Notes from a national treasure
I’ve started rehearsals for the pantomime Beauty and the Beast at Richmond Theatre: two shows a day and just 13…
What I learned at Santa School
Whenever my son’s primary school ring up, they have, very sensibly, a calming form of words: ‘It’s the school here…
What The Spectator taught Benjamin Franklin
Christmas came early this year. No, I’m not moaning about the carols that my local café started piping at the…
The nuclear family? We blew it up years ago
Now that John Lewis has produced a Christmas ad that celebrates family, starring white people as humans, all sorts of…
The Spectator’s 2024 Christmas quiz
Events, dear boy In 2024: 1. Twenty-two tons of what were stolen from Neal’s Yard in London? 2. Down…
The otherworldly artist who made his name at The Spectator
There is something otherworldly about Rory McEwen’s paintings of plants, leaves and fruit. They are indisputably beautiful, often breathtakingly so,…
Elon Musk is wrong about the Roman Empire
I was in Washington D.C. during The Election, living halfway between the Capitol and White House. Concerned friends suggested I…
My rules for church readings
It is that time of year when people in churches across the land have to face the difficult question of…
