A to Z

Earlier this year I wrote a post, Two Principled Politicians, about Zac Goldsmith and Adlai Stevenson. They both came to mind again yesterday.

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Categorised as Politics

Latte Delivery

The post was delivered six days a week at Barmeath by a postman on a bicycle. He pedalled up the drive and sometimes got a nip on the ankle from an elderly, testy Labrador for his trouble.

Men of Letters

Yesterday (Letters) Rupert Hart-Davis took his son, Adam, to Eton for his first half (Eton slang for term). I forgot to expand on what became of George Lyttelton’s nephew, Charles, mentioned in the letter.

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Categorised as Literature

Letters

It’s interesting to reflect on how you first came to read an author. Can you remember your first PG Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh, etc?

Six to Follow

Robin Oakley, for many years BBC Political Editor and then, until 2008, European Political Editor for CNN writes a column, The Turf, in The Spectator. He recommends twelve to follow twice a year; twelve jumpers and twelve on the flat.

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Categorised as Business

The Invention of Memory

I was given The Invention of Memory for Christmas three years ago by Alan Higgs. It is by Simon Loftus and traces the story of his family from their arrival in Ireland in 1560 until Mount Loftus burned down in 1934.

Charing Cross Revisited

I took a tumble on Thursday and didn’t feel at all well yesterday. In fact I tottered into the A&E at Charing Cross Hospital in the evening to see if they could patch me up.

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Categorised as Local

In Translation

I am reading, in translation, Joseph Roth’s novella, The Legend of the Holy Drinker, translated and introduced by Wykehamist, Michael Hofmann.