Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Eighty Four
Monday Good morning people, what a beautiful morning, clear blue sky and warm. It was the same yesterday, I had a lovely snooze in the sun. I hope this sun lasts all day so I [more…]
Literature
Book Review
Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War Part 6
The Twin Battles of Mantinea and Cynossema, and Series Conclusion In this final article of the Series, I want to discuss another of Thucydides’ apparent pairs of events – the Battles of Mantinea (late 418 [more…]
Arts
The Swaling, Part Forty Six
Davies brought me breakfast in bed. Was it genuine concern or his army humour? I was in a bit of a state. His cooking wasn’t great. The culinary school that he relied upon seemed to [more…]
20th Century
Jinnie’s Story, Chapter Nine
Jinnie woke to the sound of Simone singing in French in the shower. First, she lay quiet and tried to recognise the song but it was nothing she could place. Then she realised it was [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 11th March 2021 Panel: Mims Davies (Conservative) Steve Reed (Labour) Victor Adebowale (NHS Confederation) Dan Hodges (Journalist) Bonnie Greer (Writer) Venue: London As every Puffin knows, this is the week of international women’s [more…]
18th Century
Book review: The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain
The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain by Ian Mortimer. Publisher The Bodley Head This is the latest in a series of Time Traveller’s Guides by Historian Ian Mortimer and his enthusiasm for his subject [more…]
20th Century
The ‘Crockford’s Clerical’ Murder
On Sunday 6 December 1987, the Reverend Doctor Canon Gareth Vaughan Bennett returned home after spending a most agreeable weekend with friends in Cambridge. On the way he had given a colleague a lift home, [more…]
Arts
Rough Gardening In A Pandemic. This Seasons Plan
There always has to be a plan. Whether or not it’s a plan that will be carried through, that’s another matter, but plan this season there is. A large part of it is based on [more…]
America
Film Review : Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Blake Edwards’ 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s — loosely based on Truman Capote’s 1958 novella of the same name — was a showcase for Audrey Hepburn in her acting prime. (Ironically, Capote championed giving the [more…]