Arts
Long memories at Clashanimud
We are often now asked to believe that European countries have no culture, or even any connection to their own pasts – that they are all lands of immigrants, blank sheets on which anything can [more…]
Foxoles
Book Review
Castles in the air: the restoration adventures of two young optimists and a crumbling old mansion by Judy Corbett
Bit of a different style of review this time. I know there are a few who enjoy a spooky story on GP, as do I – especially when it’s one apparently based in reality. So [more…]
Book Review
Ancestors: A prehistory of Britain in seven burials, by Alice Roberts
One of my favourite tv moments was when we saw Alice Roberts approach an eminent palaeontologist on site. He dropped what he was doing. ‘Hello, Alice’ he said warmly, walking towards the camera, extending her [more…]
Arts
The Dark Side of the Moon, by John Harris
This is a book which shouldn’t work – yet it kind of does. An in-depth look at one particular album from one particular band would, on the face of it, seem too niche to have [more…]
Arts
Lee Brilleaux: rock n roll gentleman, by Zoë Howe
The time is the mid 1970s. The place is Canvey Island. The band is the dynamic “proto-punk” outfit known as Dr Feelgood. (I put inverted commas round proto-punk because, although that is what some music [more…]
Arts
Book Review: The Man Who Hated Walking, by Overend Watts
Peter Overend Watts, who may be familiar to some as the ex bassist of Mott The Hoople (a band once described as looking like ‘hod-carriers in drag’ by Roger Taylor of Queen), was a rock [more…]
18th Century
Book Review: Commander
Edward Pellew is a name which will be familiar to many who have read Giles Milton’s marvellous book, ‘White Gold’, about the Barbary white slave trade. That book recounts the life of Thomas Pellow, a [more…]
History
The mummies of Cladh Hallan
If I said to you the word ‘mummies’, archaeologically speaking what comes to mind? (As an aside, that reminds me of one of my favourite British Library catalogue subheadings describing a book – ‘Mummies. For [more…]
Arts
Book Review: Some Fantastic Place – My Life In and Out of Squeeze by Chris Difford
This is the story of Chris Difford, a ne’er-do-well written off as ‘backward’ at school who went on to achieve fame and fortune as the founder and lyricist of the band Squeeze. Squeeze had a [more…]