Joan Bakewell reflects on the irreplaceable value of reading. Read more
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Reading for Free
Joan Bakewell reflects on the irreplaceable value of reading.
Sex and Religion
Joan Bakewell reflects on organised religion and secular society's attitudes to sex.
Living Forever
Joan Bakewell reflects on the process of ageing and the efforts of science to reverse it.
Extreme Food
Joan Bakewell reflects on our current obsession with ever more elaborate food and cookery.
A Time for Empathy
Joan Bakewell wonders how we recover true empathy in a culture of self-regard.
Dear Diary
Joan Bakewell celebrates the art of diary writing.
What humanities should teach
Alain de Botton with a controversial view of the teaching of humanities in universities.
'News' and concentration
Alain de Botton on our inability to concentrate.
The ecological sublime
Alain de Botton gives a philosopher's take on our ecological dilemmas.
Are museums our new churches?
Alain de Botton asks if museums are our new churches.
In Praise of the Nanny State
Alain de Botton reflects on why freedom has become our ultimate political ideal.
On marriage
Alain de Botton muses on why a bookish life is a poor preparation for marriage!
In Praise of the Zoo
Alain de Botton explores the relationship between humankind and animals.
The Art of Conversation
Alain de Botton with some food for thought for a summer picnic.
What's in a marriage
Alain de Botton on our extraordinarily high expectations for modern marriage.
On Social Climbing
Alain de Botton argues that social climbing is often much more than idle pleasure-seeking.
Modern Parenting
Alain de Botton takes a witty look at modern parenting.
The Advantages of Pessimism
Alain de Botton on why pessimism is the key to happiness.
Greece and the Meaning of Folly
The celebrated thinker John Gray gives his reflection on the meaning of folly.
Kim Philby
John Gray on why Kim Philby, and so many others, have failed to predict the future.
John Gray: The revolution of capitalism
John Gray on why an increasing number of people believe that Karl Marx was right.
Cats, birds and humans
John Gray considers why the human animal needs contact with something other than itself.
Believing in Belief
John Gray argues that the scientific and rationalist attack on religion is misguided.
Churchill, chance and the black dog
John Gray reflects on the chance encounters that made Churchill wartime Prime Minister.
Political party membership
Will Self attacks political party members as 'donkeys led by donkeys'.
Why Prisons Fail
Will Self sees an urgent need to reform the prison system.
In praise of wind turbines
Will Self praises the beauty of wind turbines.
Class, race and social mobility
Will Self reflects that racism is rarely a sole cause of social injustice.
The Arms Trade
Will Self deplores the arms trade, Britain's role in it and the euphemisms around it.
Mary Beard: On Tyrants
Mary Beard on the uncanny similarities between Colonel Gaddafi and tyrants in ancient Rome
On Age and Beauty
Mary Beard takes a peek at Miss World 2011 and ponders the upsides of middle age.