Latest Stories
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Chambers Dictionary adds ‘totes’ and ‘peeps’
The latest edition of Chambers Dictionary includes over 1,000 new entries and updates, revealing much about modern society. But are these recent additions alarming or ‘totes’ amazing?
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Expert demands legal protection for accents
They are a source of pride for millions of people across the UK, but a new study finds that many fear their accents cause discrimination. Should regional voices be protected by the law?
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Authors’ incomes collapse to record new lows
A survey published this week reveals that the earnings of British authors have fallen to just £11,000 per year. Should we be alarmed that so few writers can make a living from their work?
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‘Always’ advert sparks gender equality debate
A powerful new campaign by the feminine hygiene brand challenges the negative phrase ‘like a girl’ and has gone viral. Can adverts inspire feminism and help stamp out sexism in society?
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Calls for a revival of Scottish literary hero
The portrayal of Scotland in Sir Walter Scott’s writing became legendary. His historical romances took Europe by storm and influenced generations of artists. Is it now time for a revival?
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‘Vile’ teen book scoops prestigious prize
A disturbing teen novel by Kevin Brooks, about a boy who is held hostage, has just been awarded one of literature’s most important prizes. Is young adult fiction becoming too dark?
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Violent attack linked to scary Slender Man
Two 12-year-olds in the US who stabbed a classmate claim that a sinister online creature had inspired them. But can this violence really be blamed on a fictional figure?
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Opera singer ridiculed by ‘sexist’ critics
Der Rosenkavalier is meant to be a comedy, but harsh comments about a ‘dumpy’ performer have generated fury. When did opera critics start caring less about voices and more about looks?
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Author of Holocaust memoir fined for lying
A court has ruled that an author must repay her publisher for inventing a story about escaping the Nazis, while a painter faces prison for making forgeries. Are their actions really so bad?
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Happy 450th birthday, William Shakespeare
Today many regard him as the greatest writer in English and the world’s finest dramatist, but he hasn’t always been so adored. Has our present adulation blinded us to other great writers?
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Critics complain we’ve had enough of Hamlet
Benedict Cumberbatch is to play Shakespeare’s troubled prince next year, tracing the steps of the world’s finest actors. But do we neglect other great plays by staging Hamlet too often?
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Celebrations begin for Moomintroll and Groke
This year marks one hundred years since the birth of Tove Jansson, the Finnish children’s author who created the fantastical, hippo-like creatures. Why are they still so popular today?
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Wartime poems distort impressions of WWI horrors
Our knowledge of WWI has been formed, in large part, by the Great War poets. But a modern writer has suggested that their work could distort our understanding of the conflict. Is he right?
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Defence of ‘snarky’ criticism becomes viral hit
Frustrated by the growth of media websites which ban ‘haters’, a writer’s call for ‘more snark, less smarm’ went viral. Does relentless positivity obscure too many interesting points of view?
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Facebook considers new ‘sympathise’ button
Engineers at Facebook have developed a new ‘sympathise’ button, which could replace the familiar ‘like’ button people use today. Would adding sympathy make the online world a better place?