Latest Stories
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Long-lost fairy tales unearthed after 150 years
Once upon a time, 500 fairy stories were lost in a dusty German archive. Now, von Schönwerth’s collection has been discovered – but why are we attracted to these fantastical tales?
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War reporter killed in brutal Syrian siege
Legendary war correspondent Marie Colvin was killed yesterday in the city of Homs by a Syrian Army shell. Her determination to expose a massacre ended up costing her life.
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Homer’s epic: ‘The Simpsons’ hits 500 episodes
‘The Simpsons’, the television phenomenon of a generation, yesterday reached an astonishing new landmark. But should we really be celebrating, or has it lost its edge?
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More snow on way, as Britain’s big freeze continues
With more snow to come, the UK is in the grip of some icy winter weather. A freezing front from the Arctic has dominated the skies – and British conversation. Why is the nation so obsessed?
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Scathing reviews celebrated in hatchet award
Yesterday, 2011’s angriest, wittiest, most cutting book reviews were celebrated by a special award: for Hatchet Job of the Year. Is the venom of critics good for literature?
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Great expectations for Dickens birthday bash
Britain’s greatest Victorian novelist was born exactly 200 years ago. He was a literary celebrity with hordes of adoring fans but, if he was alive today, would he still be writing books?
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Crime thrillers dominate UK library lending
The names of Britain’s most borrowed books have been revealed, to mark National Libraries Day. Murder mysteries top the charts – but are readers guilty of wasting their time on trash?
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New book offers love lessons from literature
Released this week to critical acclaim, a new book called ‘Much Ado About Loving’ distils the works of the world’s literary greats into useful relationship advice for modern readers.
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Silent film goes back to basics for surprise hit
In a world of 3D blockbusters and surround sound, a silent, black and white movie has taken cinemas by storm. How has something so simple and old-fashioned done so well?
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Poets withdraw from prestigious £15,000 prize
Two renowned poets have withdrawn from the T.S. Eliot Prize because they objected to where the prize money had come from. Does it matter who funds the arts?
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‘Squeezed middle’ is word of the year, says OED
Word watchers for the Oxford English Dictionary have chosen a phrase that they say perfectly captures the spirit of the moment. But why are terms like ‘squeezed middle’ so quick to catch on?
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Art through the looking glass at new exhibition
Nearly 150 years after ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was written, a new exhibition explores how Lewis Carroll’s surreal story has inspired artists. Why are we so attracted to his fantastical world?
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King James Bible celebrated in royal service
The Queen was among the congregation at a grand church ceremony to mark 400 years since the great Bible translation was finished. It was the culmination of a year of special events.
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Press freedom in the dock as inquiry begins
Yesterday a panel of high ranking journalists, activists and legal thinkers met to spend up to one year deciding how the UK’s free press should be governed.
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Victorian love saga still pulls in the crowds
A film version of ‘Wuthering Heights’ has cast a striking new light on Emily Brontë’s classic novel. Such adaptations are more popular than ever. What explains their enduring appeal?