Thoughts of a Depressive Diplomatist

Trevor Grills (d. 11 Feb 2013) - singer of sea shanties. BBC 12 Feb 2013 Guardian 13 Feb 2013 Independent 14 Feb 2013 Reg T...

Just a note about two very different literary prizes. The shortlist for the Nebula Awards 2012 has been announced.  The Nebulas are one o...

The great and understated blog Dreams of Space celebrated its fourth birthday yesterday. The subject matter is nicely summed-up in its...

Just listening to the surprising news that Benedict XVI is to resign at the end of this month. Although commentators will be very quic...

Thanks to Victoria's Boys in Red , I've come across the Pulp-O-Mizer - a very cool tool for making your own pulp magazine covers. ...

Christie's most worrying book? Lovely story on Daily Telegraph website about the security services being worried that Agatha Christ...

As regular readers will know, I have been following the saga of the excavation in Leicester of what might be Richard III's remains...

A [supposedly] weekly round-up of my book news. What I've been reading.... Carried on with The Kingdom Beyond the Waves . Wha...

I'm sorry I haven't really blogged this week.  That's partly down the the fact that I was away for a few days last weekend an...

A weekly round-up of my book news. What I've read... Carried on with Barbarian Eye . Finished Life Class , read Nevil Shute, Ruin...

Harry Carey Jr (d. Dec 2012).  American actor. Guardian , 30 Dec 2012 Alfie Fripp (d. 3 Jan 2013).  Longest serving RAF PoW. B...

A mere days after my profile of Dean Stanley mentioned that in 1862 he escorted the then Prince of Wales on a trip to the Middle East, the ...

I'm sorry not to have posted as frequently this week as usual.  The disruption caused the holidays has lasted longer than I anticipated....

A weekly round-up of my book news. What I've been reading... Carried on with Life Class . Started Priscilla Napier, Barbarian Eye:...

The Very Revd Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster Back in November when I profiled Bishop Stanley of Norwich and his family , I...

Gerry Anderson (d. 26 Dec 2012).  Creator of 'Thunderbirds' and others. Daily Telegraph 27 Dec 2012 Guardian , 27 Dec 2012 I...

A weekly round-up of my book news (except that today, it covers two weeks). What I've been reading... I finished Patrick Moore on Ma...

I'm back after a short off-line break for Christmas.  Normal service will resume shortly...

HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother by Cecil Beaton, 1939 Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born on 4 August 1900, the four...

The eagle-eyed among you will see that there is a new entry on the list of inde xes to the right of the page.   This a a link to a page Br...