Thursday, September 24, 2015

An old, leaky, faded umbrella!

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Yale University Press has just published an abridged version of the diaries of Ivan Maisky (Maiskii), the Soviet Union’s highly educated and...
Thursday, September 17, 2015

The nonconformist Newcome

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‘I heard today yt a new complaint was gotten to Chester agst mee, wch a freinde hath prevented.’ This is the Rev Henry Newcome, who died all...
Monday, September 14, 2015

To clarify my thoughts

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RIP Oliver Sacks, a British neurologist, whose books about patients with neurological conditions sold widely, largely because of his literar...
Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Hitler meets his mentor

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‘In the evening from 9.30 to 10.30 visit from Hitler, uplifting!’ This is Houston Stewart Chamberlain, born 160 years ago today, writing in ...
Monday, August 24, 2015

Sci-fi writer’s double life

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The American science fiction writer, Alice B. Sheldon, aka James Tiptree, Jr., was born a century ago today. She is revered among sci-fi fan...
Sunday, August 23, 2015

Happy Birthday Roy

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Roy Strong, 80 today, was once such a precocious and brilliant arts administrator that he was appointed the youngest ever director of, first...
Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Hookers of Kew

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Sir William Jackson Hooker, one of the most important British botanists of the 19th century, died 150 years ago today. The anniversary is be...
Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Along the Rocky river

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Today marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Edward John Eyre, a rather extraordinary character who travelled to Australia when still a...