Friday, December 22, 2017

Happy days with Peggy

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‘All day with Peggy Ashcroft reading through Happy Days . Magnificent play. It excited me to hear her read it.’ Today marks the 110th annive...
Thursday, December 21, 2017

The extraordinary Mr Newton

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The extraordinary John Newton died all of 210 years ago today. At sea from the age of 11, he was pressed to work for the Navy, then on a sla...
Saturday, December 16, 2017

Dreamed I was a robot

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‘Upset stomach last night. Dreamed I was a robot, being rebuilt. In a great burst of energy managed to redo two chapters. Took them to Stanl...
Friday, December 15, 2017

My room is like a padded cell

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‘I was appointed Minister of Housing on Saturday, October 17th, 1964. Now it is only the 22nd but, oh dear, it seems a long, long time. [. ....
Sunday, December 10, 2017

Great grief and distress

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Ezra Stiles, an 18th century American pastor who did much to modernise Yale College in its early years, was born 290 years ago today. He had...
Friday, December 8, 2017

Diary briefs

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The Diary of a Bookseller - Profile Books , Daily Express , The Guardian Diary of a murdered Israeli -  Times of Israel David Law’s coa...
Thursday, November 30, 2017

Dined with the Einsteins

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‘Dined with the Einsteins. A quiet, attractive apartment in Berlin West (Haberlandstrasse). Rather too much food in a grand style to which t...
Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Tina Brown’s Vanity Fair

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‘As soon as I woke up I rushed to the newsstand on the corner to look for the April issue of Vanity Fair . The second edition is even more b...