The Water of Life: Bill Nighy, Victor Glynn and I Do you find that life is like water –rivers flowing alongside crossing, meeting and blending? Thursday was like that for me. The film producer Victor Glynn suggested I be
I love the Today programme during the Christmas period, when it has guest editors. Their choice of in depth subject matter is inspirational. First off was author and screenwriter, Frank Cottrell Boyce, on a subject dear to my heart -
Today I weep for Ukraine and the environment. I really don’t understand my fellow human beings. What a terrible confession for an author! Many young black men voted for a racist. Many ‘Latinos’ voted for a man who builds a
As it is such a wet and miserable day, I’ve been sorting through old loose photographs attempting to put them in some order. I came across this pic from the FOKL (Friends of Kennington Library) Fundraising Gala Night –a launch
It’s the wonderful Oxford Arts Week. On Tuesday, I was on a panel in Littlemore church exploring the creative process. This evening, I attended the annual Arts Week Forum which had a distinguished panel including Sir Philip Pullman. Imagine
https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2024/17/the-invention-of I agree with Misha Glenny. It’s important. We need to know about the history of China. That was why I spent 6 years researching the Beijing Spring of 1979, the Stars Art Movement, the birth of the Democracy Movement
Cosmic Cats: A World First ? Charming feature on BBC South Today covering the school's launch . Click on the link below to see it. Here's how you buy a copy Cosmic Cats brings together stories written by children in
https://www.sylviavetta.co.uk/2018/03/23/some-of-my-memories-of-a-great-human-being-roger-bannister/ A series of commemorative events are taking place in Oxford to mark Sir Roger Bannister's breaking of the the four minute mile. Last night, I watched this film in Merton College where Roger was a student . It reminded
In February, Chris Patten announced that he will retire as Chancellor of Oxford University. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-02-05-lord-patten-barnes-announces-his-retirement-chancellor-university-oxford So the Chancellor’s event last night was an interview with him. https://oxfordliteraryfestival.org/literature-events/2024/march-18/chancellors-lecture-from-china-to-the-middle-east-and-ukraine-a-world-in-turmoil I was moved for many reasons by last night's interview. He was
Sitting next to Agatha? Why did it take so long to put up a statue to her? It took Wallingford a long time to recognise the tourist pull of long term resident Agatha Christie. I wonder why? Is it because