Notebooks

notebook

Animal Farm, Orwell’s true masterpiece

Animal Farm works at a deeper level than politics. It is an allegory about human nature, and George Orwell's greatest work.

Jeremy Wikeley August 14, 2025

notebook

A tale of two dynasties

The recent round of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has its roots in a dramatic falling out between two of Southeast Asia’s most powerful families.

Imran Shamsunahar August 12, 2025

notebook

Australia must confront the perils that lie ahead

Like America's allies in Europe, Australia cannot afford to be complacent about the demands of the Trump administration or the aggression of authoritarian powers.

Mick Ryan August 11, 2025

notebook

Jerry Garcia’s American journey

The Grateful Dead's music is a form of Americana, an eclectic gathering of forms and style, a way of celebrating the whole of America through its native musical forms.

Bryan Appleyard August 8, 2025

notebook

Stella Rimington, trailblazer in the Secret World

The late Dame Stella Rimington changed the history of MI5.

Helen Fry August 7, 2025

notebook

Inside China’s dangerous nuclear game

China's nuclear strategy is a sign it is playing for the highest geopolitical stakes.

Michael Sheridan August 6, 2025

notebook

Hiroshima, the dawn of a nuclear world

The United States' atomic attack on Hiroshima, carried out 80 years ago today, marked the culmination of a new and terrifying way of waging war. In a split second, it changed the w..

Iain MacGregor August 6, 2025

notebook

The Cold War origins of Trump’s rift with Europe

At the height of the Cold War, an ill-fated attempt to export Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist crusade to Europe generated a transatlantic row over freedom and censorship.

Jeffrey H. Michaels August 5, 2025

notebook

When sex becomes a spectacle

The bedroom has become a broadcast studio, and what was once private has transformed into the ultimate public performance.

Tiffany Jenkins August 4, 2025