Notebooks

Notebooks are snapshots from our writers, reflecting on current affairs and underappreciated aspects of culture and history.

notebook

Kate Bush, English lionheart

Kate Bush’s music, with its haunting mysticism and eccentric charm, offers an unexpected gateway to English identity and culture.

Muriel Zagha October 2, 2024

The Death of Socrates by Charles Alphonse Dufresnoy.

notebook

Censorship in the cradle of democracy

Ancient Athens, celebrated as the birthplace of democracy and intellectual freedom, grappled with the paradoxical urge to censor ideas in an early example of the tension between fr..

Armand D'Angour September 30, 2024

notebook

The UN has failed Lebanon

The UN's ineffective peacekeeping force in Lebanon has unwittingly shielded Hizbollah's massive military buildup over nearly two decades, setting the stage for a potentially catast..

Charlie Laderman September 30, 2024

notebook

Irish neutrality is unsustainable

By attempting to stay neutral in international politics, Ireland is being left behind as nations recognise the growing challenges presented by Russia and China.

Elisabeth Braw September 27, 2024

Michael Gambon in Samuel Beckett's 'Eh Joe', 2008.

notebook

The unforgettable Michael Gambon

A mastery of contradiction was perhaps the essence of Michael Gambon's greatness and he played upon it, hiding an evident seriousness and intellect, beneath the persona of one who ..

Oliver Soden September 26, 2024

Italian voice actor Francesco Mandelli at the Italian premier of Inside Out 2.

notebook

Italy’s dubbing delusions

Italy's cherished dubbing industry, a point of national pride, may be the cause of the poor quality of English among Italians.

Tobias Jones September 25, 2024

notebook

The last chance for Sudan

If no progress towards peace in Sudan is made at the UN General Assembly, in all likelihood the nation will cease to exist in any meaningful sense of the word.

Richard Cockett September 23, 2024

The restoration of Notre-Dame cathedral.

notebook

The revelation of Joachim du Bellay

The remains of Joachim du Bellay have been discovered beneath Notre-Dame cathedral, placing the Renaissance poet back at the centre of the French language and culture that he did s..

Agnès Poirier September 23, 2024

Hizbollah propaganda in Beirut, Lebanon.

notebook

Everything short of war: Hizbollah’s strategy lies in ruins

As Israel embarks on a dramatic new phase in the conflict on its northern border, Hizbollah’s leadership faces a dilemma.

John Raine September 20, 2024