Notebooks

notebook

The first prime minister

A push for ideological purity can prove tempting for politicians in periods of upheaval, as they offer the possibility of complete victory. But they can also lead to crushing defea..

Eloise Davies August 16, 2023

notebook

The mythical Burma of Maurice Collis

Like George Orwell, Maurice Collis served as a colonial policeman in interwar Burma. Unlike Orwell, he is now little known, but his conservative critique of empire – and his curiou..

James Snell August 15, 2023

notebook

Robbie Robertson: presiding genius of the New Americana

Guitarist and lead songwriter of The Band died this week at the age of eighty, his greatness assured.

Bryan Appleyard August 11, 2023

notebook

The timely return of Henry Clay

With the collapse of the post-Reagan consensus, US politics is finding renewed inspiration in the Hamiltonian, interventionist creed of the ‘American System’.

David Cowan August 10, 2023

notebook

Armenia, Azerbaijan on the brink – again

Conflict in the South Caucasus could break out for the third time in as many decades. But a compromise may still be possible.

Thomas de Waal August 9, 2023

notebook

Sakharov and Oppenheimer: twin triumphs and tragedies

The Soviet dissident and the radical American were both scientific geniuses of independent thought who shared deep anxieties about the consequences of their work. Both lives are wo..

Paul Josephson August 8, 2023

notebook

Democracy is no longer a ‘hurray-word’ in West Africa

What does the military takeover in Niger mean for the wider region?

Olayinka Ajala August 7, 2023

notebook

The wit of Wes Anderson

The distinctive visual aesthetic of film director Wes Anderson easily lends itself to parody, but deeper qualities can be found at the heart of his work.

Alexander Larman August 2, 2023

notebook

An ode to the ODNB

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is one of Britain’s cultural treasures.

Josh Mcloughlin August 1, 2023