Connected Cultures

I am sometimes concerned that I get dangerously close to cultural appropriation when exploring and developing some of my interests. In...

Early in April, artist MH Sarkis hosted a delightful soirée to showcase her latest portfolio and to engage in conversation in an informal...

A review Although I have connections with Jamaica, A Brief History of Seven Killings feels a millions miles away from almost everything I...

Another new year to celebrate and a playful account of my connections with China, served up with gratitude and nostalgia One new year is...

Review The Meliá White House Hotel, Regent's Park, provided a fine setting for a wonderful exhibition of contemporary art at the end of...

Viewers of The Big Bang Theory will be familiar with Sheldon Cooper’s ‘Fun With Flags’ video blog in which he regularly waves his quirky...

I have always wanted to emigrate to New Zealand. I have long wondered if the Antipodes is where I belong. Maybe it’s the distance that...

The Stories This is an ultra-slim volume of just 120 pages, 94 of which contain the stories, all set in large type. At first glance this...

Back to My Own Country (an essay) Today, “Everyone is used to a mixture of cultures”, Andrea Levy asserts. In contrast, again according...

This autumn The Savill Garden is hosting an eclectic exhibition of sculpture by British artists depicting the natural world. Part of...

Culture and sport are sometimes thrown together, so it won’t come as a total surprise to see an international footballer appearing on...

Cross-cultural horticulture. For many years I have been the guardian of the Leaf of Life in my home. Actually lots of leaves of life,...

A review The Fishermen is a stunning and powerful story, wonderfully conceived and composed. A startlingly brilliant debut novel...

Essentially English The English cultural identity is really quite hard to define. We are part of a collective; an assimilation of...

British to the Core In 2015, leading up to the General Election… ...with the Conservatives committed to offering Britain a chance to...

For twenty years the voice of Fat Tony has been a dominant force in Springfield, home of The Simpsons. It’s a deep, authoritative voice,...

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be giving the inaugural Folio Society Lecture at the British Library on March 20th. Adichie’s springtime...

A Review NoViolet Bulawayo took the literary world by storm with this stunning debut novel, telling the tale of a fascinating journey of...

A review of The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, winner of the Man Booker Prize 2013 The Luminaries first came to my attention via the...

A few days ago I read the now infamous piece on mental slavery by Ben Okri. It seemed to make sense at the time. So I tweeted a link to...