Observations The legacy of John Betjeman – and the consolation of humour in old age What is the quickest way to start a punch-up between two British literary critics? By Jonathan Smith
Standing at Churchill’s bedside, a teacher’s first lesson and the joy of Santi Cazorla I’ve just been round Chartwell again. It’s as wonderful as ever – the terraces, the gardens, the ground falling steeply… By Jonathan Smith
Why novelists have a duty of care to the past As a novelist working from facts, you have a problem. History is suspect, as are the motives and methods… By Jonathan Smith
Cliff Morgan and Seamus Heaney: Poetry, romance and rugby Modest, confident and at ease with themselves - the deaths of Welsh rugby icon Cliff Morgan and the Irish… By Jonathan Smith