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History & The Arts
Some merits of Manchester
In Manchester, William is struck by the city's dignity - and woollen socks.
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History & The Arts
A modest liking for Liverpool
In the 1880s, W D Howell lived in England, recording his impressions of the places he visited. In this extract from Seven English Cities, his Atlantic crossing ends in the docks of the Mersey.
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History & The Arts
Was Alcibiades the Athenian Donald Trump?
A roistering, rabble-rousing politician from the birth of democracy bears comparison with the former host of The Celebrity Apprentice, suggests Robert Garland
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Languages
Language variety all but disappears from the Eurovision song contest
Why has the English language dominated the Eurovision Song Contest once more? Fernando Rosell-Aguilar explores what the competition holds this year.
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History & The Arts
The winding garden path: Radicalism amongst the flower beds
How did the Levellers help shape the early internet? And are allotments and organic gardens radicalism in the earth?
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Society, Politics & Law
Is the UK media failing Welsh voters?
With elections for the welsh Assembly taking place in a fortnight, are voters getting a clear picture?
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History & The Arts
Ralph Waldo Emerson on Shakespeare's craft
The American poet and essayist pays tribute to the skill of the British poet and playwright.
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History & The Arts
Mark Twain on whether Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare
Was the work of Shakespeare really cooked up by Bacon? Mark Twain recounts a long journey and a longer argument.
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History & The Arts
Leo Tolstoy on King Lear
In this extract from 'A critical essay on Shakespeare' - published in English in 1906 - Tolstoy suggests King Lear shows Shakespeare up as something of a hack.
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History & The Arts
Queen Victoria on William Shakespeare
What did the Queen of England think of the Bard of Avon? We dip into her diaries to find out...
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History & The Arts
How did Newcastle celebrate the 200th anniversary of Shakespeare?
The 400th anniversary of Shakespeare is being well marked around the nation, and around the globe (and the Globe). But how was the 200th anniversary marked?
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Science, Maths & Technology
Throwing light on research by South & Central American scientists
Latin American scientists are coming together to promote their work more widely. Felix Moronta explains how.