You have to concede a sort of grudging respect for Sir VS Naipaul. His willingness to give offence is almost disarming; he makes Martin Amis look like an amateur... more
In 1841, 180 female prisoners set sail on HMS Rajah for Australia supplied, by social reformer Elizabeth Fry, with big bags of printed cotton. ... more
Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall is a worthy winner of the Booker Prize but qualms have already been raised by some critics over the novel’s disservice to history... more
They are candid, provocative - and totally at odds with each other. Our resident 'sexperts' offer conflicting advice on Londoners' sexual dilemmas...... more
George III got it right, I think. He once said he was always glad to hear of the death of an author - because then he knew he'd got the fellow complete upon his shelf... more
Ever wondered what happened to Harry Potter’s children? Or if Mr Rochester and Jane stayed hitched? Out in cyberspace fans have written sequels. ... more
The GCSE results are published today and, for anyone who ever took an exam, this is a time when a cloud of retroactive butterflies are released... more
A tiny portrait of the man a young Jane Austen loved and lost - believed to have inspired Pride And Prejudice's Mr Darcy - is to surface at an antiques fair.... more
The novelist's family claims it is the only painting of the much-loved writer; its detractors say it can't possibly be. As the debate rages, a national treasure is at stake.... more
Becoming Jane is your typical well-made British period piece. Only a lack of real inspiration and true cinematic flair prevent it from being a complete success.... more
For a romantic comedy Becoming Jane has serious aspirations. The feminist heroine is both brittle and self-conscious, while the horror of poverty is also forcefully conveyed.... more
The Brits threaten to clean up at the Oscars - but can our film industry sustain the good form? Charlotte O'Sullivan looks ahead to the movies that could take next year's prizes.... more
Natalie Portman shaved off her Star Wars locks for V for Vendetta, but doubts remain about whether it was worth it. Also released is Shooting Dogs and a couple of classics revisited.... more
Sound check: German industrial metal band Rammstein literally play with fire in their live performances - and now they are about to unleash their singeing spectacle on London. Watch out for your eyebrows
Morning:
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