Dr Johnson was robust about the fact that you don't need to be a practitioner of an art to form a judgment of it. "You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one," he told Boswell. "You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table"... more
David and Victoria Beckham are reportedly house-hunting in France. They are said to have hired a US real estate agency to find a "triplex apartment" that their family can use as a base... more
A book thief who stole £36,000 of rare manuscripts, including signed works by Winston Churchill, James Joyce and TS Eliot, has been jailed for two and a half years... more
In the olden days, before VCRs, there were some people who didn't like to go away because they'd miss their favourite TV programmes. I've always been, pathetically, a bit like this about books... more
In BBC2's hotly anticipated The Hour she is a TV newswoman carving a career in the sexist Fifties - but before then Romola Garai can be seen at the Royal Court in a new play about porn. Today's sexual politics is all about the bedroom... more
How Manchester United succeeded in persuading the disaffected striker to sign a new contract and commit himself to the club for another five years... more
Booking for this year's BFI London Film Festival opens next week. It's set to sell out fast, so to help you save time here's our pick of what to see... more
Emma Reeves's affectionate adaptation of Carrie's War will appeal to those who grew up with the book as well as to anyone seeking family-friendly entertainment.... more
Had Wyndham Lewis left writing alone and concentrated on his art, he could have become one of the most influential artists this country has ever produced.... more
This week, following his death, Ingmar Bergman's films were mocked as 'boring'. Derek Malcom, who knew Bergman and his Italian contemporary, explains why they were masters of their art.... more
There'll be more hilarious tall stories from Ed Byrne, Francis & Power reveal their dark underbelly and big names line-up for the Malcolm Hardee Charity Cabaret.... more
Velazquez was as charmed by paupers as princes. In the first of two reviews of The National Gallery's important new exhibition, Brian Sewell marvels at the master's observations of lesser mortals.... more
As their live show arrives in London, the UK's favourite comedy duo talk about their private lives, public adulation and what the future holds after Little Britain.... more
Theatre review: James Joyce's only play, Exiles, is a psychologically nuanced portrait of a marriage, writes Nicholas de Jongh, which draws its power from a husband's attempt to set adultery in motion.... more
Theatre interview: James Macdonald is best known for directing new plays by playwrights at the more radical, experimental end of the spectrum. He explains to Claire Allfree why he's tackling a rare James Joyce play about infidelity.... 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
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