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Published — 17 May 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Exclusive: Ed Vulliamy in Full

Here is our exclusive conversation with Ed Vulliamy in full as he gives us a look at the letters between his Great-Aunt Gladys and Ezra Pound.


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Published — 14 May 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

This week, Ed Vulliamy gives us an exclusive look at the letters between his Great-Aunt Gladys and Ezra Pound; and David Horspool dips a toe into the luscious world of the lido.


'Lido Land: How Britain Learned to Make a Splash', by Tom Fort


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Published — 7 May 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Looking at the Stars

This week, Toby Lichtig on a constellation of new fiction; and Merlin Holland on the afterlife of his grandfather, Oscar Wilde.


'The Palm House', by Gwendoline Riley

'Devotions: Eight Stories', by Lucy Caldwell

'The Tribe', by Michael Arditti

'Lázár', by Nelio Biedermann, translated by Jamie Bulloch

'You Are the Führer's Unrequited Love', by Jean-Noël Orengo, translated by David Watson

'After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal', by Merlin Holland


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Published — 3 May 2026 The TLS - books and culture

April Highlights

April is behind us - here's a look back at some of the conversations we've had this month on The TLS Podcast.


We hear from Fiona Stafford on encounters with remarkable trees, Emily Herring on why we should all slow down a little, Emma Smith on how Shakespeare scholarship wrestles with the gaps in what we know, and Sara Wheeler on the monumental task of becoming Jan Morris’s biographer.


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Published — 30 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Strike!

This week, Russell Williams on the French writers laying down their pens; and John-Paul Stonard hails a bravura production of Bertolt Brecht.


The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until May 30


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Published — 23 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

On the Road

This week, Sara Wheeler reflects on monumental task of becoming Jan Morris's biographer; and Abigail Dembo reads us an intriguing new poem.


'Jan Morris: A Life', by Sara Wheeler

'He Wore His Leather Coat', by Abigail Dembo


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Published — 16 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Grief Work

Emma Smith on how Shakespeare scholarship grapples with gaps; and Muriel Zagha admires François Ozon's noir adaptation of Camus's classic novel


'Book Culture in Shakespeare's Stratford: The Quiney Connections', by Marlin E. Blaine, Lena Cowen Orlin, Robert Bearman and Alan H. Nelson

'L'étranger', various cinemas


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Published — 12 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

March Highlights

It's been quite a month on The TLS Podcast, here's a listen back at some of the conversations we've had in March.


We hear from Christy Edwall on the joys of being a lifelong bookworm, Sarah Lonsdale on the remarkable Clemence Dane, Julian Evans on two books exploring the link between food and war in Ukraine, and we revisit our interview with the inspirational Michael Morpurgo.


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Published — 9 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Cool Your Jets!

This week, Emily Herring explains why we all need to take it a bit easier; and Ana Alicia Garza on the novelist whose ancestor inspired a Victorian classic.


'In Defence of Leisure: Experiments in living with Marion Milner', by Akshi Singh

'The Brain at Rest: Why doing nothing can change your life', by Joseph Jebelli

Oliver Twist & Me: The true story of Dickens's best-loved novel', by Nicholas Blincoe



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Published — 2 April 2026 The TLS - books and culture

That Old Chestnut

This week, John Banville considers the work of a formidable Irish writer; and Fiona Stafford on meetings with remarkable trees.


'An Arrow in Flight', by Mary Lavin, selected by Colm Tóibín

'The Genius of Trees: How trees mastered the elements and shaped the world', by Harriet Rix

The Great Tree Story: How forests have shaped our world', by Levison Wood


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Published — 26 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Food fights

This week, Julian Evans on two books exploring the link between food and war in Ukraine; and Lily Herd introduces this issue's In Brief reviews.


'Strong Roots: A Ukrainian family story, interrupted', by Olia Hercules

'Bread and War: A Ukrainian story of food, bravery and hope', by Felicity Spector

In Brief: 'Postcards, translators and Esperanto pioneers', by Guilherme Fians, Bernhard Struck and Claire Taylor; 'Rapture of the deep', by Robert Irwin, completed by Andrew Crumey; 'Here comes the sun', by Bill McKibben; 'Queens at war', by Alison Weir; 'Interrupted journeys', by Adrian Potter; 'Literature and epistemic injustice', by Sarah Colvin; 'Invading the American canon', by Muireann Maguire; 'Nabokov and the Russian diaspora', by Bryan Karetnyk


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Published — 23 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture
Published — 19 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture

From trains to treaties

This week, an interview with the inspirational Michael Morpurgo; and David Horspool discusses the Second World War with Tim Bouverie, the winner of this year's Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize.


'The Line to Legend Land', with an introduction by Michael Morpurgo

'Black Beauty: A retelling', by Michael Morpurgo

'Allies at war: The politics of defeating Hitler', by Tim Bouverie


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Published — 12 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Revolutionary Roads

This week, the extraordinary stories of two pioneering women: Francesca Wade on Rhoda Power, and Sarah Lonsdale on Clemence Dane.


'In the Storm: Caught in the chaos of the Russian revolution 1917-18', by Rhoda Power

'Clemence Dane and Good Housekeeping: Modernity and common reading', by Stella Deen


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Published — 8 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture
Published — 5 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Escape Artists

This week, Christy Edwall on the boon of being a bookworm; and Norma Clarke is impressed by a memoir of a childhood survived.


'Books: A manifesto, or, How to build a library', by Ian Patterson

'The gifts of reading for the next generation: Essays on nurturing a passion for reading', edited by Jennie Orchard

'Relearning to read: Adventures in not-knowing', by Ann Morgan

'Leaving Home: A memoir in full colour', by Mark Haddon


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Published — 1 March 2026 The TLS - books and culture

February Highlights

As February draws to a close, we’re taking a listen back at some of the conversations we’ve had over the past month on The TLS Podcast.


We listen back to Nick Enfield exploring the benefits of playing games, Mary Hitchman on the history of humanity's fascination with the moon, Peter Filkins, winner of the inaugural Freudenheim Translation Prize, joins us with chair of the judges Boyd Tonkin and Darra Goldstein on the hidden properties of kimchi and sourdough.


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Published — 26 February 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Darkness Visible

This week, novelist Francis Spufford explains why the Blitz proved fertile territory for fantasy and the occult; and Darra Goldstein on the hidden properties of kimchi and sourdough. 


'Nonesuch', by Francis Spufford

'Adventures in Fermentation: From ancient origins to culinary frontiers, an exploration of the microbes that shape the world we live in', by Johnny Drain

'Ferment: The life-changing power of microbes', by Tim Spector


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Published — 19 February 2026 The TLS - books and culture

A Cortège of Snails

This week, Peter Filkins, winner of the inaugural Freudenheim Translation Prize, joins us with chair of the judges Boyd Tonkin to talk about the mercurial genius of Elias Canetti; and a poem in praise of Tuesdays by Jamie McKendrick.


'The Book Against Death', by Elias Canetti, translated by Peter Filkins

'Mardi Gras', by Jamie McKendrick


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Published — 12 February 2026 The TLS - books and culture

Great Balls of Fire

This week, Mary Beard dons her VR set to experience a Roman cataclysm; and Mary Hitchman on the history of humanity's fascination with the moon.


'The Last Days of Pompeii: The immersive exhibition', Immerse LDN, Excel, London, until March 15

'The Medieval Moon', by Ayoush Lazikani


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