I’m going to start this review by pointing out that I was never originally a fan of Damien Hirst. As with a lot of the Young British Artists, I found his earlier work crude and needlessly controversial. And yet. I found myself deciding on Venice as a holiday destination when I saw previews of his Treasures […]
Adventures
Sunken Cities at the British Museum [Review]
Sunken Cities conjures up mental images of Atlantis, but the reality is far more extraordinary. This British Museum exhibition explores the lost Egyptian cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus. Hidden beneath the Mediterranean for over a thousand years, the excavations have been hugely important. They have allowed experts to revisit the relationship between the ancient Egyptians […]
Celts at the National Museum of Scotland
The Celts occupy a somewhat romantic and wild position in the British imagination. This new exhibition in conjunction with the British Museum has helped to spark new interest in these enigmatic peoples. I’ll be honest, I always had a mental image of primal tribes led by thunderous figures and advised by mysterious groups of druids. […]
Plague Exhibition at the National Library of Scotland
It’s not often you get to talk about the plague in polite society. But if you should find yourself in Edinburgh between now and 29 May, might I recommend a visit to the National Library of Scotland? As a writer I’m duty-bound to recommend a visit to any house of books, but in this case, the NLS […]
Edinburgh: Celts, Plague and Yarn
Have you ever been to Edinburgh? If not, you should. It’s great! It was my birthday last week, so I popped up to the glorious Scottish city as a belated day trip on Saturday. I managed to fit Celts, Plague, and yarn into just one day! How mad does that sound?! Here I am on the […]
Why You Should Appreciate The Little Things
In the aftermath of the horrific week we’ve had, including earthquakes in Japan and Mexico, and attacks in Beirut, Baghdad and Paris, it would be easy to focus on the negative, and assume the world is teetering on the brink. Who knows? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t – only time will tell, though if […]
