Charles Dickens is more commonly linked with the great city of London. Throughout his career, he immortalised its dark streets and troubled inhabitants in his fiction. But you can also go looking for Dickens in Newcastle – and not just in his stories. The great man himself made appearances at the Music Hall during the […]
history
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 […]
Ghost Signs: Social history on a wall near you!
While walking around your nearest urban centre, try looking up. Can you see the remains of any old advertisements, painted right there on the brick? If so, you’re looking at ghost signs. I love ghost signs! We used to have a brilliant one for Jack Daniel’s in Newcastle until someone installed a brand new billboard over […]
7 things to see and do in Florence, Italy
Italy has become something of a favoured destination of mine after two trips to Venice, so when the opportunity presented itself to also visit Florence, I naturally jumped at it! I went on Wednesday afternoon and came back on Saturday night. I thought I’d share my findings for anyone else who might fancy a trip […]
