Issue 146

David Baddiel

‘Social media has allowed everyone in the world to raise their own little flag of self’

Julian Baggini

The author of How The World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy explains ten of the most overlooked philosophies from around the world.

Bruce Chatwin

‘You do not understand. In this country one understands nothing.’

Caroline Crampton

Caroline Crampton on why Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers is the best book of 1937.

Lauren Aimee Curtis

Lauren Aimee Curtis on why Transit by Anna Seghers is the best book of 1944.

Julia Armfield

‘Cigarettes, lorgnons, eggs benedict, cocktails mixed with maple syrup, long spills down Lanvin suits.’ Julia Armfield on why Mary McCarthy’s The Group is the best book of 1963.

Julian Baggini

Julian Baggini on why Philippa Foot’s Natural Goodness is the best book of 2001.

Charlotte Collins

Charlotte Collins on the craft of translation. ‘Literary translators don’t just translate the ‘meaning’ of a text; we translate the feel of it.’

Katherine Angel

‘We need to keep the modern, civilised father on the hook.’

Edoardo Albert

Edoardo Albert, author of Warrior, writes about five archaeological findings that brought the past to life.

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood on Diana Athill. ‘Diana was admired by all who knew her, and also by all who read her memoirs, for her honesty, her plain but elegant style, her lack of pretenses, and her stoicism in the face of ever-narrowing possibilities.’

Issue 69

Diana Athill

‘I thought so highly of Vidia’s writing and felt his presence on our list to be so important that I simply could not allow myself not to like him.’

Bill Buford

Bill Buford on his decision to resign as editor of this magazine, which he relaunched in its present form in 1979.

Davide Enia