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Articles tagged with: Books & culture
'Compelling': Lord Collins reviews 'The Merchant of Venice 1936'
Books & culture
By Lord Collins
'Compelling': Lord Collins reviews 'The Merchant of Venice 1936'
A powerful wake-up call to the re-emergence of antisemitism in today’s society, this occasionally jarring new interpretation of Shakespeare’s controversial play menacingly portrays the reality of fascism in 1930s East End
A stark reminder of the human cost of Putin's war: Tom Randall reviews '20 Days in Mariupol'
Books & culture
By Tom Randall MP
A stark reminder of the human cost of Putin's war: Tom Randall reviews '20 Days in Mariupol'
A visceral and deeply personal account of the city’s first brutal days under siege, Mstyslav Chernov’s Oscar-winning documentary underscores the vital role of journalism in times of conflict
Lord Sandwich reviews 'Io Capitano'
Books & culture
By Earl of Sandwich
Lord Sandwich reviews 'Io Capitano'
An Oscar-nominated tale of courage and folly, Matteo Garrone’s film about migration from across the desert of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea is a stirring exploration of the best and worst of humanity
Lord Black reviews Chris Bryant's 'James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder'
Books & culture
By Lord Black
Lord Black reviews Chris Bryant's 'James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder'
A harrowing and beautifully told story, Chris Bryant’s meticulously researched book about the last two men to be hanged in Britain for being gay makes for painful reading
'An utterly beautiful film': Tracey Crouch reviews 'COPA 71'
Books & culture
By Tracey Crouch MP
'An utterly beautiful film': Tracey Crouch reviews 'COPA 71'
A powerful and moving documentary of a sporting event airbrushed from history, COPA 71 is the insight into women’s football you didn’t realise you needed until now
'Excellent': Lord Lexden reviews 'Sex, Spies and Scandal: The John Vassall Affair'
Books & culture
By Lord Lexden
'Excellent': Lord Lexden reviews 'Sex, Spies and Scandal: The John Vassall Affair'
Drawing on recently declassified secret service files, Alex Grant has written a definitive account of a sensational scandal and its terrible repercussions
Lord Collins reviews 'All Of Us Strangers'
Books & culture
By Lord Collins
Lord Collins reviews 'All Of Us Strangers'
Powerfully conveying the impact of growing up gay in the 80s, Andrew Haigh’s story of love, loss and loneliness packs a strong emotional punch
Rosena Allin-Khan reviews 'The End We Start From'
Books & culture
By Rosena Allin-Khan MP
Rosena Allin-Khan reviews 'The End We Start From'
This eerily relatable climate change drama – featuring a compelling performance from Jodie Comer as a new mother struggling to survive the aftermath of a catastrophic flood – is definitely worth a watch despite its flaws
Baroness O’Grady reviews 'The Wild Men'
Books & culture
By Baroness O’Grady
Baroness O’Grady reviews 'The Wild Men'
Rooted in robust research, David Torrance’s new book casts fresh light on Britain’s first Labour government – and how establishment dirty tricks helped bring it down
Diana Johnson reviews 'Poor Things'
Books & culture
By Diana Johnson MP
Diana Johnson reviews 'Poor Things'
A steampunk tale of gothic horror with glorious cinematography, Yorgos Lanthimos’ film pushes the boundaries of artistic freedom with this disturbing – yet hopeful – black comedy
Lord Robertson reviews 'Deterring Armageddon: A Biography of NATO'
Books & culture
By Lord Robertson
Lord Robertson reviews 'Deterring Armageddon: A Biography of NATO'
Peter Apps has produced a well-researched, highly readable account of the military, strategic – and indeed personal – twists and turns of NATO’s 75-year history
The banality of evil: Lord Pickles reviews 'The Zone of Interest'
Books & culture
By Lord Pickles
The banality of evil: Lord Pickles reviews 'The Zone of Interest'
Featuring strong, nuanced performances, Jonathan Glazer’s film is a brilliant and chilling depiction of how the Holocaust happened in plain sight
Foreshadowing #metoo: Baroness Thornton reviews Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla'
Books & culture
By Baroness Thornton
Foreshadowing #metoo: Baroness Thornton reviews Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla'
Visually beautiful and inescapably sad, this story of how a young girl was groomed and abused by a powerful older man does not let Elvis off the hook
Nick Thomas-Symonds reviews 'Age of Hope': Labour, 1945, and the Birth of Modern Britain
Books & culture
By Nick Thomas-Symonds MP
Nick Thomas-Symonds reviews 'Age of Hope': Labour, 1945, and the Birth of Modern Britain
Although not always convincing in its assertions, Richard Toye’s comprehensive history of the Labour Party is a useful and accessible read
Forensic: Lord Cormack reviews Peter Hennessy’s 'Land of Shame and Glory'
Books & culture
By Lord Cormack
Forensic: Lord Cormack reviews Peter Hennessy’s 'Land of Shame and Glory'
Wise and even prophetic, Lord Hennessy’s examination of the UK’s recent political upheavals will both impress and depress you
Tobias Ellwood reviews 'The Moonwalkers'
Books & culture
By Tobias Ellwood
Tobias Ellwood reviews 'The Moonwalkers'
Briefly slip away from planet Earth and all our trials and tribulations with this incredible and profound immersive experience
A magnum opus: Lord Clark reviews 'A Century of Labour'
Books & culture
By Lord Clark of of Windermere
A magnum opus: Lord Clark reviews 'A Century of Labour'
A sophisticated and revealing history, Jon Cruddas writes with great style
A harrowing watch: James Arbuthnot reviews 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office'
Books & culture
By Lord Arbuthnot
A harrowing watch: James Arbuthnot reviews 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office'
As someone who fought for justice for the many sub-postmasters wronged by the Post Office, I found ITV’s portrayal of this scandal both enthralling and fury inducing
Lord Sandwich reviews 'Shadows at Noon'
Books & culture
By Earl of Sandwich
Lord Sandwich reviews 'Shadows at Noon'
A brilliant analysis of political and social change, Joya Chatterji’s history of South Asia is one of the most enjoyable reads around
A valuable book: Lord Lexden reviews 'Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII'
Books & culture
By Lord Lexden
A valuable book: Lord Lexden reviews 'Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII'
Making her literary debut in fine style, Jane Marguerite Tippett has turned Edward VIII’s previously unseen jottings into a first-rate biographical study
'Perceptive and honest': Lord Young reviews 'The Best of Enemies: Diaries 1980–1997'
Books & culture
By Lord Young of Cookham
'Perceptive and honest': Lord Young reviews 'The Best of Enemies: Diaries 1980–1997'
Ambitious young politicians have much to learn from Lord Fowler’s diaries – despite the occasional lapse in diplomacy
A brutal satire with a pantomime feel: Lord Wood reviews 'Pandemonium'
Books & culture
By Lord Wood
A brutal satire with a pantomime feel: Lord Wood reviews 'Pandemonium'
Very angry, frequently vicious and sometimes moving, Armando Iannucci’s new play is an excoriating lampoon of those who rule us
Baroness Nye reviews 'Marcia Williams: The Life and Times of Baroness Falkender'
Books & culture
By Baroness Nye
Baroness Nye reviews 'Marcia Williams: The Life and Times of Baroness Falkender'
The first female political adviser to a British prime minister, Marcia Williams may have had her share of failings but, as Linda McDougall’s excellent book makes clear, she deserves to be remembered as a trailblazer
Baroness Taylor reviews 'Dear England'
Books & culture
By Baroness Taylor of Stevenage
Baroness Taylor reviews 'Dear England'
No tub-thumping polemic, James Graham’s play is a light-of-touch, blisteringly funny and thoughtful celebration of England’s national sport