The upside of commuting
Commuting is bad for the body and mind. It increases the risk of depression, takes a toll on cardiovascular fitness…
Cookbooks aren’t going to solve all our health problems
Food, glorious food. It is one of life’s great joys, and one that is constantly available in all of its…
Can the real Australia be found in fiction?
It is a strange paradox that fiction can be a source of life's great truths. It is, after all, by…
There’s no cure for the post-book blues
In the age of Skype, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook, it is rare enough to disconnect from friends for an hour,…
Do men and women read differently?
Children’s toys are famously gendered. On the shelves of a toy shop, dolls might stare across the aisle at the…
Romantic fiction makes heroes of us all
‘Tis the season to watch 'Love Actually'. At least it was a couple of weeks ago, before the New Year…
The revenge of the book nerd
Growing up, I was never fond of being called a bookworm. And while Roald Dahl’s Matilda went some way to…
The arts can be an everyday reality
Reality television should come with a warning like that on cigarette packs, such is its addictiveness. Perhaps, then, I would…
Books as gifts – to buy or not to buy?
There is a tradition in Iceland of giving loved ones the gift of a book on Christmas Eve. Closer to…
Travel is better by the book than by the guidebook
Few travelers are disappointed by the sight of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The Moorish palace and fort is one…
