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Lost in golden times: how a 20th century literary masterpiece could help you cope with Covid woes
(5 minute read) Martin Ketterer suggests that Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited could be just what you need in this time of confinement.
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The Leningrad Symphony – Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony and how the Russians survived a siege
(4 minute read) The Russian composer Shostakovich began writing his symphony while the city was besieged by German forces. Kenson Li believes we can draw lessons for our current crisis.
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Do international courts of human rights promote or curb our freedom? One of Europe’s top judges replies.
(12 minute read) Never afraid to express his views when his conscience demanded it, Judge De Gaetano talks about some of his experiences answering questions from our correspondent José Young.
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Three lessons from a city under siege
(3 minute read) Ronnie Convery draws lessons from his parents on how to confront coronavirus.
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A man of surprises: Pope Francis seven years on
(5 minute read) Ronnie Convery remembers the election of Pope Francis and considers what that dramatic evening has to teach us about his whole papacy.
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Fighting totalitarianism: lessons from the White Rose resistance Part III
(8 minute read) Part three of this true story of student opposition to Nazism recounts the heroic efforts which ultimately cost the lives of the founders of the White Rose Movement.
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Going with the flow: can we still form meaningful relationships today?
(6 minute read) How do we reconcile freedom and commitment so as to live happily in ourselves and with others? Javier Pérez Wever seeks answers from the work of Zygmunt Bauman.
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The life and soul of salmon
(8 minute read) Jonny Parreno journeys from the supermarket counter to the moon in the company of the simple salmon, and uncovers great pearls of wisdom along the way
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Closing the Circle: Travelling with ‘The Railway Man’
Kevin Murphy recalls a meeting with Eric Lomax, one of the real-life survivors of the construction of the infamous bridge over the River Kwai. Lomax wrote about his experiences in the acclaimed book The Railway Man, published 25 years ago this year.
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Promising more than achieving? The French Revolution and today
When it comes to protecting the rights of minorities and guaranteeing new freedoms, even well-intentioned efforts can have unforeseen consequences. As Bianca Costa Sales points out, history can be a great teacher in this endeavour.
