The bare story of Homer’s “Odyssey” – a man returns home from the battlefield of Troy after various adventures, defeats his enemies and is reunited with his loyal wife – cannot explain the enduring appeal of Homer’s tale to readers who don’t believe in heroes and happy endings. Sean […]
Book reviews
Photography’s Immaculate Conception
“The immaculate conception of photography”, a term used by the writer Paul Levinson, conveys the unique nature of the camera’s ability to capture a piece of reality. Sean Sheehan Photons bounce off things – our eyes’ optical nerves process them to give us pictures – and a camera […]
History is what you don’t see
There is a photograph of a woman reading a letter in a bombed and battle-strewn city which illustrates the central message of Ariella Aïsha Azoulay’s “Potential history: unlearning imperialism” It was taken by a German photojournalist in Berlin in the days following the Nazi surrender and the end of World […]
London: an arboreal paradise
This is an appropriate time to get out on the streets of London looking at its trees. An activity to be enjoyed solo or with a friend – a face mask will not usually be necessary – it opens a window on the extraordinary diversity of trees to be found […]
Timely books for children
Two of these books urge young readers to be outside their homes, discovering and enjoying the natural world around them. The other two celebrate self-esteem and black history. Sean Sheehan “I ate Sunshine for breakfast” (7-14 year-olds) justifies its glorious title by bringing botany alive. Informative text and […]