Posted in Books, tagged anglican, atheism, books, christianity, religion, reviews on February 14, 2012 | 5 Comments »
“I don’t believe in God, but I miss him,” writes Julian Barnes in Nothing To Be Afraid Of. That could almost be the mission statement behind Alain de Botton’s Religion for Atheists, a review copy of which made its way on to my Kindle (proof perhaps that God exists, and S/he likes me.). It is a fantastic, fantastic book that I would recommend to everyone, particularly, if, like me, you don’t have a faith, but often would quite like one.
Posted in Books, Reviews on February 5, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Ivey’s The Snow Child is like a steaming mug of hot chocolate; if I was offered it in the spring or the summer I would find its sweetness overwhelming and unpleasant. But it’s a perfect read for the fag end of winter, a bittersweet comfort read as the cold eats into our bones and we wait for the dark to recede.
Posted in LabourList, Politics on February 1, 2012 | 1 Comment »
The Children’s Act (2004) outlaws only forms of smacking that leave “grazes, scratches, abrasions, minor bruising, swelling, superficial cuts, black eyes” or worse.
Which raises the question of just how hard Boris Johnson wants to be able to hit his kids.
