Historians speak of "gutting" books - getting the gist, knowing where the facts they need will be, later on, like a squirrel memorizing acorn coordinates. But there is also reading to understand the author's project, which is a little different than grappling with every bit of the book.

I think the big change here is from students living in halls of residence, where there were bars, facilities and opportunities to meet many other people, to flats as the predominant model of student living accommodation, where they may only interact with 5 or 6 others. Almost half highlight design.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Labour is ineluctably stuck in an electioneering mindset because its only remaining belief is that it should be in power. It has no idea what to do with that power other than keep trying to ensure it holds on to it in the future.

A long time ago I worked at a bookshop where the password to everything, and I really do mean everything, was the name of the bookshop and the letters '1,2,3,4,5'. These people had a photocopy of my passport!

introduce local book clubs and adult literature classes across all towns and villages, free at the point of use!

My outie spends all his time sleeping.