Mara Delius
This is England
‘England is perceived by my Continental friends as being a country that is all about belonging or not belonging’
Dublin’s Disappointment
‘The tone in the parks and pubs was that of disappointment. One man was ready to admit – through clenched teeth – that he wished the Brits would take over again’
Silvio’s House of Cards
‘Italy’s real problem isn’t Berlusconi’s private affairs. Rather, the problem is the culture he now represents. ’
Berlin: Empty Elections
‘This reunification generation of Germans is sick of coalition government but equally dissatisfied with the alternatives on offer’
Stanford, CA: Intellectual Life Under Obama
‘A mock funfair with absurdist theatre and the return of ideologues of 40 years ago — is that the new era of change and hope?’
Berlin and Cologne: A Tale of Two German Cities
‘Now that Berlin is officially one of the coolest places in Europe, many have developed a peculiar sense of being German – a form of confidence, or nonchalance at least, about their nationality’
Hero Worship
The film Valkyrie has sparked a debate in Germany about Claus von Stauffenberg’s action-hero credentials
Why Remoaners should back Boris
“Boris, ironically, now offers Remoaners the best chance of a soft Brexit, or at least a sensible one. And to those who want a second referendum—’the people’s vote’—there may even be a chance of that too.”
On the road
“In the summer of 1980, in the grip of some Kerouac-ish fantasy, I opted to hitch-hike from Laredo to New York”
Discovering the Great War of China
A third of a million Chinese labourers helped the Allies defeat the Kaiser, but their huge unsung contribution ended in betrayal