Re-approaching Rupert Thomson’s The Book of Revelations makes for an even more disturbing read now, than in 2000 when it was released. The story of a male dancer who is kidnapped by three women, who use and abuse him sexually, was brilliant and uncomfortable back then, but with the iconography of Abu Ghraib in mind […]
June 1904, the month in which the novel Ulysses is set, is a month that brings to mind the name of James Joyce and that name has become synonymous with that of the city of Dublin. The Sandycove Martello Tower, Sandymount Strand, Dublin’s North inner city: these have become known as ‘Joycean Dublin’. Indeed, a […]
John Banville’s new novel, The Sea, presents us with Max Morden, recently widowed (or is that widowered? as Max mordantly wonders) and returned to the sea-side resort of his childhood. While turning over fragments from his married life with Anna, Max also recalls the strange bond he formed many years ago with the dazzling Graces, […]
In the days between the death of Pope John Paul II and the start of the conclave to elect the new Pope, the world's media (and bookmakers) speculated intensely on the papabile. Cardinals from Brazil, Argentina, Nigeria and Italy were all listed as credible candidates. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was neither completely discounted, nor rated highly […]
Italy on Sunday 12th and Monday 13th of June will go to the polls in a referendum to vote on four motions modifying last year’s law 40/2004 on medically assisted procreation. Or rather, some Italians will go to vote, while others will heed the advice offered by many of their elected representatives – to abstain […]
Nearly a dozen countries have ratified the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe with hardly a whisper of controversy; two electorates reject it and there is a storm of breast beating and rending of garments. Why? Why? Why did no one ask why so many countries – including Spain, which even held a referendum – […]
Live 8 Concert organisers hope to mobilise over 5.5 billion people on the 2nd of July, in order to call G8 leaders to implement a package that will, according to Live 8 organisers, double aid to countries in need, drop the debt and make the trade laws fair. The concerts, which have the support of […]
The dramatic failure of the recent European Council summit meeting in Brussels highlighted a new and dangerous introspection within the EU which manifests itself especially in a reluctance to embrace further enlargement. Existential fears regarding the impact of eastern enlargement played an important role in the defeat of the Constitutional Treaty referenda in France and […]
Trevor Manuel, the South African Minister for finance, famously commented on the rise of global protest movements, &ldquoI know what they're against but I have no sense of what they're for”. It's an accusation levelled frequently, primarily by representatives of the established order, ranging from members of the IMF, WTO and World Bank, through to […]