Whenever a new film adaptation of a classic novel is released, you can hear readers’ whispers on the wind. Please, please please please, let it be good… But according to critics, Far from the Madding Crowd isn’t good. It’s great. Starring the incredible Carey Mulligan and directed by Thomas Vinterberg from a screenplay by David Nicholls (yes, that David Nicholls) the lat... Read more

John Purcell reflects on the frustrations of drowning in honey. It occurs to me that I never mention Thomas Hardy. When I rattle off the authors I love, my mind runs to George Eliot, George Meredith, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens quite easily and then I realise I have mentioned only nineteenth English authors and I quickly add Christina Stead, Willa Cather and I may if I have time throw in Thoma... Read more