Literature

Death of Walt Whitman

American poet Walt Whitman died on March 26th, 1892 after completing his masterpiece, Leaves of Grass, a year earlier.

Order from Chaos

Despite its popularity in France, the political memoir took a while to get going in Britain. It was Lord Clarendon’s epic attempt to make sense of the turbulent 17th century that slowly set the ball rolling.

Chaucer's Post-Truth World

If you believe the neologism 'post-truth' describes a new phenomenon, think again. Geoffrey Chaucer diagnosed the problem at the end of the 14th century.

The Merry Dance of the Highwayman

Along with Robin Hood, the romantic highwayman is one of the great myths of English outlawry. But the model for this most gallant of rogues was a Frenchman name Claude Duval, who carried out audacious robberies with a touch of Parisian flair.