Heroes, favourites and first crushes

As a child, Camilla was captivated by Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. She says, "I have to admit, I ended up probably being a pony-mad child with Black Beauty. which I howled over, night after night after

Which childhood book sparked your love of reading? The Shoe Shop Bears by Margaret J Baker, now sadly out of print. It was the first book I bought with my own money. I was bored by picture books and w

Dear Simon, Once again, the December 2025 issue had lots of memories to write about. Starting from the front, Gertcha! – I did love Chas and Dave, as did my husband. Of course, the family always watch

I don’t live at home with my three younger siblings anymore. I have my own flat which is shoe-box-sized, but mine, and I can read there whenever I like. I’ve always been a reader, ever since my mum sh

The TV historian, 56, reflects on the debt he owes to his determined mother, the history of guns, and why the next series of The Celebrity Traitors should be just as good as the first one…

Oh boy, at age 16 I can almost divvy my interests up as a 70/30 focus on the world. Seventy per cent was music. I was playing in a punk rock band, while also playing in a Joy Division-inspired new wav