The Critic Magazine

23 September 2020

THE CRITIC’s October issue — 112 pages of ideas (and diversions) from Britain’s one-year-old magazine for open-minded readers: Nick Cohen celebrates our warrior queen, J.K. Rowling; Ben Judah profiles Mrs Europa, Ursula von der Leyen; Adam LeBor reveals the motivations of the EU’s godfather Jean Monnet; David Starkey analyses how the idea of the university was destroyed; Joshua Rozenberg argues that trial by jury has become a sacred cow; Peter Hitchens laments our supine response to lockdown; Daniel Johnson defends Empire, Douglas Murray says farewell to the gay novel; Michael Collins looks forward to a no-frills cremation - and Charles Saumarez-Smith tells the story of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and hopes its artefacts will ring out for centuries to come. Also Norman Lebrecht on why he is a Wagner-sceptic; Sarah Ditum on the perfect Bond theme; Adam LeBor on French spies; Michael Prodger on artistic vandals and Christopher Silvester in praise of editors. Lisa Hilton extols fish & chips whilst Felipe Fernandez-Armesto sings lyrical about steak au poivre; Patrick Galbraith explains why children benefit from shooting whilst Nick Cohen laments the battle for urban space faced by runners, and Hannah Betts parses the new F-word whilst Hephziban Anderson celebrates the joys of house plants. Plus 24 pages on books.