A flawed comparative study of eastern and western philosophies

The success of any short history lies in the art of omission. When dealing with a country as historically rich and varied as Japan, the challenge lies in deciding what to summarise broadly, what to co

Danny Bird You open your book by recounting a chance visit to an old mosque in Cyprus. What was so significant about that moment? Tharik Hussain Nothing changed for me on the day itself, because I kne

The unconventional instrumentation favoured by Tortoise is an indicator of how many different lineups have always jostled for space under the jazz umbrella. The national treasure that is The Pete Alle

A composer’s idiosyncratic guide to western classical music

Daniel Pembrey picks out his top travel books of 2025