SARAH DITUM

ONE OF THE MOST GRIMLY FUNNY POEMS OF the past century is Philip Larkin’s “This Be the Verse,” with its opening salvo about how our parents invariably mess us up. Larkin used a saltier word for “mess,

Lives and how to live them

Iris Murdoch’s unseen poetry, transcribed for the first time

Claudia Savage-Gore frets about Hector’s choice of school

The acclaimed film director has made a name for herself with stylish, visually rich narratives that spotlight the female perspective. She talks to Lydia Slater about her genre-spanning back catalogue