The digital Oldie

Happy 60th birthday to the Mini! By Andrew Roberts Andrew Roberts salutes the style classic, which turns 60 this month – but remembers its faults https://bit.ly/31ktrsz The lesser known Mozart By Rev Peter Mullen Rev Peter Mullen celebrates the 300th anniversary of Wolfgang’s father, the saintly Leopold Mozart, who abandoned his own musical career for his children We’re now in the dog days of summer By Harry Mount From Homer onwards, wise weatherwatchers have reacted to August heat, says Harry Mount https://bit.ly/2mdfmlw Count your life in the books you’ve read rather than the years you’ve lived By Alice Whaley Alice Whaley is 21 in human years – and 2,271 in book years. Here she explains her literary maths https://bit.ly/2zwpykl Why I’ve left America to go to a British school – and it’s not because of Harry Potter By Fay Green After 11 years in American schools, Fay Green, 16, is heading for the UK – and can’t wait for the beginning of term https://bit.ly/2mizioe ‘Tell me, Ma’am, do you do much do-it-yourself?’ By Roderick Gilchrist Roderick Gilchrist remembers receiving a rose from Princess Margaret at a trade fair https://bit.ly/2yir1ff Happy 100th Birthday, James Lovelock! By Giles Wood Giles Wood praises James Lovelock, the centenarian scientist who first proposed Gaia theory Don’t legalise cannabis, Boris – stoners end up doing nothing By Ferdie Rous As Boris Johnson appoints two supporters of cannabis decriminalisation to his inner circle of advisers, Ferdie Rous urges the PM not to legalise weed https://bit.ly/2licfhi Nigel Mcgilchrist – the British Odysseus By Lucy Lethbridge Lucy Lethbridge celebrates the sublime Blue Guides and talks to Nigel Mcgilchrist, author of a staggering 20 books about the Greek islands https://bit.ly/2m2endz In praise of birds By Harry Mount Harry Mount introduces A Sparrow’s Life As Sweet as Ours: In Praise of Birds and Seasons by Carry Akroyd and John Mcewen, published on 8th August Craig Brown’s first impressions of Europe – Opium and a dream of incest By Craig Brown Craig Brown remembers a 70s roadtrip on the continent that nearly cost him dearly https://bit.ly/2og87nx How did e-sports become a global phenomenon? By Rory Summerley As Kyle Giersdorf celebrates his Fortnite world cup victory, Rory Summerley looks at the meteoric growth of e-sports https://bit.ly/2yqs7tu The Greta Thunberg Cult hits America By Theodore Dalrymple As Greta Thunberg sails across the Atlantic to attend climate conferences in the US in a ‘zero-carbon’ racing yacht, Theodore Dalrymple asks why we listen so intently to a 16-year-old https://bit.ly/2vndyrw Inside the mind of the political princess Meghan Markle By Hugo Vickers Meghan Markle is guest-editing the September Issue of Vogue and has been lauded for her ‘on trend’ approach. Hugo Vickers praises the revolutionary princess https://bit.ly/2bydwgi Love Island is the new face of Britain in America By Fay Green To Americans, Brits are more Love Island than Downton, says Fay Green, 16 https://bit.ly/2yntes2 Fortnite has its first world champion! By Richard Godwin Fortnite has its first world champion, Kyle Giersdorf, 16, who won $3 million for his efforts. Richard Godwin explains the online phenomenon https://bit.ly/2ky5got Comma sense - putting the Moggster right on the matter of the comma after ‘and’ By Gyles Brandreth Jacob Rees-mogg’s writing rules aren’t quite up to scratch, says Gyles Brandreth https://bit.ly/2ymsb2w Goodbye, Gogglebox - I’ve learnt a lot from you By Gyles Brandreth Gyles Brandreth bids adieu to Celebrity Gogglebox https://bit.ly/2oiqm7i

Harold Acton had excellent taste – in crisps By Harry Mount DNA tests have shown that the great British aesthete has a niece with a possible claim to his Florence villa and its unique Renaissance collection. When an 11-year-old Harry Mount visited Acton, he was only interested in his snacks https://bit.ly/2ze2azs The admirable flaws of Leonardo da Vinci By Alexander Hope Scientists have discovered the ingredients of da Vinci’s paints. Alexander Hope admires the results https://bit.ly/2yzb31h Love Island’s ‘like’ epidemic By Gyles Brandreth Gyles Brandreth is dismayed by the Love Islanders’ prolific use of the world ‘like’ https://bit.ly/2m5nlxo An escape from the trenches By William Cook 1 in 50 prisoners now claims to be transgender. Prisoners change gender for the same reason they change religion – to annoy the authorities – says Theodore Dalrymple https://bit.ly/2yyggpg What was Boris Johnson’s London legacy? By Gavin Stamp The capital’s irrevocably changed skyline. And the villain of the piece is Mayor Boris Johnson, says the late Gavin Stamp https://bit.ly/2zxb1ro Bond, Jamaican Bond By Nicholas Shakespeare David Hedison, the actor who played James Bond’s American ally Felix Leiter in Live and Let Die has died. Nicholas Shakespeare went to Jamaica, where Live and Let Die was filmed, in search of Ian Fleming https://bit.ly/2ypue5d What was the International Poetry Incarnation? By Paul Elmhirst Paul Elmhirst remembers an evening of pot, Allen Ginsberg and the Albert Hall https://bit.ly/2t9o0by It’s official – Boris is Prime Minister By Harry Mount Boris Johnson is Prime Minister – but will he beat George Canning’s record for the shortest term in office, asks Harry Mount https://bit.ly/2m36ufd What do Londoners want? Toads not roads! By Simon Petherick Today, London became a National Park City. Simon Petherick celebrates our green capital https://bit.ly/2ymhrbn The Aztec mask of Samuel Beckett By Ulick O’connor Ulick O’connor remembers meeting the High Priest of the Absurd, Samuel Beckett https://bit.ly/2yityf8 ‘Shooting galleries’ won’t help addicts By Theodore Dalrymple MPS have urged Sajid Javid to introduce ‘shooting galleries’ to reduce drug deaths. Theodore Dalrymple says we shouldn’t treat addicts like children https://bit.ly/31lhrit Montalbano, the inspector who put Sicily on the map By Robert Fox Andrea Camilleri, Montalbano’s creator, has died, aged 93. Robert Fox remembers the titan of Italian literature who revived Sicilian tourism https://bit.ly/2yjdcya Shakespeare at Blenheim – the most English scene on earth By Benedict King This summer, Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre is being recreated at Blenheim Palace. Benedict King reviews A Midsummer Night’s Dream https://bit.ly/2za6uq4 A narrow escape from the Stasi with Andy Warhol By Rob Lowe Rob Lowe remembers a heated exchange with Andy Warhol in East Berlin https://bit.ly/33hsz3g I’m one of the 160,000 Tory members with the country’s future in our hands By Michael Cole The last Tory hustings event takes place this evening in London. Michael Cole, a member of the Conservative party, reflects on the task of choosing the next PM https://bit.ly/2oiemyn