My long-time friend, Mark Vallance, died the week before last, aged 72, and obituaries are appearing in the mountaineering world. I would like to add my own recollections of the man I have known for over 50 years. We met in 1966 at Goldsmith’s College, London, where we both lived in the same men’s hall Read the full article…

I really enjoyed this novel. It is a satire on family relationships, consumerism, Big Pharma and marriage, among other topics. Veblen Thorstein, the protagonist, is a very sympathetic character – confused, vulnerable and determined to be honest with herself. The plot gallops along, the book being warm and witty, fantastical but also richly human. There Read the full article…