“I quite like the brass band version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, but I’m not sure it’s what Freddie Mercury had in mind.”
Great Britain
Inside the World of “The Great British Bake Off”
“The show captures disastrous custard-making, quintessentially British faux-modesty, and the blistering hubris of bakers—including me.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories from Mariana Serapicos, Camille Bromley, Devon Fredericksen, Georgia Brown, and Sarah Golibart Gorman.
Slavery Reparations Are Coming
“A historic global movement gains power in Barbados.”
My Impossible Mission to Find Tom Cruise
“The action star has gone to great lengths to avoid the press for more than a decade. But maybe our writer could track him down anyway?”
The Great British Reading List
A reading list on the weird and wonderful culture of Great Britain.
The Joy of a Pointless Walk
“Maybe walking into some marshes, and deciding at an undetermined future point to stop walking, was what was available to the Romantics, but I think we can do better.”
Tea, Biscuits, and Empire: The Long Con of Britishness
The soft-focus Britain of Downton Abbey bears little resemblance to the real Britain collapsing under the weight of racism, austerity, and COVID-19. As Brexit plods on, it’s time for an honest reckoning of the history and future of this outsize little island.
England Is a Giant Russian Money Washing Machine
Russian money is parked in English real estate and other assets, but is it too late to purge its influence on Britain?
Welcome to Parliament! Bachelors Can Only Wear Brown Shoes Every Other Tuesday
What changes politically if Parliament moves to a modern, inclusive space from one steeped in sexist, classist history?
