Give and take

As the season’s festivities fade into the background, the task of writing thank you letters looms large.  Ideally, one likes to have completed the task before the 12th night has passed and all the decorations are safely back in the loft.  Only then can we get back to being grumpy about January with its (already) broken...

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Conversation and the art of listening

The other day I was sitting on a train on the London underground reading my book.  Next to me was a young lady immersed in reading her Kindle.  After a few stops I heard a voice say: “Is it good?” I realised that it was the lady next to me asking me a question.  It took me a while to register that she was initiating a conversa...

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Man of letters