Ruins of old abbey building on the Island of Iona near Mull in west Scotland The small Hebridean island of Iona has long occupied a place in the religious imagination of Europe. Barely five kilometres long and home to a small resident population, it attracts thousands of pilgrims, tourists, clergy, artists, and spiritual seekers every …
The trillion-dollar question
News that the world has seen the arrival of its first trillionaire captures public attention because it triggers shock and envy, and pushes familiar questions about wealth into unfamiliar territory. Human societies have always contained rich and poor, merchants and labourers, rulers and subjects. Yet a personal fortune measured in trillions of dollars represents wealth …
What 1984 teaches us in 2026
I first read 1984 in 1985. Orwell’s great novel was assigned by my school curriculum for analysis and sober reflection, as it should be for every student in every school. If you have not yet read it, know that Big Brother is coming for you, and read it before it is too late. [Spoiler alert. …
Scotland calling: The enduring appeal of cultural heritage
We are all shaped by our parents’ heritage. When one is descended from immigrants, the cultural heritage is often complex. This heritage, and the degree to which it is lost or maintained over time, is one of the more intriguing features of postcolonial societies such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. My …
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Who is Mother Goose?
Some books I enjoyed as a small child involved no magic or magical creatures, and are set in a world identifiable as our own. But one of my earliest childhood literary memories, Mother Goose, takes us right to the heart of fairy tale territory. Cover of The Complete Collection of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (Applesauce Press, 2018). …
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