Category Archives: Uncategorized

There’s a strong possibility that Nairn’s London will be back in print later this year. So David McKie and I, as co-authors of Ian Nairn: Words in Place have divided up London and its extremities (from Uxbridge to Dagenham was his ambition) and are looking around to see which of the almost fifty-year-old entries needs […]

Here are some early responses Nairn, in his raincoat and Morris Minor, was an unlikely Icarus. He flew, he burned, he drowned. As alcoholism is now recognised as a disease, we should perhaps simply say that that is what killed him, but it might also be possible to guess that, in asking architecture to fill […]

Ian Nairn: Words in Place is published November 14 by Five Leaves Publications. David McKie and I take part in the LRB bookshop event on 19 November, chaired by Owen Hatherley.     On November 27 I am giving the Soane Annual Lecture on Nairn’s London at the Art Worker’s Guild       My […]

September 12th talking about John Soane and St Pancras at St Pancras Old Church. September 23rd talking, with others, about Ian Nairn at the Barbican

Lowdham Book Festival Scroll to page 12 to find the details of my Vesuvius talk early on the final day of the Festival, Saturday June 29th. It’s a great little celebration of books (and more) in an intriguing part of England, close to Southwell and Newark and not so far from Nottingham. Lowdham even has […]

Ten days in the USA filled my head with impressions. First visits to Charleston and Savannah revealed towns that are immeasurably different, even if both are in the southern states, both antebellum. Live oaks are veiled in Spanish moss, a reminder of the humid, extreme, climate. In atmosphere I found Charleston gentler. The view of […]

A nice sight for an author! a lovely great heap of their books handily positioned to catch exhibition goers leaving the fantastic, poignant show Life and Death Pompeii and Herculaneum  at the British Museum until 29 September 2013. Thursday 2 May I’ll be talking about how one volcano caught the imagination of the world, from […]

Looking out from the Rubicon. Shard far left, London Eye towards the right. Kings Cross sheds in their glory. Soon ten storey bocks will obstruct the view, leaving just two chinks.    

Walking at weekend struck by this landscape, universal in its look. Essex…and to catch more glimpses of this maligned county see Jonathan Meades excellent programme for BBC 4  

        Cambridge Botanic Garden, the winter garden – exuberant branchscape.