Life

Opinion: Exception without end – why VE Day matters now and forever

On the eve of the 75th anniversary marking the end of World War II, the Guardian posted an editorial piece claiming that Britain ought to “get over the war,” adding: “This is not a time for false pride.” But in the context of VE Day, we owe it to honour the extraordinary stoicism of the wartime generation, and here’s why…

From the jaws of the Leviathan: The art of scrimshaw

In a photo of the Oval Office, President John F. Kennedy sits behind the desk on the phone frowning. A navy man, he carried his love of all things nautical with him throughout his life. On the desk are displayed several carved sperm whale teeth, known as scrimshaw.