Latest news with #AdrianChiles


The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Young nature writers appeal to all ages
I agree with Simon Barley that the Other lives obituaries lift our spirits (Letters, 24 June). So too does the monthly Young country diary. It's so good to know there are such enthusiastic and observant naturalists – and excellent writers – in the generations to SabbaghDefford, Worcestershire In Dining across the divide (22 June), Julian, 57, finds himself moving 'right' as he gets older and pays more taxes. There is no inevitability about this: I am 64 and the more taxes I pay, the more I'm aware of inequality, and move TaylorYork 'The 50 hottest books to read now', ran the web headline on your summer reading roundup (21 June). Wouldn't the 50 coolest books be more appropriate?James NyeEast Cowes, Isle of Wight Having your nose in a book is not always a good idea, Adrian Chiles (25 June). In 2002 in a Barcelona station, my husband left me to look for the left-luggage. When he came back, he asked where his rucksack was. It was a very good EvansRuthin, Denbighshire The welfare bill was opposed by many voters: listening to MPs and making changes isn't a major 'U-turn' (Report, 26 June), it is democracy at KarlsenWhitstable, Kent Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.


The Guardian
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Kudos to Royal Mail for a special delivery
Following my letter being published on 13 June, I received a letter on 20 June from a reader, addressed to me as below, with no house number, street or postcode. It was posted second class on 17 June. Royal Mail often gets bad press, but kudos for getting the letter to me so promptly with minimal WardQuorn, Leicestershire More worrying, surely, than the incident by Palestine Action is the appalling lack of security at RAF Brize Norton (Report, 20 June). Michael FullerBedford All your tips on keeping cool in hot weather involve buying things (The Filter, 19 June). If we weren't so keen on buying new stuff, the world wouldn't be heating up quite as it DunnettGuildford, Surrey When my husband shaved off his beard of many years, our nextdoor neighbour remarked: 'Oh, you've grown a moustache' (Adrian Chiles, 18 June).Gwyneth WagstaffGwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Carmarthenshire I see that Kneecap and Wet Leg are appearing at Glastonbury. My wife and I are looking forward to Hip Replacement on the NHS LovelockBristol 'Pre-order' agitates my inner pedant nearly as much as 'going forward' (Letters, 22 June).Cassy FirthMorley, West Yorkshire And while we are at it, 'Forward planning'.Richard BullWoodbridge, Suffolk Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.


The Guardian
19-06-2025
- The Guardian
Why MI6 chief is C and uses green ink
Your report (Blaise Metreweli named as first woman to lead UK intelligence service MI6, 15 June) said 'the head of MI6 is known internally as C – short for chief'. C is not short for chief. The first head of MI6 was Sir Mansfield Cumming, who always signed his letters 'C' in green ink. It has been a tradition since to call the head of service C and for them to use green HollesLeeds One Christmas our son bought my husband a Donald Trump lavatory brush. Although it's not official merchandise (Why is there a Maga-branded Instant Pot? Because capitalism never sleeps, 18 June), over the years it has given us immense satisfaction plunging the orange head into the depths in order to Make the Bowl Great EdwardsGrange-over-Sands, Cumbria When our children were young and their dad had decided to shave off his moustache (Adrian Chiles, 18 June), he'd shave off half and see how long it took them to EvansRuthin, Denbighshire Gifting gifts (Letters, 16 June) becomes less of a problem and more worthy of thought if you recall that Gift is the German word for SmithBerlin, Germany I've always been given GodaLiverpool 'Swap in/swap out' rather than 'swap'. 'Hacks' in place of 'tips'. And radio interviewees starting with: 'Thank you for having me.'Janet FraserTwickenham, London Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.


The Guardian
16-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
A sweet moment for refugee schoolchildren
Re Adrian Chiles' article (Who could deny a hot, tired delivery driver the fruit from their cherry tree?, 12 June), as a teacher in west London in the 90s and noughties, I taught numerous recently arrived refugee children. Among these were Kosovans and Albanians, many unaccompanied. Everything was strange for them. Outside our tech block stood three tall morello cherry trees whose fruit generally lay squashed, staining the concrete with their juice. That all changed with the Kosovans. As the fruit ripened, they climbed and harvested the treasure, later coming to lesson with stained shirts and faces. It was a delight to see them happily in their SokoloffLondon I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the idea that traybakes are 'a 'queering' of the meat-and-two-veg sit-down dinners associated with the traditional heterosexual British family unit' (My unexpected Pride icon: The Green Roasting Tin, a cookbook no lesbian vegetarian can be without, 12 June). So many assumptions to unpack there, but every sentence including the word 'lesbian' could be rewritten to refer to 'women', 'men' or just 'people who like food'.Janet FraserTwickenham, London Re your report (Ever-rising height of car bonnets a 'clear threat' to children, report says, 11 June), if councils charged owners of these vehicles more for parking and road use, it might force a bit of a rethink by the likes of Land Rover that produce these ever larger AllanTrustee, Solve the School Run It sounds strange to be now gifted a gift rather than having a gift given (Letters, 15 June)Jen FittonSharow, North Yorkshire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.


The Guardian
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
At a festival, are you Elinor or Marianne?
Your articles presented two entertaining but very different approaches to kitting yourself out for a music festival ('A godsend at 5am', 12 June; Field the love, 13 June). One was all boots and head torches, the other pretty dresses and earrings. How appropriate, in this Jane Austen anniversary year, to see the contrasting demands of Sense and Sensibility so clearly set RooksLeicester Adrian Chiles' piece (Who could deny a hot, tired delivery driver the fruit from their cherry tree?, 12 June) reminded me of a tree we had at the front edge of our garden by the pavement. When its luscious red fruits were ripe, we'd often see someone pluck a handful, only to spit them out a moment later. They were crab MacintoshBurley-in-Wharfedale I'm still trying to get my head round 'a nuclear-capable canon' (Trump's military parade taps an ancient tradition of power: from Mesopotamia to Maga, 14 June). Presumably, such a cleric would, in addition to administering cathedral affairs, be able to bring forward the date of HearnLondon 'If finding 18 words in Word Wheel … is 'genius' level, what does the 46 words I found make me?' (Letters, 13 June). A big showoff!Margaret CoupeLongnor When did we start having to listen up as opposed to listen (Letters, 13 June)? And don't get me started on skyrocketing! Surely rocketing would suffice?!Sue BeaumontBedford Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.