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Country Life Magazine – April 30, 2025 Preview

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COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (April 29, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The renaissance of the country house’ (1975-2025)…

A vibrant era for our country houses

The seeds of a renaissance for the British country house were sown in the mid 20th century, argues John Martin Robinson

Spread from Country Life 30 April 2025

Bringing ‘beauty’ back

Lord Deben assesses his 1997 ‘Gummer’s Law’, conceived to aid the creation of new houses

Radbourne Hall

John Goodall hails the revival of the 1740s Derbyshire house

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A question of technique

Mary Miers meets the experts keeping country houses and their collections in working order

Spread from Country Life 30 April 2025

Chillingham Castle

The Northumberland landmark lives on, discovers John Goodall

1975 and now

What a difference 50 years make

Asleep no more

Tiffany Daneff celebrates the designers bringing our leading country gardens back to life

Knowsley Hall

John Goodall finds the Lancashire home restored to its former glory

And now for something different

Diversification has revived the fortunes of many an estate in the past 50 years, reveals Kate Green

Spread from Country Life 30 April 2025

What’s on at the big house

This year’s country-house events

Stowe

John Goodall charts the survival of this Buckinghamshire gem

Ready for anything

Arabella Youens examines how owners are equipping their houses to thrive for the next 100 years

Wimborne St Giles

John Goodall lauds this award-winning restoration in Dorset

You saw it here first

It’s not all about the gardens — John Hoyland profiles some of the plants that made their name at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Spread from Country Life 30 April 2025

In cloud cuckoo land

The evocative, echoing cuckoo’s call reverberating across the meadows heralds the arrival of spring for John Lewis-Stempel

Today’s pollen account

Hayfever sufferers may not agree, but Ian Morton argues that pollen’s contribution to life on earth is not to be sneezed at

A rainbow of ribbons

The maypole has been the source of merriment and mayhem for centuries, as Deborah Nicholls-Lee reveals

Stuart Procter’s favourite painting

The Beaumont Mayfair hotel CEO chooses an intriguing work with an air of mystery

The legacy

Amie Elizabeth White reveals how Constance Spry revolutionised flower-arranging a century ago

Interiors

Digital printing and panoramic wallpapers offer endless possibilities, learns Arabella Youens

Foraging

Poetry inspires John Wright, as he seeks out the saccharine, aniseed smack of sweet cicely

Arts & antiques

Carla Passino is captivated by the calming 19th-century landscapes of Utagawa Hiroshige, an artist who continues to inspire today

History, Magazines, Politics, Reviews

History Today Magazine – May 2025 Preview

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History Today | The World's Leading Serious History Magazine

HISTORY TODAY MAGAZINE (April 24, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The Fall of Saigon’ …

The Fall of Saigon

The Vietnam War effectively ended on 30 April 1975 with the arrival of the North Vietnamese army in Saigon. Thousands fled the city, but many more were left behind.

VE Day: The Quiet After the Peace

When VE Day finally came in May 1945 it was met with relief, exhaustion, and cynicism. Was the Second World War really over?

Stalin’s Man in Belgrade

Teodoro Castro or Iosif Grigulevich? Costa Rica’s ambassador to Yugoslavia was a Soviet spy sent to kill Tito.

Sex Workers and Salvation in the Renaissance

Renaissance Florence had a problem: it wanted female sex workers, but it also needed to offer them a way out. The solution was a new brothel district – and a nunnery for former prostitutes

Culture, History, Magazines, Photography, Travel

Smithsonian Magazine – April/May 2025 Preview

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Smithsonian Magazine (Digital)

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE (April 4, 2025): The April/May 2025 features ‘In The Birthplace of the Buddha’ – What happens when Archaeologists and worshipers converge in the spiritual leader’s legendary Nepali hometown?

In Search of Siddhartha

The legendary birthplace of Siddhartha in Nepal beckons worshipers from around the world—and archaeologists hoping to uncover new evidence about the revered spiritual leader

Can a Forgotten Bean Save the Brew?

In a world that consumes two billion cups of coffee each day, climate change is threatening the most popular species. How one leading botanist is scouring remote corners of the earth to find new beans that could keep our cups full

An Artist for the Here and Now

Long overlooked, Swedish painter Hilma af Klint made pioneering abstract art. Today she’s a global star—but some scholars insist she should be sharing the spotlight

History, Magazines, Photography, Travel

National Geographic – May 2025 ‘Traveller’

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER MAGAZINE (April 3, 2025): The May 2025 issue features Rocky Mountain hikes, railway journeys across bear country, sea-kayaking excursions through whale-churned waters — embrace the call of the wild with our latest issue.

Lanzarote: The Spanish island’s volcanic landscapes are beloved by artists, winemakers and hikers
Sierra Leone: Stunningly biodiverse, the West African nation is finally opening up to travellers
Brazil:In search of jaguars on the meandering waterways of the Brazilian Pantanal
The Alps: Classic itineraries taking in the mountain range’s forests and fast-flowing streams
Bangkok: Find peace away from the crowds in Thailand’s storied capital
Panama City: The sparkling high-rises of this Central American metropolis conceal a fascinating history
River Shannon: Village pubs and flower-filled meadows pepper this Irish waterway
Portland, Maine: Innovative farmers are driving this coastal hub’s dining scene
Lisbon: From pilgrims to party people, the Portuguese capital has stays for all types of visitor 

Culture, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

The Guardian Weekly – April 4, 2025 Preview

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THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY (April 3, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The End of Turkish Democracy’ – Inside the anti-government protests...

The detention of the popular Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu last month has sparked Turkey’s largest anti-government protests in years, with people gathering nightly amid violent clashes with police. But after thousands of arrests and with disagreements about how the protests should move forwards, the opposition movement is at a crossroads.

Amid concerns that Turkey may be slipping irretrievably towards full authoritarianism, Ruth Michaelson reports from Istanbul on how the detention of a popular young activist has caused particular anger among opponents of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. Ruth also weighs up what options now lie ahead for the protest movement amid disagreements about the best way forward.

Spotlight | Myanmar, after the earthquake
With thousands now known to have been killed as a result of last Friday’s earthquake that struck near Mandalay, Rebecca Ratcliffe reports on fading hopes of finding more survivors

Environment | The power of dead seaweed
Rotting sargassum is clogging up Grenada’s beaches – but innovative technology is turning it into fuel, fertiliser and bioplastics. Natricia Duncan and Abigail McIntyre report

Feature | The rapid growth in beard transplants
Demand for beard transplant surgery is soaring – despite the dangers that lurk in unregulated clinics. Are the risks worth it? Simon Usborne investigates

Opinion | How to beat the far right
As a lonely, hate-filled kid in Sydney’s suburbs, Matthew Quinn turned to far-right ideology. Now he reveals how he helps others avoid that path

Culture | The return of FKA twigs
Despite global stardom, FKA twigs has always felt a lack of belonging. The musician opens up to Zoe Williams about f ighting censorship, crying on stage and performing for peanuts

Culture, Gardens, History, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – April 2, 2025 Preview

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COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (April 1, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Smaller Country Houses’; The Maldives unpacked; How to grow a magnificent magnolia and The Portmeirion phenomenon and secret pillboxes…

Interiors

The art of conversation can be aided by a carefully configured drawing room, says Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler

All ‘Clough-ed up’

Ben Lerwill marks 100 years of Portmeirion in North Wales, the outlandish architectural creation of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis

Spreads from Country Life 2 April 2025

Property market

Arabella Youens casts her eye over compact country estates in Dorset, Devon and Hertfordshire

A prince among plantsmen

Charles Quest-Ritson is wowed by the memorable magnolias among the 6,000 plants in the Kent garden of Maurice Foster

Spreads from Country Life 2 April 2025

Travel

Libby Brodie and Rosie Paterson explore the magnificent Maldives and Pamela Goodman shares not so fond memories of cheese fondue

Zoë Wanamaker’s favourite painting

The actress chooses a vibrant work bursting with the light, colour and energy of spring

A house of many inspirations

Jeremy Musson marvels at the amazing transformation of 300-year-old farm buildings at High Wardington House, Oxfordshire

Spreads from Country Life 2 April 2025

The legacy

Kate Green pays tribute to Joe Henson, a ‘true gentleman’ who led the way in safeguarding some of our favourite native breeds

From this slumber you shall wake

Numbers have plummeted in the past 20 years, but plans are afoot to revive the fortunes of the hazel dormouse, reveals Jack Watkins

The good stuff

Immortalise your beloved pet in a beautiful piece of bespoke jewellery, suggests Hetty Lintell

London Life

Amie Elizabeth White embarks on the capital’s Big Egg Hunt, Country Life writers present all the titbits you need to know this month and Huon Mallalieu takes a trip down memory lane as he recalls the colourful characters of Booksellers’ Row

Foraging

John Wright lauds elderflower for its ‘scent beyond compare’

Arts & antiques

Carla Passino delves into the beauty, birds and beasts in the kingdom of J. M. W. Turner

Close to your chest

Huon Mallalieu investigates how the chest of drawers has gradually made itself at home in every room of the house

A song of the four seasons

Henrietta Bredin applauds the fusing of poetry and music in the exquisite song cycle ‘Seasons’

Art, Art Galleries, Arts & Literature, Magazines, Museums, Reviews

Apollo Magazine – April 2025 – International Art

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April 2025 | Apollo Magazine

APOLLO MAGAZINE (March 31, 2025): The April 2025 issue features ‘The sonic visions of Oliver Beer’; The Frick returns to Fifth Avenue and How the Acropolis became modern….

The Frick returns to Fifth Avenue

An interview with Oliver Beer

How the Acropolis became modern

In praise of ‘degenerate’ art

Also: The duchess who scandalised Spain, why the market for women’s art is slowing, Dutch paintings at Apsley House, how Bugatti built a style icon, the sensational designs of Alphonse Mucha, and a preview of Art Dubai; reviews of Gertrude Abercrombie in Pittsburgh, Medardo Rosso in Vienna, and a history of image-eating. Plus: Will Wiles on a French avant-garde portrait with a family connection

History, Magazines, Reviews

History Today Magazine – April 2025 Preview

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HISTORY TODAY MAGAZINE (March 25, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The Lost World of Ancient Assyria’ – The Library of Ashurbanipal, the African king at Edward VII’s coronation, the origins of India’s Brahmins, British witnesses to Buchenwald, spinning James I’s succession, and more.

The Library of Ashurbanipal

When it was discovered in the 19th century, the Library of Ashurbanipal revealed an ancient Assyrian empire previously known only through myth.

Bloody Mary and the Missing Heir

A male heir might have saved Queen Mary’s reign, and changed the shape of global Catholicism for good.

Vietdamned’ by Clive Webb review

Can Vietdamned: How the World’s Greatest Minds Put America on Trial by Clive Webb rescue Bertrand Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre’s activism from irrelevance?

Culture, Gardens, History, Homes, Magazines, Reviews, Uncategorized

Country Life Magazine – March 19, 2025 Preview

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Cover of Country Life 19 March 2025

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (March 19, 2025): The cover of Country Life’s 19 March 2025 issue, featuring Wollerton Old Hall Garden in Shropshire,

Building on a dream

Nicola Taylor tells Tiffany Daneff how she ‘picked up a spade and carried on’ where her father left off in a Northamptonshire wood

It starts with a seed

Is there anything more satisfying than growing a plant from seed? Find out how with John Hoyland

The ground crew

Christopher Stocks meets the unsung heroes and heroines of horticulture who keep Britain’s best gardens in mint condition

gardener

Shocking pinks

Tilly Ware recommends a trip to Cornwall’s Calamazag nursery to pick up the perfect pinks

United colours of Rolls-Royce

Toby Keel finds the British marque making a bold, banana-yellow statement as he gets behind the wheel of the new Series II Ghost

A uniform approach

Never try to appear fashionable or attempt to look young — Dylan Jones shares his golden rules on how to dress in your sixties

Hare’s to you

Murderous, mad and magnificent: the hare is a fascinating figure in art, discovers Michael Prodger

hares
Spreads from Country Life 19 March 2025

Sir James MacMillan’s favourite painting

The composer chooses a bold and moving religious painting

The architect for me

In the first of two articles, Clive Aslet examines the double act of architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and client Reginald McKenna

Take it with a pinch of salt

Deborah Nicholls-Lee examines the salt-loving plants coming into their own in a changing climate

A night on the tiles

Harry Pearson finds drunken may-hem in the history of dominoes

dominoes

The good stuff

A vase is a Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving, says Hetty Lintell

Interiors

Amelia Thorpe applauds the updating of a Wiltshire sitting room, as Arabella Youens asks: are you sitting comfortably?

Sour to the people

Fish and chips wouldn’t be fish and chips without a glug of malt vinegar, argues Rob Crossan

chips

Pho sure

Asian noodle soup tempts Tom Parker Bowles with its thrilling symphony of fragrant flavours

Foraging

Handle with care when picking hogweed and cow parsley for the kitchen, warns John Wright

Arts & antiques

Carlo Passino throws the spotlight on the engaging drawings of literary legend Victor Hugo

Directors take centre stage

Shakespeare and Chekhov are given an imaginative new spin — and Michael Billington approves

And much more

Arts & Literature, Culture, History, Magazines, Philosophy, Reviews

The New Criterion ——- April 2025 Preview

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THE NEW CRITERION (March 15, 2025): The April issue features

The hard Frost by Brenda Wineapple

Vicar’s vision by Micah Mattix

Ambassador of dreams by Gary Saul Morson

The lush fields of allusion by Rachel Hadas

Ezra Pound & the mystery of the calling cards by William Logan