King Bambi
London readers are warmly invited to join the upcoming tour Toe-Rags and Tenterhooks, on 3rd September. Explore how centuries of City of London trade, culture, and traditions left their colourful mark on the English language. Places are limited - tickets are available here.
Was King Arthur A Real Person?
Joshua Hammer | Smithsonian | 23rd August 2022
The question posed in the headline remains unanswered, but the journey is nonetheless a delight. The legend's flexibility is responsible for its enduring appeal. "The interesting thing about the Arthurian legend is that it has periods of both ebb and flow... It’s able to be moulded to fit with current preoccupations, such that it can find applicability no matter what the mood of the moment" (4,954 words)
Bambi’s Mum Had To Die
Daniel Kalder | UnHerd | 31st August 2022
Eighty years on, Disney's 1942 film Bambi is held in high regard. Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein found it impressive and it was Walt Disney's own favourite. Its characters "live animal lives centred around birth, death, rutting, raising children, finding food and dodging predators" and once Bambi's mother dies, she stays dead. There is no uplifting return as a benign spirit or guiding star (1,607 words)