Why Judge Holden is One of Literature’s Greatest Villains

In the long list of literary villains, Judge Holden, from Cormac McCarthy's 1985 novel Blood Meridian, is among the most memorable. In this post derived from his article in our Postgraduate English journal, Ronan Hatfull explains how Judge Holden embodies the best (or worst) of antiheroes from literary and cinematic tradition. At the start of your...

The Bamburgh Library and a Puzzle of Books

One of Durham’s bookish treasures, the Bamburgh Library at Palace Green Library, is being made more accessible. In this second of two posts, Dr Danielle Westerhof identifies some of the rare and puzzling books in the collection. The origins of what became the Bamburgh Library lie with the books purchases made by John Sharp 1 (1645?-1714)...

Discoveries in Durham’s Bamburgh Library

One of Durham's bookish treasures, the Bamburgh Library at Palace Green Library, is being made more accessible. In this first of two blog posts, Dr Danielle Westerhof introduces the Library and her role in the year-long project to uncover its secrets. The Bamburgh Library is the third largest collection Durham University cares for, with titles dating from...

Ali Smith’s Autumn: Why Brexit may be Good for British Fiction

As one of the most significant political turning points since the Second World War, Brexit will no doubt provide rich and controversial material for novelists to explore for years to come. Antony Mullen looks at one of the first works of fiction to engage head-on with Brexit, in the form of Ali Smith's Autumn. Among the titles...

John Milton, Liberty and Arab Academics: The Case of Mona Prince

An Egyptian academic, Dr Mona Prince, was recently accused by her university of 'calling for the glorification of Satan' after she taught John Milton's Paradise Lost. Sharihan Al-Akhras studies the work of Milton, who advocated liberty and opposed censorship. She interviewed Dr Prince to explore the academic restrictions she is currently facing. As I contemplate the best approach...