Former townies Giles and Mary swapped city life for rural Wiltshire over thirty years ago, and they've each embraced it in their own very different ways.Mary has happily traded sophisticated London salons for monthly lectures at the Farmers' Club, competitive school quizzes, church interactions and local Auction House sales. While Giles has immersed himself in ... The Oldie Event – Giles Wood and Mary Killen – Country Life – in conversation with Harry Mount

In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people – and countries – will pay to cling on to them.Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of ... Victoria Hislop – The Figurine

It should have an easy victory. After triumph in Tunisia, the sweeping success of the Sicilian invasion, and with Italy finally knocked out of the war, the Allies were confident that they would be in Rome before Christmas 1943.And yet it didn't happen. Hitler ordered his forces to dig in, thus setting the stage for ... James Holland – Cassino ’44