Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Dr Johnson said of Milton’s Paradise Lost – all admire it, but few wish it longer.

Dr Johnson said of Milton’s Paradise Lost – all admire it, but few wish it longer.
I can’t remember how this bit of music got into my life. I’ve been listening to it every now and again since I had a CD player – and I think I may have bought it for no other reason than it was cheap and looked intriguing. But it has always carried me away to somewhere mystical. I’ve never spotted a performance of it anywhere, and it occurred to me that I know nothing whatever about it apart from its name. So here’s a what I found out with a bit of googling, AI and editing.
Jonathan Coe is a British novelist and writer known for his satirical and often politically charged works. Born on 19 August 1961 in Birmingham, England, Coe has garnered acclaim for his ability to blend humour with incisive social commentary.
This is a book of two halves. I read the first 200 pages I enjoyed and it kept me turning the pages. But they were very much the typical pop science or pop history paradigm. The author has some new or newish take on the standard view of things and explains why his ideas are better than the old ones. This is a trope that gets used a lot. To be fair, it does give the writing an edge, but it usually relies on oversimplifying the current understanding. I’d probably use it myself, to be honest, but even so, it does grate a bit.
Margaret Thatcher remains a towering figure in British politics, revered by her supporters as a visionary leader who transformed the U.K.’s economic landscape. Fondly remembered as the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher is praised for her staunch resolve and unwavering commitment to free-market principles, which many credit with revitalizing the British economy during her tenure as Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.
Predicting elections is a mug’s game. They often surprise everyone, and there are some striking examples from recent UK history. For instance, during the Brexit referendum, you could still get odds of 8 to 1 on Remain winning while the votes were being counted. Similarly, Theresa May entered the 2017 General Election with a lead in the polls of around 20%, but still lost her majority on the day itself. People are fickle, and it seems like they’re becoming even more so. Even though the Labour Party has maintained a lead of around 20% for nearly a year and the Conservatives have hit their worst poll numbers ever, I still wouldn’t rule out the possibility of an upset that keeps the Tories in power.