Back from a mini tour of Yorkshire and Stockport and cheering for supporting act Indignation Meeting
Out of the frying pan
PAUL DONOVAN assesses an insider account of recent and future US foreign policy
war
ALISTAR FINDLAY is mesmerised by this multiple ‘Visions of Scotland’ assault on the audience’s eyes and senses
The Star's critics ANGUS REID, ANDY HEDGECOCK and MICHAL BONCZA reviews I Am Love, The Penguin Lessons, Freaky Tales, The Thicket
MAYER WAKEFIELD has reservations about the direction of a play centered on a DVLA re-training session for three British-Pakistani motorists
New releases from Steve Knightley, Jupiter & Okwess, Jason Palmer, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Driver, Kin'Gongolo Kiniata, Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey, Dan Sealey, Simin Tande, PAZ
Peter Mitchell's photography reveals a poetic relationship with Leeds
A uncomfortably misogynistic authorial voice that sometimes seems to lack insight troubles FIONA O’CONNOR
War
Bob Woodward, Simon & Schuster, £25
THIS is a fascinating, though rather frightening book from former Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward. The fright value has markedly increased since the publication of the book and the election of Donald Trump to serve a second term as US president.
An Establishment journalist, Woodward had a ring-side seat in the Biden White House as it sought to navigate a path through Russia’s war in Ukraine, and then the hostilities in the Middle East following the October 7 attacks in Israel. Interestingly, most sections on what is going on in the White House are then followed by Trump’s take on the situation.
Biden is shown to be a fairly astute operator, born of a long career at the top of US politics. He is determined not to be pushed around by his own military chiefs, seeing how predecessors in the Oval Office have been to ill-effect. Most notable in this respect was president Barack Obama’s decision in 2011 to send another 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, at the behest of the military.
More from this author
While the group known as the Colourists certainly reinvigorated Scottish painting, a new show is a welcome chance to reassess them, writes ANGUS REID
ANGUS REID recommends an exquisite drama about the disturbing impact of the one child policy in contemporary China
The phrase “cruel to be kind” comes from Hamlet, but Shakespeare’s Prince didn’t go in for kidnap, explosive punches, and cigarette deprivation. Tam is different.
ANGUS REID deconstructs a popular contemporary novel aimed at a ‘queer’ young adult readership
