The complex, hidden politics of hiring a nanny
My friend was early for tea, unruffled, with an immaculate infant daughter. Eventually, all became clear
Author Archives: Hephzibah Anderson
Ghost towns: how Britain's fading high streets kill local communities
As shops shutter, it is not only local economies but the sense of place and community that is imperilled. In an era of online retail, how can the high street fight back?
The pleasures—and pitfalls—of mixing business and family
Work and family are the dominant, often warring, features of many lives, and there’s an increasing overlap even for those of us who aren’t related to our colleagues
We don't all face press scrutiny like Meghan Markle—but family estrangement is more common than you might think
Much Duchess-dissing has focused on Markle's estrangement from her father. But sometimes, estrangement is the kindest thing we can do for ourselves
Anyone for an antique? How family heirlooms are becoming a thing of the past
Evolving tastes and challenging property markets mean that past generations’ possessions don’t fit into the homes of the next generation—aesthetically or physically
Parents have always bragged about their children—but that doesn't mean you should do it all over Facebook
Image by image, we’re collaging idealised selves for our children to live up to
Why I'm glad my parents got a divorce
Splitting up can be a good thing—even for the kids
A Christmas survival guide
The season of goodwill can be stressful—but if you add a stranger to the mix and tune out the consumerist clamour, it can be, well, okay
From Central Perk to the Bloomsbury Group: in praise of the families we choose for ourselves
The phrase may be a cliche, but it's popular for a reason. You can’t choose your family, but you can create a substitute based on deep friendships
Sisterly love: How siblings make you happier, fitter—and more argumentative
My sister and I bicker all the time—apparently this is a good thing
My daughter is a child of the future—conceived by artificial insemination with the help of an app
The robots are coming, but at least the kids will be prepared
The life lessons we’ll lose when the high streets fall
When closed signs are flipped over permanently, livelihoods aren’t all that are lost
Bake Off, craft ale, historical novels: How the financial crash sent us on a headlong retreat into nostalgia
Rather than getting angry and radical, we’ve become more culturally conservative
The spinster wars
We live in an age of individuality, yet prize living in couples. Should women reclaim the idea of spinsterhood?
Blood and bones: The cult of Marina Abramovic
The performance artist has starved and cut herself for her art, but can she survive celebrity?
Books in brief: ‘Quiet Dell’ by Jayne Anne Phillips
Quiet Dell is the story of an American serial killer, captured through a series of elegiac vignettes
The works of Martin Creed: Genius or joke?
“I’m really scared that I’ll think it’s shit. That’s my ultimate fear with my work: what if I end up presenting this stuff that I myself don’t like?”
Necessary Errors
"Being here is what you're doing, when you're here" - a young protagonist seeks to align himself with a place in transition
The month in books
Publishers are already eying airport bookshops, but there’s nothing escapist about May’s selections
In praise of the cliché
At the end of the day, sometimes you’ve just got to think inside the box