For years, my son Matt begged for a brother or sister. It took a cat to change his mind

Extracts from memoirs and diaries selected by Ian Irvine

Best to watch, best to play, the sport that draws the best talent, which people are best at—it's tricky to decide which sport is "best"

There's something to be said for a Classics-inspired motivational phrase—we might even beat the public-schoolboy Latin tweeters at their own game...

Watching the snow fall across the rural landscape, emotions are heightened and thoughts run clear

Evolving tastes and challenging property markets mean that past generations’ possessions don’t fit into the homes of the next generation—aesthetically or physically

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton together during the filming of 'The VIPs' at Borehamwood in London. Image: PA 121AD Suetonius, the Emperor Hadrian’s secretary, describes the extravagance...

Sports provide a case study in what happens when we prioritise ourselves—or the team

Trump's presidency has given rise to a depressing parlour game

What was the world like, when last these slopes were dense with woodland? What will the world be like when these seedlings are full grown?