Category Archives: Books

Richard Dawkins & the humanist’s dilemma: When faced with Islamic State does “moderate” religious discrimination really matter?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

This piece first appeared in The Big Issue magazine – journalism worth paying for. Available from street vendors UK wide or subscription. Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford has 3 and a half miles of books. It’s a wonderful place. The deputy … Continue reading →

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The Outer Limits: A fantastic voyage

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

“To God there is no zero. I still exist.” – Richard Matheson’s The Incredible Shrinking Man screenplay (1957) The summer solstice  has just passed — marking the extreme tipping point of the earth’s axis and the longest day. It was … Continue reading →

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Arnold Bennett: Edwardian Superstar

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

All photos (except film still) copyright Samira Ahmed. No re-use without permission These are photos taken on location for Arnold of the Five Towns, my Radio 4 documentary about why this hugely popular and successful writer has fallen from fashion … Continue reading →

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People at work: Richard III & the 60s Town Planner

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

This piece connected the Richard III exhumation to Leicester’s repentence for sins against its medieval past. Thought it worth reposting as the High Court ruled in favour of a “dignified” burial in the city. Full details and judgement here.  Maybe you … Continue reading →

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Alan Bennett: On the art of the monologue & being teenage “jailbait”

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

To mark Alan Bennett’s 80th birthday, this is an updated post based on an In Conversation with the playwright, diarist and screenwriter  at the British Film Institute in March last year. It was focussed on his skills with the monologue, as part … Continue reading →

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Mr Selfridge & the book bound in human skin

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

Selfridge’s window display 1920s (www.shopdisplays.net) Writer Arnold Bennett was a well known celebrity in London by the 1920s and often recorded his encounters with the rich and powerful in his journals. This one has stuck in my mind. Not sure … Continue reading →

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Wilderness Years: From Rapunzel to Travolta and General Zod

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

A blind prince wanders through a Biblical-looking stony desert. The strange coda to Rapunzel is often forgotten, but it’s what I remember most about reading the Ladybird storybook as a child. And it’s where I chose to start today’s Something Understood … Continue reading →

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Midnight movies to Kickstarter: John Waters & selling films

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

Trailer for Pink Flamingos (1972) (Updated December 8th 2014) These are notes for further reading based on my Kingston University film class today about John Waters’ career and its lessons for independent filmmaking. John Waters Trailer for Pink Flamingos – … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Business/Economics, Comedy, Culture, Film, Kingston University class notes, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged | 2 Comments

People at work: Richard III and The 60s Town Planner

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

This piece was about Leicester’s repentence for planning atrocities against its medieval past. Thought it worth reposting as the High Court ruled in favour of a “dignified” burial in the city. Full details and judgement here.  Maybe you used to … Continue reading →

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Hero or love rat? Jane Austen and procrastination

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

I made a Something Understood about Procrastination, focused on heroes. From the world of statecraft we have JFK’s use of delay to avert World War III in the Cuban Missile  Crisis, and in contrast Dr Martin Luther King challenging the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, History, Politics, Radio, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment