Somewhere at the root of this should be the question: what can the BBC do that nobody else can? Instead, the question seems to be: what can the BBC do to offer the same thing as everybody else?

And, you know, it might be that in a world characterised by mistrust and outright deception, a rediscovery of Reithian virtues now reinforced by a sense of independence from government might actually be a winning news formula.

No further information provided -- a typically laconic inventory!

From the inventory of another French widow's home in 1622, I'm not sure I need to translate 'une trape pour prendre des Rats'.

These inventories are really great -- I don't think there's been much done on them at all (though I'm still looking), but so far the majority are for women, and mostly poor women, French migrants to London whose goods are sold off by the French church on their deaths.

A French widow's room, inventoried in 1620, includes a featherbed with two sheets, 'and another sheet that she was saving to be buried in'.

Today's glimpse into a French household in London: this inventory from 1619 includes a Bible with the Psalms, a knife for cutting herbs, and two birdcages (plus their occupants).

There's a great pop global history book right there for someone who wants it

Jill Burke's latest would be great here!

I feel like I'm the only man of my age in the world who doesn't like those books

Maybe they'll get him to do it like Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada where all the other characters have to pretend he's awful looking until Stanley Tucci (presumably playing Toby Esterhase) loans him a new suit

Le Carré, consistently: he was short and fat and looked like a frog Casting directors: now the key thing about George Smiley is that he would absolutely get it

Taking solace in the new George Smiley casting with the idea that maybe one day I, a similarly tubby and unprepossessing character, might one day be played by the handsome and urbane Matthew Macfadyen.

This looks so good Callan!

I only came across the Hoover link because I was working on John Florio, whose dad translated it into Italian in the sixteenth century!