The ObserverFictionReviewThe Greek demi-god Achilles emerges for the first time as a lover as well as a fighter in this beautifully written novelIf you were looking to retell the story of one of the great lovers in Greek myth, you could choose Paris, whose love (or lust) for Helen launched a thousand ships against his city of Troy, and wiped it from the map. Or Orpheus, whose devotion to Eurydice led him down into the depths of hell to try to reclaim her.
Jessica Valenti columnKeira Knightley This article is more than 9 years oldTopless Keira Knightley is not alone: 2014 is the year women reclaimed our breastsThis article is more than 9 years oldJessica ValentiBreasts onstage. Breasts on Facebook. Breasts everywhere! Our body parts are just that: one part of who we are – and they’re not public property
It’s difficult to escape breasts these days. They’re on billboards in Moscow, causing hundreds of car crashes.
Pornography This article is more than 1 year oldInternet porn executives resign after revelations the company’s sites hosted underage videosThis article is more than 1 year oldCEO and COO of Mindgeek insist their departures are unrelated to the New Yorker’s reporting
The top executives of the controversial porn site company Mindgeek, which is embroiled in legal action by alleged child trafficking victims, have resigned.
The chief executive and chief operating officer of MindGeek, which owns the adult sex websites Pornhub and YouPorn, have stepped down after more than a decade running operations.
Euro 2024Israel stay in hunt for Euro 2024 spot after late leveller thwarts Switzerland Israel scored an 88th-minute equaliser to grab a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their European Championship qualifier in neutral Hungary on Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of reaching next year’s finals in Germany.
The Swiss were within two minutes of booking their finals place but Shon Weissman’s late goal means they must now beat Kosovo at the weekend to ensure they qualify.
Landmarks in lawStudying lawThe case of five men jailed for engaging in consensual sadomasochistic sexual acts became a legal guideline The case of five men jailed for engaging in consensual sadomasochistic sexual acts is one of the few judgments that most law students actually read, and the facts tend to stay with them. The appellants in R v Brown had been convicted of actual bodily harm (ABH) and wounding. A majority ruling in the House of Lords said the fact that the men had consented to the acts, which included inserting fish hooks through the penis and nailing foreskin and scrotum to a board, provided no defence.
China This article is more than 1 month oldOrganisers of ultramarathon in which 21 runners died jailed in ChinaThis article is more than 1 month oldSeven people sentenced to years in prison over 2021 race in Gansu province hit by extreme weather
Organisers of a 2021 ultramarathon in north-west China during which 21 runners died in extreme weather conditions have been sentenced to years in prison for their roles, state media reported.
Rereading Stephen KingBooksStephen King fan James Smythe has reached The Stand in his survey of the horror master, and finds this novel isn't just about good versus evil – it's also about fateThe Stand – the original version of it, something I'll talk about later – was published in 1978. I read it 16 years after that. I can remember the time and place: on holiday in Turkey with my family.
The Americans: episode by episodeThe AmericansThe Americans recap: Season one, episode threeClassic spycraft and a well-balanced game of cat and mouse sees The Americans hit its strideSPOILER ALERT: This blog is for viewers watching The Americans at Australian and British broadcast pace. Do not read on if you haven't watched episode three – and please do not post spoilers if you've seen further in the series.
Click here to read Vicky Frost's episode two blog.
Biography books This article is more than 21 years oldWas Orwell's widow a gold-digger?This article is more than 21 years oldJohn SutherlandWhy can't the Orwells lie quietly in their graves? A perfect literary storm is currently raging about their lives and literary affairs. What, Private Eye asks, happened to the posthumous revenues of 1984 and Animal Farm? Orwell died in 1950, leaving everything to his wife of three months, Sonia. By 1980, when she died, these titles alone had sold 30 million.
Kitchen aideFoodSalt and pepper are stock ingredients, but what can you substitute if someone is allergic to the black stuff?
The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. What do you give someone who can’t tolerate pepper, which seems to be an essential ingredient in every recipe I read?