Cultural Life: Ben Bradshaw, culture secretary
Books
Sameem Ali's 'Belonging' – an autobiographical account of escape from a forced marriage and abusive family. Before that, the biography of the great Labour politician and first Arts minister Jennie Lee by Patricia Hollis.
Films
'Nowhere Boy' – Sam Taylor Wood's wonderful evocation of the early life of John Lennon, which premiered on the closing night of the London Film Festival. Also saw and loved 'Fishtank' recently.
Music
Whatever's on Radio 3. Saw Kurt Masur conducting Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' at the Festival Hall to mark the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which made up for not being able to get to Berlin.
Theatre & Opera
'Enron' and 'Jerusalem' at the Royal Court and Jude Law's 'Hamlet' – all great. 'Tristan and Isolde' at the Royal Opera House (Nina Stemme is the best Isolde since Nilsson) and 'The Turn of the Screw' at English National Opera – with Sir Charles Mackerras, who did the original production, conducting.
Visual Arts
Richard Long and the summer show at the Tate, Jeff Koons at the Serpentine, Gay Icons at the National Portrait Gallery and Exeter Arts Society annual show.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies