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Letters

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday, 17th October 2007

Anthony Gooch
Head of Media, Representation of the European Commission to the UK, London SW1

Game for lunch?

Sir: Everyone is entitled to their own food preferences but Paul Johnson goes too far when he states that ‘pheasant is not worth eating’ (And another thing, 6 October). All game meat is currently enjoying a renaissance in popularity with consumers attracted by its seasonal distinctiveness and nutritional qualities (pheasant is lower in fat than many red meats and is a good source of protein and vitamins containing high levels of iron, Vitamin B6 and selenium). As a result, sales of game meat soared by 46 per cent between 2004 and 2006, reaching £57 million last year. It is the only meat sector showing double-figure growth and is even outstripping sales of organic products by more than double (Mintel, February 2007).

I would be delighted to invite Mr Johnson to lunch to show him what he is missing.

Alexia Robinson
Countryside Alliance
London SE11

Lucky to be alive

Sir: I loved Matthew Parris’s article the other week: ‘celestial strains of a violin made my soul soar’ (Another voice, 22 September). Whether it is music, a beautiful painting, an unexpected act of kindness, a happy child’s smile, we can all be touched. I was cantering across a rolling piece of countryside recently on a lovely horse; good old turf underfoot with my dog sometimes ahead, sometimes delving into the undergrowth, and once going potty in a fast gallop on a circle with her tail between her legs in sheer exhilaration at being alive — and then coming back to a walk. All quiet and peace, and I was deeply touched with happiness and delight. There are so many problems for so many in the world but, Christ, aren’t I lucky just to be here just now?

Charlotte Steel
London SW6

Ships in the night

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Bryan Stokes

March 11th, 2008 5:03am

Paul Johnson's 'Ten Perfect Poems ...' (1March, '08, page 25) is a very stimulating contribution to modern literature. What weekly magazine, apart from yours and perhaps the Atlantic Monthly, would devote so much space and money to such a frivilous essay? I appreciate that,as Mr Johnson states, every selection of short English poems is subjective & personal, but how eclectic and idiosycratic of him to choose thus. It speaks volumes for both his formal and subsequent self-education. I'd never heard of Francis Thompson and so thoroughly enjoyed 'At Lords' once I'd googled it and printed it off, as I did all those mentioned and selected, thanks to the marvels of the internet. Mr. Johnson surely is a true polymath along with James & Rushdie. Here in Perth West Australia, at the antipodes, we feel a little cut off from London's literary life, but thanks to the Johnsons and your other fine columnists (especially 'Ancient & Modern's Peter James) civilization seems a little closer, remebering Singapore & Sydney are 4 hours away by plane. I thoroughly enjoy your magazine (Joan Collins' Oscar notes were amusing as was Rod Liddle's take on Boris' mayoral antics. Thanks for everything - a real joy!

A child of our time

From the economic and psychological bedlam of the global downturn has emerged a particularly dangerous false dichotomy: namely, that there is somehow a choice for ministers over the next few years between economic reconstruction and the repair of Britain’s broken society, and that the government (whether Labour or Conservative) must prioritise the former at the expense of the latter.

Diary

Anne Robinson

The daughter and I spent the last few days before the American election in Arizona.

Politics

Fraser Nelson

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

The Spectator's Notes

Charles Moore

‘A money-financed tax cut is essentially equivalent to Milton Friedman’s famous “helicopter drop” of money.’ So said Ben Bernanke, now the chairman of the Fed, in a speech about how to ward off the ‘extremely small’ chance of deflation, which he delivered in 2002.