header-logo header-logo

Chapter & verse

16 December 2016 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7727 / Categories: Features
printer mail-detail
nlj_7727_regan

Dominic Regan reveals his top tomes

As we near the end of a memorably momentous year, you might just not be up to reading yet another transcript. With that in mind, I suggest a few books of a non-legal nature that might appeal.

Dear diaries

My favourite read of the year has been Keeping On Keeping On by Alan Bennett. The best and opening segment is his diaries which cover 2005-15. Whatever your political stance, I defy anyone to be unimpressed by the clarity and passion of his writing. He combines grand trips to New York with outings to churches in the wilds of England, packing his own sandwiches for the latter. The remainder of the book is a cupboard of pieces that he has written.

If you enjoy diaries then the waspish Sir Roy Strong, who manages to sneer at the Royal Family and pretty much everyone else he mentions, has just published Scenes and Apparitions , covering 1988-2003. Still available although published long ago, are the diaries of Kenneth Williams and Joe Orton. The

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
back-to-top-scroll