Contents

NOTES FROM THE COUCH Idler’s Diary 8 Arthur Smith On his lifelong friend, Dennis the Diabetes Menace 14 How I Live Jon Glover, Actor, Voiceover, Writer 16 Philosophy An Ode to the Poet, that most magical of souls, by Mark Vernon 20 Idler Heroes Raise a glass of lighter fluid to the real Withnail, says Alex Johnson 24 Odium Why Stephen Bayley will not be having the lobster 28

FEATURES Wire in the Blood Actor Dominic West t alks Tom Hodgkinson through the most rewarding – and disturbing – roles of his life 32 Going Postal The little red boxes that unite our land celebrated by James Thelluson 40 All The World’s a Stage The life of the travelling troubadour by busker Robin Timmis 44 Here Be Monsters! Mary Ruskin on Medieval Essex’s foremost chronicler of the bizarre 48

Poetry With Edward Thomas

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STYLE Hearth of the Matter The art of the mantelpiece celebrated by Orlando Gili

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Santa’s Little Helpers Our complete Christmas gift guide 60 Idle Home Georgina Williams salutes mosiacist Carrie Reichardt’s suburban subversion 66 The Good Stuff Victoria Hull discovers an idle tipple, elegant t ableware, the greatest gloves, funky coffee grinders and tequila made by bees 72 Slow Tech David Bailey loved his Olympus Trip 35. Lee Osborne knows why 78

ARTS & BOOKS Art Flâneur Tim Richardson on the secrets of the Isokon, north London’s modernist house of spies 82 Books: Lead Review Clare Pollard is delighted by an illuminating map of the minds of poets 92