july 2018 Issue 466 £4.25

French Connections Richard Vinen • Jonathan Meades • Glenn Richardson the irrepressible adam smith Richard V Reeves alcibiades unleashed Peter Thonemann inside the royal academy Susan Owens flann o’brien lets rip David Wheatley washington’s greed • india’s super-rich • obama’s amanuensis mi6 goes rogue • lanyon in perspective • burgess splurges