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Passages for reading. Read them out aloud. Paraphrase or précis them. Discuss them with friends. Does anything surprise or impress you? How does the author work your feelings? Would you use his words? How would you direct the scene in a movie — and who would your stars be?

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On This Day

Sunday September 8 ns August 26 os

For Church feasts falling on September 8 in the New Style calendar, see The Feast of Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Finding of the Kursk icon.

August 26, 1395 os

Meeting of the ‘Vladimir’ Icon (1)

The Theotokos of Vladimir

It is one of the world’s most recognisable works of art, and a symbol of God’s blessing on all Christian Rus’.

September 8, 1380

The Battle of Kulikovo (1)

Dmitri of the Don

Grand Duke Dmitri of Moscow loosened the grip of the Tartar Horde on the people of Russia, but treachery robbed him of triumph.

by Lucy Cazalet 1870-1956

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International Relations

A Credit to His Country

The diplomat’s task is to see the best in other peoples, not to scold them for their failings.

by François de Callières 1645-1717

Lives of the Saints

The Synod of Whitby

In 664, a council at Whitby decided to align the traditions of the Northumbrian Church with those of Rome and Constantinople.

by John Richard Green 1837-1883

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Lives of the Saints

Passover to Pentecost

St Bede explains how the Exodus and the Ten Commandments are related to Easter and Whitsuntide.

by St Bede of Jarrow 672-735

Greek Myths

Lover’s Leap

Joseph Addison tells the legend of the great Greek poetess Sappho and the Lover’s Leap.

by Joseph Addison 1672-1719

Lives of the Saints

St Mary of Egypt

Back in the 6th century, Mary was consumed by an addiction so compulsive that she would use and discard anyone to satisfy it.

from The Syon Abbey Martyrology 1526

Lives of the Saints

Cuthbert and the Weary Hawk

A bird of prey shattered the peace of St Cuthbert’s island, and was taught an unforgettable lesson.

based on the account by Reginald of Durham ?-?1190

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Selected Authors

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Mandell Creighton

Unsuitable for Export

John Trenchard & Thomas Gibson

Keeping the Colonies

A. A. Milne

A Chess Problem

St Bede of Jarrow

The Lessons of History

William Shakespeare

An Ever-Fixed Mark

Mark Twain

The Grammar of Jays and Cats

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Selected Topics

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Greece

Tales about the cradle of Western civilisation, from Socrates and the first democracies to the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman yoke, and Britain’s part in the fight for independence.

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Russia

Stories from our cousins in the East, from Rurik the Viking and the Baptism of Rus’ to trade with Ivan the Terrible, a visit from Peter the Great, and the last Emperor.

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Bible and Saints

Tales from the Bible, including the parables of Jesus and the story of Esther, and miracles from the lives of saints, such as our own Cuthbert the Wonderworker.

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The USA

Tales from our cousins to the West, telling of their independence from Britain, their bloody civil war, and their runaway prosperity — and the slender thread by which it hangs.

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Extracts from Fiction

Romance, adventure and comedy from the very best fiction writers, including Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, John Buchan, and many more.

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India

Stories from the ancient and mighty civilisation of India, from classical mythology to the Mughal Emperors, the East India Company and the British Raj.

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The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature