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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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Indian History

The Raja and the Ox-Cart

Vijay Singh, Raja of Jodhpur, was left to fend for himself after his army deserted him.

based on an account by Lt-Col. James Tod 1782-1835

Sir Stamford Raffles

Mr and Mrs Raffles

Abdullah Abdul Kadir gives us his first-hand impressions of the Founder of Singapore and of his first wife, Olivia.

by Abdullah Abdul Kadir 1796-1854

Magna Carta

The Signing of the Great Charter

King John promised his nobles respect, but he was not a man to regard his word as his bond.

Poets and Poetry

Six Honest Serving-Men

A professional journalist and author recognises that he has met his match

by Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936

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Selected Authors

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William Cullen Bryant

Statesman vs Politician

Robert Louis Stevenson

Marooned!

Sydney Smith

War is Such a Taxing Business

Sir Walter Scott

The Blessing of Disguise

Samuel Smiles

A Monument to Liberty

Jawaharlal Nehru

The Battle of the Nile

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Selected Topics

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Sport and Sportsmen

Stories from the world of cricket, football and other sports, and the men and women who have played them.

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France

Stories about our friends across the Channel, from Roman times to the Hundred Years’ War, her bloody Revolution, and the giddying rise and fall of Emperor Napoleon.

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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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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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The British Constitution

Passages examining Britain’s sometimes baffling constitutional monarchy, and telling the story of its enemies, its champions, and its reformers.

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Music and Musicians

The artistic struggles and triumphs of composers from the British Isles and abroad, many in their own words — and accompanied by their music.

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The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature