Book Review Eerily familiar pandemic tale falls short of Strout’s usual brilliancePulitzer prize-winning novelist’s gift for observation is still intact even if the story of characters caught up in the Covid lockdown is one we perhaps know too well
Column Nadine O’Regan: A temper tantrum can be a sign of career burnoutTalk show host James Cordon’s restaurant meltdown and journalist Marianne Jones’s A&E scare were both symptomatic of a work-life balance completely out of whack. Those of us with similarly stressful careers should take note, and slow down
Columnists Nadine O’Regan: When one high-profile woman fails, all women falterLiz Truss’s swift fall from grace, well deserved though it may be, drags other women down in the same way that another woman’s success buoys us up
Appetite for Distraction What to watch this week: Dr Who still flying about with the Daleks through time and spaceNearly 60 years on from the doctor’s TV debut, Jodie Whittaker stars in a feature length episode in her last appearance in the role
Appetite for Distraction What to watch this week: Dermot Bannon seeks out his ideal homes in Spain and ScotlandThe architect visits incredible homes in other parts of the world
Columnists Nadine O’Regan: Women’s football team have said sorry over ‘Ra’ gaffe, let’s leave it at thatThe unsavoury chant that went up in the locker room after the Irish team qualified for the Fifa Women’s World Cup finals was unedifying surely, but hardly unforgivable
Book Review Forever Home: Finely drawn characters make Norton’s latest a joy from start to finish While plot is still central to Graham Norton’s latest crime drama, it’s apparent that the most poignant and compelling scenes stem from his gift for creating astute, sympathetic character portrayals
Appetite for Distraction What to watch this week: Recalling the 1968 Tuskar Rock tragedyFifty-four years ago, an Aer Lingus flight en route from Cork to London crashed into the sea leaving no survivors. In a documentary on Monday night, RTÉ speaks to the relatives of those who died
Tastemaker ‘A personality trait that I admire in others? Kindness. Every time’ – Maia DunphyMaia Dunphy, presenter, podcaster and writer, on being an ambivert, why she would invite Zig & Zag for dinner and what we can do to save the planet
Columnists Nadine O’Regan: Prizes are messy, controversial affairs and often full of bias and intrigueBetween the wigs, jigs, reels and hornpipes of Irish dance competitions, it’s been alleged that some judges have been dancing to a different tune
Interview ‘When I had written The Fool and the Scorpion, I went, ‘Wow, those lyrics have teeth’ – Sharon CorrSharon Corr’s most recent solo record features lyrics that are remarkable in their candour – she broke up with her husband and although she’s getting on with life, her songs can offer her a tool through which to channel emotion
Tastemaker ‘Getting lucky is no good unless you’re working hard when that luck arrives’ – Daithí, musicianAhead of performing at the Fómhar in Fanore mini-festival in Clare, the musician and producer reveals his five fantasy dinner party guests, the best advice he ever got and what makes him happiest
Appetite for Distraction What to watch this week: Family solidarity and fortitude put to the testTeams face strength and endurance tests with the help of sporting mentors in popular RTÉ show
Columnists Nadine O’Regan: For young people struggling here, emigration is again becoming a very real prospectA shocking housing crisis at home is causing a generation of Irish young people to be less risk-averse when it comes to seeking their futures elsewhere
Tastemaker ‘Always listen to your wife...My wife told me to say that’ – Joe Ballance, Hard Rock Hotel DublinJoe Ballance, vibe manager at the Hard Rock Hotel Dublin, on a life in rock and roll and why being productive is the key to happiness
Columnists Nadine O’Regan: Pregnancy is a joyful event, but why do we make it and childcare so hard for people? A first pregnancy is full of new and exciting events, but it is also frightening how punishing it can be on working parents
Tastemaker ‘There may be an afterlife, but it’s a shorter final curtain call’ – Pauline Ashwood, classical impresarioThe woman behind the Drogheda Classical Music Series on her five fantasy dinner party guests, the best advice she ever got and what she wishes she could be better at
Fashion Fashion: Think inside the box this seasonBrands like Weekend Max Mara and DAY Birger et Mikkelsen are embracing the boxiness trend for their Autumn/Winter collections
Book Review Fairy Tale: King indulges himself to good effect on that difficult 65th novelThe veteran horror master’s latest effort could have done with a trimmed word count, but effortlessly entices the reader into its web nonetheless
column Nadine O’Regan: Is the Queen’s passing being used by brands as a self-marketing opportunity?As the current madness demonstrates, it’s easy for a company to virtue-signal on its social media platforms, but somewhat harder to do the right thing by employees and customers
