A Most Wanted Man

In a rare public appearance, John le Carre will be talking about his new book A Most Wanted Man at the Southbank Queen Elizabeth Hall, on Wednesday October 1 2008, at 8pm. For details and tickets (£12) telephone Phone 0871 663 2500 or see telegraph.co.uk/lecarre

College History

The Transmitter Issue 2 September / October 2008 contains a review of Jan Piggott's new history of the school Dulwich College a history 1616-2008. The review is written by Jo Akrill and there is a copy in the Common Room and another in the Archives.

Book Lists

On Saturday 20 September 2008, The Telegraph published a list called Villainy - the 50 foulest fiends in literature in the Review section. In at No. 50 was OA Raymond Chandler with Helen Grayle/Velma Valento from Farewell, My lovely. Described as "a blonde (sic) to make a bishop kick a hole on a stained glass window" she leaves a trail of bloody victims in her wake as she tries to hide her past as a flame-haired nightclub singer.

The list, like all lists is very dubious, as Samuel Whiskers from The Tale of Samuel Whiskers by Beatrix Potter comes in at No. 2, behind Satan from Milton's Paradise Lost!

I suspect that the compiler of these lists may have a soft spot for Raymond Chandler as he was listed at No. 4 in The 50 Greatest Crime Writers in April this year, and No. 21 out of 50 Crime Writers to read before you die in February 2008.