CULTURE & HISTORY

MATT LEWIS—The early trauma may have also informed his more sober role as king. Henry was a renowned soldier, but piety and honour forged a strong moral compass (the execution of prisoners at Agincourt is often cited against this, but it can be understood in its context, if not excused because the threatened French resurgence did not materialise). Henry offered the King of France a single combat duel between himself and the French king’s son, The Dauphin (the king being too infirm for such a trial). It is most likely that Henry did so knowing not only that the Dauphin lacked military experience and courage and so would be forced to decline, dishonouring himself, but also that in the unlikely event of acceptance, Henry would win. However, he told the French king Charles VI that he wished to settle the matter in this manner to avoid “the effusion of blood”.

CHRISTOPHER WALKER—Congenital talipes equinovarus, better known as clubfoot, is a poorly understood but surprisingly common medical condition. According to Ansar et al, it affects about one in one thousand newborns, though this figure varies by country. There is a roughly fifty-fifty split between those born with bilateral clubfoot and those with only one foot affected, most often the right. Miedzybrodzka discusses the likely origins of the condition – but is unable to draw a firm conclusion.2 “Neurological, muscular, bony, connective tissue and vascular mechanisms have been proposed, but the only firm evidence is that the mildest cases appear to be associated with intra-uterine posture.” Treatment is available but not always successful. Untreated, clubfoot can cause a painful disability that is difficult to manage.

The notebook became his graphic novel Moms, following Soyeon, a gutsy woman in her mid-50s, and her female friends. All are mothers and all are dealing with feckless adult children, “shithead” boyfriends who wheedle money out of them in exchange for bad sex and company, and invisibility and sexual harassment in their workplaces. It is both a portrait of the worker – Soyeon starts a small revolution when she tries to lead the other cleaners, all women, to form a union – and a portrait of womanhood and middle-age, where all the women are bright and brash, both victims and fighters – even literally, with Soyeon getting into street fisticuffs with a love rival over the younger man they are both seeing.

ANDRE VLTCHEK—While there are, undeniably, few optimistic success stories, including the Russian vaccine, China’s and Vietnam’s ability to contain the pandemic without ruining economy and livelihood of the citizens, the great majority of the world is undoubtfully in disarray. Hundreds of millions of people are literally tossed into the gutter. Other billions, all over Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and to some extent, the United States and the U.K. are locked in, unable to travel abroad, and unwilling to accept visitors from other countries.

The New York Times today buried some news that could turn out to be vital to peace in the Middle East over the next few months. Toward the end of a report on Trump’s bizarre press conference/campaign rally at his private club in New Jersey last night, the paper revealed that he is quarreling with Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire pro-Israel mega-donor.