Articles
How Socrates can teach us how to die
Mark Vernon | Idler Magazine
Embrace the ultimate idling, says Mark Vernon… Read more
How to like classical music
Sandy Burnett | Classical music
Sandy Burnett’s course provides the key… Read more
Idler 72, May/June 2020
Back Issues
Click above to read the whole of Idler issue 72, featuring:
Will Hodgkinson on how… Read more
Obituary: Ian Whitcomb, musician
Travis Elborough | Obituary
Travis Elborough pays tribute… Read more
How P.G. Wodehouse will save our souls
Gustav Temple | Comment
Gustav Temple on the soothing joys of Bertie Wooster… Read more
Why work is good – in small doses
Brendan Burchell | Comment
The future is part-time, says Brendan Burchell… Read more
My failed campaign against Amazon
Tom Hodgkinson | Comment
Is it possible to escape the clutches of Bezos?… Read more
How to create the idle home
Tom Hodgkinson | Comment
Tom Hodgkinson on temples of indolence… Read more
Dear Virginia: my partner’s panic is driving me mad
Virginia Ironside | Comment
Virginia Ironside addresses a reader’s problem… Read more
The man who lived in a wall
Dr Matthew Green | History
Voluntary self-isolation in 14th century London… Read more
Stop the machine!
Tom Hodgkinson | Comment
E.M. Forster foresees a world of human isolation and tech dominance… Read more
TV: Tiger King is garish, jaw-dropping, ghastly
Peter Fincham | Comment
Joe Exotic is pure television gold, says Peter Fincham… Read more
Ronald Hutton on Tudor lock-down
Ronald Hutton | Comment
How Shakespeare used plague time to get productive… Read more
A home working guide for the ill-disciplined
Saša Jankovic | Comment
We look to the medieval anchorites for efficiency tips… Read more
Social distancing during the Black Death
Tom Hodgkinson | Comment
Tom Hodgkinson on self-isolation in the 14th century… Read more
“Oh! that I had a letter from William!”
Pamela Clemit | Essays
Pamela Clemit celebrates the importance of letters in the Romantic era… Read more
A Drink With Dominic West
On Thursday evening 23rd April actor Dominic West will be in conversation live with… Read more
Coronavirus: what it’s like and how to cope
Will Hodgkinson | Comment
Will Hodgkinson got it and has recovered: here is his story… Read more
Good Book: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Dan Kieran | Comment
Turn off Twitter and imbibe some Stoic wisdom… Read more
Craig Brown: Hunger game
Craig Brown | Comment
When Scrabble loses its appeal, try the Fruit Game… Read more