Comment & Opinion

How do starlings form murmurations?

Murmurations of starlings — the vast clouds of thousands of birds, flocking and swooping through the sky — are one of nature's great displays. But how do the birds do it? Martin Fone investigates.

Jason Goodwin: 'What gets lost will be forever lost, whereas pylons, cars and trains may be rendered obsolete'

Jason Goodwin muses on economics, Stonehenge and social media.

When were dogs domesticated?

Dogs have never been more popular — as soaring puppy prices (and the worrying number of scams) show. But our love affair with dogs is anything but new — it's older than even our most ancient civilisations, discovers Martin Fone.

10 of the best things about 2020 — really — and why we need to keep them up in 2021

We seem to have brought the worst of 2020 into the start of 2021 — so let's make sure we carry on with the good things which the last 12 months brought us.

Jonathan Self: Don't measure your life in years — measure it in dogs

Jonathan Self celebrates a birthday for a beloved dog.

The wit and wisdom of snow, from Laurie Lee to Ogden Nash

Snow has always inspired wit and wisdom — and here are some of the best, as picked out by Jonathan Self.

Charlie Mackesy on The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: 'It's humbling... The reaction was beyond anything I ever imagined'

Charlie Mackesy is the author and illustrator of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the bestselling — and hugely poignant — book that celebrates kindness and understanding. He spoke to Katy Birchall about why there’s no shame in showing weakness and asking for help.

Country Life's Christmas message, by Reverend Richard Coles: 'I will celebrate Midnight Mass alone, save for my congregation of two dachshunds'

This will be a very different Christmas, says the Reverend Richard Coles, but mankind has been here before. And this time around, we have ingenious ‘virtual’ ways to worship and gather to celebrate Christmas at a safe social distance.

Country Life's top 10 blogs and columns of 2020, from wise owls to the invention of toilet paper

You'll scratch your chin, nod in recognition and quite probably chuckle out loud at the most-read columns from the Country Life website this year.

Curious Questions: How did curry become Britain's national dish?

Martin Fone takes a look at the first Indian restaurant in Britain, discovering what was on its first menu, and finding out how lager became the traditional accompaniment to curry dishes.

With love from Father Christmas: J.R.R. Tolkien's enchanting Christmas letters to his children

For nearly a quarter of a century, J. R. R. Tolkien sent his children elaborate letters and pictures from the North Pole. Ben Lerwill explores the penmanship, kindness and magic that went into Letters From Father Christmas.

One man, two Hondas, and a major life decision to be made

Should cars be about fun or function? James Fisher faced this common motoring dilemma when choosing between the Honda Jazz and the Honda Civic Type-R, one that he somehow turned into a literal journey of self-discovery.

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, aka The Black Farmer: 'Rural Britain is not racist. I find more racism in the cities.'

After emigrating from Jamaica to Britain with the Windrush Generation, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones made it his mission to move to the countryside and run his own farm. He tells James Fisher about his journey.

Lucy Baring: 'Mary was a Disney princess, Joseph was a no-show and I had to wrestle the three kings from their phone screens to shove them up the aisle'

Columnist Lucy Baring talks Nativity, nostalgia and second-hand kitchen appliances.

Curious Questions: Why do maps include streets, and even entire towns, which don't exist?

The mysteries of mapping have intrigued Martin Fone since he was a boy — and one of the great curiosities is the existence of the 'trap street'.

Jonathan Self: 'We blocked every hole, engaged a feckless cat and baited traps with the best Camembert, but still they came'

Jonathan Self tackles a minor infestation, only to miss the hole in his life left by the furry visitors.

Curious Questions: Why do we have Advent calendars?

This week's Country Life Christmas special is an annual treat, with our special Advent calendar cover. But how did the Advent calendar phenomenon start? Martin Fone investigates.

Curious Questions: What is a 'doubly-thankful' village — and how did Upper Slaughter become one?

Martin Fone examines the (sadly rare) phenomenon of the parishes who erect memorials not to the fallen, but to those who survived war.

Jason Goodwin: The price of Absolute Power? Turns out it's £250 a week +VAT

An unforgettable week at the controls of a metal monster goes to Jason Goodwin's head.

Carla Carlisle: 'This is not a battle between two political parties... It’s like a religious war, with no forgiveness in sight'

As the US Presidential election was taking place, Carla Carlisle penned her thoughts about a uniquely disturbing event back in her homeland: an election in which both sides fervently believed that victory for their opponents would bring the end of the world as we know it.