Books

Dirty Harry, 1971 (Image: Getty) What is the greatest year in cinema? There will never be a definitive answer. It’s all subjective of course, because it’s always a question of personal taste and opinion. But, for me, 1971 is indisputably the best ever in movie history. What stands out is …

Charles Dickens, author of David Copperfield (Image: Getty) THE harbour town of Broadstairs has been making the best of the mixed British summer. Children splash in the gentle surf while adults stroll along The Parade, browsing food stalls, enjoying the views and ozone-rich air. This seaside idyll might not be …

Among the main Straw Hat Pirates crew in One Piece is the ship’s cook Vinsmoke Sanji.  In Eiichiro Oda’s manga, the character is famous for his kicks, sporting a jacket and tie and chain-smoking. Infamously, his cigarettes were censored in the 4Kids version of the anime, being converted into a …

Burger King is facing a lawsuit that claims its Whopper burger appears too small on menus compared to what is offered in reality. The fast-food giant must face up to allegations that it is misleading customers by showing a burger that boasts a meatier patty, and ingredients that “overflow over …

It’s been 26 years since the One Piece manga began and six since its live-action adaptation was announced at Netflix. Author Eiichiro Oda is an executive producer on the show, which debuts on the streaming service this Thursday. Earlier this year the creator confessed to “frustrating” moments during production of …

The nation has obsessed with The Arches for over 70 years (Image: Getty) It’s the world’s longest-running drama, created way before most of its audience were born, and still going strong today. Such is the pulling-power of The Archers that everybody – from Queen Camilla to Rylan Clark – listens …

He’s the 10th best-selling fiction author in the history of the world, with over 500 million sales globally for his One Piece manga. Now over 25 years on since he started, Eiichiro Oda is penning the final part of the most popular comic by volume ever. As the 48-year-old embarks …

This is one of the best memoirs I have ever read. Written by novelist John Niven, it begins on the day in August 2010 when he was told that his 42-year-old brother Gary was in a coma. Gary had been admitted to hospital after self-harming. Then, left in a room …

One Piece is a global phenomenon but has had only a niche impact on popular culture in the UK. This is surprising given that the ongoing Japanese comic is the world’s best-selling manga and the best-selling comic by volume ever with over 500 million copies sold worldwide In fact, the …

Frederick Forsyth and the novel that made him a star (Image: Getty) I was not long out of school and working on my third unpublished novel when The Day Of The Jackal came out in 1971. It was serialised in the Daily Express and I remember reading the first chapter …