I was recently reminded of the writings of Alain de Botton by a friend, so I decided to pick up The Architecture of Happiness. What I found was a well-written exploration of Western architectural history, and a severely disappointing lack of imagination. De Botton writes eloquently about the various architectural trends and styles that have characterised Western cultures for the last few hundred years. His exploration of modernism, and his description of them as being just as ideologically moti...

A letter from an unknown Luddite to a local magistrate: Huddersfield 21 October 1812 Ratclif Sir, I drop you this as a warning that I have for some time Eyed you as your Publick character act with so much injustice to almost every individual that has had the misfortune to come before you that I and my two Assocites is this hour your sworn Enimes and all his Magistes forces will not save you, for I dow not regard my own life if I can have reveang of you which I mos ashuredly will make myself ...